House for Duty Associate Priest the Parish of Spofforth with Kirk Deighton

House for Duty Associate Priest the Parish of Spofforth with Kirk Deighton

ROLE DESCRIPTION

House for Duty Associate Priest –The Parish of Spofforth with Kirk Deighton

Archdeacon’s Signature:

Date: 5-4-17

To be reviewed by the Bishop and Archdeacon respectively at 6 months and 12 months under the Diocesan Resources for Changing Post Scheme. Annual review thereafter under the Diocesan Ministerial Development Review Scheme.

1) Details of the post

Title: House for Duty Associate Priest - Sunday ministry + 2 days per week

Benefice: Spofforth with Kirk Deighton

Oversight: The Bishop of Ripon

Archdeaconry: Richmond & Craven

Deanery: Harrogate

2) Role Purpose

General

1. To advance the Kingdom of God through shared leadership, collaboration and example 2. To exercise the cure of souls in the parishes of Spofforth with Kirk Deighton, shared with the bishop and incumbent, and to carry on the ministry of Word and sacrament. 3. To ensure that the people receive support, pastoral care and services including Sunday worship, worship for festivals and holy days and occasional offices.

Specific

1. To contribute to the Spofforthministry; 2. to work alongside the Priest in Charge and Reader in those aspects of rural ministry across the parish, which are delegated, by agreement; 3. to encourage and help develop discipleship and lay ministries across the parish; 5. to visit and engage with school ministry and explore ways of developing links between school and church; 5. to work collaboratively with the Priest in Charge to develop a Biblical understanding of stewardship.

Main responsibilities:

1. Contribute to the strategic mission and outreach across the four churches. 2. Participate in schools work; 3. Share in the pastoral care of parishioners. 4. Contribute to leading worship across the parish, by agreement; 5. Contribute to lay support and training across the Benefice, by agreement. 6. Nurture and develop faith and discipleship.

3) Key Contacts  Priest in Charge to whom the House for Duty Priest is responsible  Church Wardens  Reader  Headteacher at Spofforth and Follifoot CoE Aided Primary Schools in the area  Area Dean and Lay Chair of Harrogate Deanery  Archdeacon of Richmond & Craven.

4) Role Context

The parish comprises four villages situated in pleasant countryside with the attractive spa town of Harrogate to the north and the market town of Wetherby to the south. The A1M runs through the parish to the east and is easily accessed while there is a railway station in Harrogate. The parish also stretches across a large area of farmland with scattered houses and original farming activities continue. Other families have chosen to live in the villages as places which offer the country life together with excellent communication links to work either in Wetherby, Harrogate, Leeds, York and beyond. Two good church primary schools and excellent local secondary schools are an additional draw.

There is a strong community spirit and a range of activities in each village centred around the village halls and sporting activities. The area also attracts walkers with the Harland Way footpath, golfers with several courses nearby and for those interested in history there is Spofforth Castle and the eighteenth century professional road builder and structural engineer Blind Jack of Knaresborough is buried in Spofforth churchyard.

The churches have good links with the schools and local Guide and Brownie groups. Everyone looks forward to the special services at Christmas and Harvest Festivals.

5) Benefice Summary

Benefice: There are four churches in the united Benefice: All Saints, Spofforth (Grade II*); All Saints, Kirk Deighton (Grade I); St Joseph & St James, Follifoot (1884); and St Helen, Little Ribston (Chapel of Ease). Presently, there is one PCC and each parish has its own DCC. The parish shares a Priest in Charge with St Oswald’s, Collingham.

Patron: The Bishop of Leeds.

Churchwardens: 5

Ministers: Priest in Charge, 1 Reader, 1 Lay Worship Leader

Churchyards: 4

Population: 2,500

Average Sunday Attendance:

25 at Spofforth with7 children when there is a family service

24 at Kirk Deighton with 7 children at Parade service

24 at Follifoot with 6 children

10 at Little Ribston

Total Share: £47,993 (2016) [Only Follifoot paid in full]

Spofforth21,011

Kirk Deighton11,722

Follifoot10,837

Little Ribston4,423

Expenses: Paid in full

Resolution: None

Church Tradition: Central rural with vestments in 2 parishes and alb and stole in other two. CW, BCP, All Age Worship and occasional joint services.

Pastoral re-organisation proposals: To regularise the present informal working arrangement across the two Benefices.