Our ref: DB/01/17
January 2017
Dear Candidate
Priest in Charge
St Philip and St James Hucclecote, Gloucester
Thank you for your interest in this vacancy – I hope you find the accompanying documents helpful in considering your application.
Hucclecote is a thriving and popular suburb of Gloucester with a population of approximately 11,000, a number which is growing largely as the result of new housing. The church of St Philip and St James has long been a ‘sending church’ having encouraged vocations of many kinds - we as a diocese have benefitted from this. They put an emphasis on making disciples, teaching and preaching and are shaped by a charismatic theology of encounter with God and gifts of the Spirit given to all. The church community is welcoming and made up of people of all ages and stages of faith. As their profile suggests they have experienced both joys and sorrows as a community in recent years - the vacancy has given an opportunity for helpful reflection and a growing sense of unity in vision and purpose. The new Priest in Charge will be sensitive to the journey so far and will be excited about leading the church into the future – they have a strong desire to know God more and to see God’s Kingdom, and expressly wish to build on their local connections and become more outward focussed.
There is one church building with two Sunday congregations, and there are excellent facilities in the well-used Church centre. The person appointed will lead a team of Readers and be ably supported by a Church Administrator who works in a very well-equipped office, where the Priest in Charge may also choose to work at times.
The rights of presentation are currently suspended. This is mainly due to a recent change in parsonage housing and there are no current plans for pastoral re-organisation - the Archdeacon of Gloucester, the Venerable Jackie Searle, will happily have a conversation about this with any interested candidates.
One part of the Parish is an area of new housing called Coopers Edge. Coopers Edge has been built on the intersection of three existing parishes, and there is a Bishop’s Mission Order in place to enable the parishes of Hucclecote and Upton St Leonards to work together. For a number of reasons the BMO has not moved beyond the initial agreement of previous clergy to work together for the sake of mission and to provide an Anglican presence on the estate. There is a Baptist congregation who meet in Coopers Edge School on a Sunday, and any new initiative should be in partnership with existing churches. With a new appointment having recently been made at Upton St Leonards as well as this post in Hucclecote, there is an exciting opportunity for partnership in both pastoral and evangelistic ministry in this area.
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This post is being offered at a pivotal point in the life of the Diocese as we have recently launched our new diocesan vision for the next five years. http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/about/vision/ It is expected that the new incumbent will enable the church community to fully engage with this diocesan vision.
There are excellent relationships with local primary schools which are not Church schools, but greatly value the input and support of the local (ecumenical) churches.
The benefice is part of the Gloucester City deanery. The person appointed will find resources and support within the deanery chapter and synod and will also play a part in those bodies.
The Roles and Responsibilities document will be of particular use in helping you understand this task.
To achieve this we are seeking a priest who is:
· A gifted and experienced leader who will feel at home within the open evangelical and gently charismatic ethos of this church and who will have the skills and vision to release potential and grow the church spiritually and numerically.
· A natural mission partner who will enjoy the challenge and opportunity of the BMO relationship at Coopers Edge
· A gifted communicator, teacher and preacher.
· An enabler and encourager.
· Committed to the Diocesan ‘Life’ Vision and to collaborative working in support of this vision within parish, deanery, diocese and ecumenically.
I hope that having seen the profile you feel encouraged to apply.
If you have any questions or want to know more please do not hesitate to contact the Archdeacon of Gloucester, The Ven. Jackie Searle, on 01452 835555 or 07913 944974 or by email at to whom applications should be returned by 12 noon Monday 20 February.
Yours faithfully
Encs