We are seeking a new Incumbent and Mission Community Leader to lead St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich, and Prestwich and Kersal Mission Community in mission, prayer and service at this pivotal time.
St Mary the Virgin, Prestwich is a single-church benefice committed to finding rich ways of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in the community it serves. Prestwich and Kersal Mission Community brings together churches from a variety of traditions, and it is expected that the successful candidate will not only be active in leading the Mission Community in mission but in building ever closer ties between St Mary’s and the members of the mission community.
There are considerable opportunities to pursue mission through school and children’s ministry, and this role provides a platform to exercise leadership in pastoral care among a team of gifted lay and ordained colleagues, as well as mission in the heart of vibrant Prestwich.
The Patronage Board is looking for an Incumbent with the following qualities:
- a gifted, sensitive and missional priest, confident in Catholic ritual and practice, who can help develop and harness the gifts of congregation members and work collaboratively with both lay and ordained leaders;
- someone able to model a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ that shows pastoral care and deep prayerfulness, as well as good and lively teaching and preaching that helps congregations grow in number and depth;
- an inclusive leader able to share a vision that embraces diversity, cares for congregation members, and genuinely looks outwards and motivates others to be faithful disciples;
- someone able to support and develop ministry amongst children and young people through a passion for schools’ ministry;
- an open-hearted and welcoming priest in whom others will place their trust.
We are looking for a Mission Community Leader with the following qualities:
- able to bring clergy and lay leaders together to support and encourage effective mission;
- fully committed to the Diocesan Strategy with its focuses on growing younger, renewal and revitalisation, developing missional leaders, and parish renewal;
- a person with a passion for shared and collaborative missional leadership who is able to listen, encourage and convene.
The benefice and mission community are at pivotal times in their ministries as they seek to grow in depth and numbers in ways which honour its existing work, but look to find fresh and vibrant ways to undertake mission. There is a new-build, well-situated parsonage available for the successful candidate.
Please see the Parish Profile, Role Description, Person Specification and Diocesan Statement of Needs for full details.
Enquirers are welcome to speak informally to Revd Simon Cook, Area Dean of Bolton and acting Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton, on 07745 232662 for further information about this post.
For an application pack, please contact: pa.archbolton@manchester.anglican.org
Closing date for applications: Friday, 13th June 2025
Interview date: Wednesday, 9th July 2025