The Church Union, as patrons, together with the Bishop of Gloucester seek to appoint a mission-minded traditional Catholic Priest fully committed to mutual flourishing.  Pastoral and Sacramental oversight of the parish has been entrusted to the Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

 

Firmly rooted in serving its parish, and with a clear commitment to reaching out to all people with the love of God, the parish seeks a Priest who:

•  will be an enabler and encourager, who will help build up the people of God, deepen their Christian discipleship, and strengthen outreach and mission in the community;
• have a heart for the parish and its people of all ages and backgrounds and be committed to see the Church grow;
• be a Priest of the Society or of the Society of the Holy Cross, rooted in modern Anglo-Catholic worship but with a generous welcome to all, and open to the riches of other styles of worship.

For all parish churches, especially single parish churches like St Philip and St James's, mission today is in a widely diverse society.  Outreach to children and young people with the joy and hope of the gospel remains a primary task, in any age.  But for the foreseeable future, and a bit paradoxially, in our age the gospel must be shared in a society that is overall becoming increasingly older.  So the mission could not be wider, and our vision has to be broad.

 

As the congregation looks to that future mission, and to welcoming the priest that God will bring to Up Hatherley, they have, in my experience of them, three great assets.  First, they have a genuine sense of invitation and warmth of hospitality; and second a deeply rooted sacramental life.  (The recent imaginative re-furnishing of the church is a sign of both of these.)  Third, there's a willing and collaborative relationship with the other parishes in South Cheltenham, which gives ample opportunity for mutual flourishing.  We need therefore, a confident priest, rooted in Catholic tradition, who understands that the Church is 'mission-shaped' because it is 'sacrament-shaped': that the sacraments taken together are the mission strategy of a constantly celebrated and constantly widened life in Christ's body.  That would be a real gift worth sharing with the LIFE vision of the wider diocesan family, and I hope that it is a challenge and a call that you can share.

 

For an informal conversation about this post.  Please contact:

 

or

The Archdeacon of Cheltenham, the Ven Phil Andrew, 01452 835 594 or 07498 052 045

or

 

Application form and further details obtainable from the Church Union https://churchunion.co.uk/fullposts.php?id=160

Closing date for applications: 9am, 25th February 2019

Interviews: 20th March 2019

Up Hatherley Parish Profile