Succentor Application Pack
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6 Succentor Application Pack www.chch.ox.ac.uk/ cathedral @ChChCathedralOx CONTENTS Succentor • Introduction The Dean and Canons are seeking to appoint a priest to this new ministry-development post, from 1 September • Job Description 2018. It would be ideally suited to someone about to complete their curacy and who wishes to develop their strong liturgical, musical, and pastoral gifts in a unique • Person Specification cathedral and college context. The Succentor will work closely with the Diocesan • Working Conditions Canon Precentor in planning and leading Cathedral worship. She or he will also assist the College Chaplain in organising Chapel services, and play a key linking • About the Foundation role with the Cathedral School, as School Chaplain. Housing and the equivalent of an Oxford diocesan • Worship Patterns incumbent’s stipend will be provided. Closing Date: Friday 23 February 12noon • How to Apply Interviews: Thursday 8 March and Friday 9 March Application packs: www.chch.ox.ac.uk/vacancies To arrange an informal conversation with Grant Bayliss, the Diocesan Canon Precentor, please contact the Canons’ PA, Izabela Hreska, on 01865 276188. Hospitality Encounter Transformation 2 INTRODUCTION Succentor To start 1 September 2018 The Succentor’s role is a new ministry-development post. It results from changes to the staffing of Christ Church in 2017 and the appointment of the first Diocesan Canon Precentor with oversight of the Cathedral’s liturgy on behalf of Chapter alongside significant diocesan commitments. Aspects of the role have been covered over the past year on a temporary, fixed- term appointment by an Interim Lay Succentor, who finishes at the end of August 2018. In holding this new role, the successful candidate will have significant opportunities to help shape the priorities and balance of the post over the course of their tenure, which is expected to last for up to five years. Christ Church (also known as ‘the House’) is a unique institution: one of the largest colleges of the University of Oxford and also the diocesan Cathedral. The Dean of the Cathedral is also the head of the College. The Foundation also operates a prep-school, Christ Church Cathedral School, originally set up for the education of the Cathedral choristers. The whole institution shares a commitment to education, learning, and religion. The Succentor will have responsibilities across the whole foundation but will primarily be responsible for assisting the Diocesan Canon Precentor (Grant Bayliss) with all aspects of the liturgy and worship of the Cathedral, working essentially as his ‘number two’. In addition, she or he will share with the Sub Dean (Edmund Newey) and his team in offering pastoral care to the Cathedral’s congregations, visitors and pilgrims; act as assistant to the College Chaplain (Clare Hayns), serving as a liturgical resource and support in Chapel activities (up to 12 hours per week in University term-time); and also serve as Chaplain to the Cathedral School, ensuring good relations not just with the choir boys but the whole student body and staff (up to three hours per week during school terms). Although to be known formally as ‘the Succentor’, the post is appointed under the Chapter’s statutory authority to provide one or more ‘Cathedral Chaplains’ and is the equivalent of a Minor Canon in other foundations. The Succentor is not a member of Chapter, nor of Governing Body, but the successful candidate will be nominated for associate membership of the Christ Church Senior Common Room. The post is intended to provide an opportunity for a priest at a formative stage of her or his ministry to develop existing liturgical, pastoral, and administrative skills to a higher level of competence and explore a longer-term vocation to either university or college chaplaincy or cathedral ministry. Applications are welcomed from suitable ordained candidates from across the Anglican Communion (or, with approval from the appointing committee, other churches in full communion with the Church of England), who will have been in priest’s orders for at least two full years at the start of the role. Chapter would particularly welcome applications from women and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, who are currently under-represented in the institution. 3 JOB DESCRIPTION Reporting Line Manager: The Diocesan Canon Precentor. Initial weekly supervisions, changing to monthly after successful completion of the probationary period of three months. Roles & Responsibilities 1. Liturgical Roles The Diocesan Canon Precentor has primary oversight of all Cathedral worship and liturgy on behalf of Chapter but, under his instruction and supervision, the Succentor is responsible for: • Day-to-day delivery of detailed arrangements of services in accordance with the Cathedral Customary, including (but not limited to): briefing clergy and other ministers; organising rehearsals; welcoming visitors, especially visiting choirs; supporting the serving team; and coordinating with Vergers, Sidesmen, Musicians or other relevant parties. • Serving as ‘first singer’, with regular officiating and cantoring of Choral Evensong (typically four nights a week) and Choral Matins (Sundays when not at College Communion). • Regularly preaching and presiding, as part of the ministry team. • Nurturing explorers and preparing confirmation candidates (College confirmation/ explorers classes in spring; Cathedral School classes in summer); occasionally contributing to College Chapel study groups. • Taking primary responsibility for the Thursday 6pm Choral Eucharist (alongside the Cathedral LLM) and developing its potential as either a place of liturgical creativity or community growth; as well as for a number of major services each year, as agreed with the Diocesan Canon Precentor. • Working with the Cathedral Education Officer in planning and delivering special schools services throughout the year, e.g. Christingle, Headteachers’ Eucharist. • Regularly attending the weekly Cathedral School assemblies and termly eucharists, with occasional preaching/talks. • Attending College Communion every other Sunday during University term, as well as some Complines or late night Taizé services, as agreed with the College Chaplain. • Assisting the College Chaplain with planning the Advent Carol Service and the termly House Communion; and developing good working relationships with the College Chapel Sacristy and Serving Team. 4 JOB DESCRIPTION 2. Administrative Duties The Succentor must be an excellent completer-finisher with a keen eye for detail, commitment to accuracy, and effective collaborative skills in order to bear a significant, time- critical administrative burden, including: • Collaborating effectively with colleagues from the Liturgy Team, Cathedral Chapter, Vergers’ Department, Cathedral Administration, Choirs and Musicians, on the business of the Cathedral as set by the Dean and Chapter. • Preparing accurate and timely orders of service (currently using Adobe InDesign, for which training can be provided), rotas, briefing notes, and other liturgical resources, especially the Cathedral lectionaries. • Contributing appropriately to meetings and planning groups. These include the weekly Liturgy Team meeting and Cathedral Diary meeting (currently on Tuesdays and Thursdays respectively); monthly Cathedral Music Planning meetings; and the termly Music Sub-Committee. Although not a member of Chapter, the Succentor may be asked to attend its meetings from time to time and will be consulted where appropriate. • Coordinating arrangements for visiting choirs with the Liturgy Team and Organist. • Providing appropriate cover for Liturgy Team colleagues during periods of leave or sickness, in coordination with the Diocesan Canon Precentor. 5 JOB DESCRIPTION 3. Pastoral Responsibilities The Succentor is expected to have a pastoral heart and an openness to the stories of all God’s people, whether they profess a faith or not, but will have particular responsibility for: • Collaborating with the Sub Dean and his pastoral care team (especially the Cathedral LLM, Day Chaplains and Visitor Officer) to offer pastoral care to members of the various communities connected with the Cathedral, including visiting them when appropriate and maintaining the Cathedral Roll. • Developing good relationships with the musicians and choristers in order to offer effective pastoral care as needed and be a significant point of pastoral contact, particularly for the Cathedral Choir. • Ensuring regular visibility on the Cathedral ‘floor’, developing good relationships with the Vergers, Sidesmen, Guides, Flower-Arrangers, Embroiderers, Bell-Ringers, and other Cathedral volunteers. • Serving as formal Chaplain to the Cathedral School, being a key point of liaison, and ensuring adequate pastoral care for the boys in coordination with the Headmaster (Richard Murray). • Officiating at a proportion of the Cathedral’s baptisms, weddings and funerals, with their attendant pastoral contacts, as requested by either the College Chaplain (in relation to College connections) or the Sub Dean (in relation to the Cathedral communities). A successful candidate with suitable experience may well be asked to undertake some line- management responsibilities for Cathedral staff where appropriate. 4. Worshipping Life The Succentor must be a person of prayer with a deep, personal commitment to the daily round of worship, both for their own sake and to build up the different congregations present. She or he will usually be