Together in Mission

Information relating to the appointment of a new Team Rector, who will also be Associate for Salop Archdeaconry

Parish Profile 2021 Welcome An Overview Role Description WELCOME Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley We are excited at the prospect of appointing a new Team Rector to the Parish of Central Telford and St Leonard’s, Malinslee we hope that this Profile will inspire you to consider applying. Thank you for taking the time to read what follows, and please know that we are praying for the appointment process as we look to discern St Mary’s, Ketley the person God is calling to lead the Parish into the next season of its life and mission. Stirchley & Brookside Working with Schools We hope that this Profile will give you a glimpse of what a great place Telford is to live and work in, and also some of the challenges and opportunities that there are here to strengthen the life of the Ecumenical churches and to lead the churches’ mission into a large and growing urban and suburban population. Worship Patterns This is a big job, but one in which there is scope to make a significant impact on the church’s life and Governance & Finances mission in the town. The appointment coincides with the start of Telford Minster and a Review of the The Rectory Deanery’s mission and resourcing, and with a fresh positivity about what is needed to turn around the Shaping for Mission low levels of church attendance in the town. Comment from the Area Dean If you are up for a challenge, can bring some creative missional thinking, will love us as you find us, and Comment from the can work collaboratively with Anglican and ecumenical colleagues working to a shared agenda, then Bishop of Shrewsbury this may be just the post for you. You will also be appointed as an Associate Archdeacon, able to work The Telford Area on a broad canvas across the episcopal Area, and as a close colleague of the Archdeacon of Salop. So, lots for you to think and pray about, as we shall be praying for you.

www.telfordchurch.co.uk Welcome An Overview Role Description AN OVERVIEW Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley The Central Telford Parish covers around a third of Telford’s population, and the town is still St Leonard’s, Malinslee growing, making it vibrant and diverse. We are one of the largest single parishes in the country, and St Mary’s, Ketley we are facing an unprecedented scale of missional challenge in an area where churchgoing is at a Stirchley & Brookside low ebb. The four churches each have a long history, and have adapted before to meet fresh Working with Schools challenges, and are ready to do so again as we look to build the confidence of the churches in their discipleship and mission. Change is part of the DNA of Telford. Only the Shropshire hills stay the Ecumenical same. Worship Patterns

Governance & Finances The churches have their individual stories and they each identify with their distinct communities, The Rectory while also working together in a shared life and mission. They have all adapted well during 2020 as Shaping for Mission we have tried to continue with face to face worship as well as providing on-line options during the Comment from the various lockdowns. Labels rarely fit, but the feel of the Parish is middle Anglican with an openness Area Dean to the Holy Spirit and a real commitment to serve the local community in practical ways. There is a Comment from the growing desire in church members to go deeper in their faith and discover more about Bishop of Shrewsbury discipleship. Lay leadership of some services is developing. The Telford Area

Page 1 of 3 Welcome An Overview Role Description AN OVERVIEW Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley The challenge St John’s, Lawley St Leonard’s, Malinslee There are lots of good things to celebrate in the churches and in the life of the team, as you will St Mary’s, Ketley read in this Profile. Our buildings are in good condition and two have been reordered with flexible seating and digital projection systems. We also have some strong community groups, good Stirchley & Brookside connections with many of the 15 Primary Schools in the Parish, a Saturday Messy Church and lots Working with Schools of opportunity to meet people through the occasional offices, as well as some lovely church Ecumenical members and dedicated churchwardens. Pastoral care is instinctive within the congregations and a Worship Patterns lot goes on unseen. Each church has a small study group, currently meeting on Zoom. We have a Governance & Finances great team of interim clergy, a Pioneer Minister, a retired Priest and 3 Readers, who have all served The Rectory us well during the period of the vacancy. Shaping for Mission Comment from the Our numbers, though, are small compared with the scale of the populations we are called to serve Area Dean and reach (with between 15 and 30 people attending each church on Sundays) and we have very Comment from the few children in our regular worship. We are aware that the average age of our members is on the Bishop of Shrewsbury high side, and that we are not connecting as we would like to with the large numbers of young The Telford Area people and families living in the large areas of new housing across the Parish. At times it feels like an impossible task to face such a missional mountain, with such limited resources. But we then remind ourselves that nothing is impossible with God, who seems to be able to do great things with small mustard seeds.

Page 2 of 3 Welcome An Overview Role Description AN OVERVIEW Person Specification Shared Ministry Holy Trinity, Dawley Indeed, there are lots of signs of God at work in our individual lives and this gives us hope of a good future, under fresh St John’s, Lawley leadership. We anticipate that the new Team Rector will have clergy colleagues (the current establishment is 3.5, though St Leonard’s, Malinslee this is under review in the Shaping for Mission process), and they will be supported by 3 Readers and two part-time administrative staff as well as a small number of retired clergy. We are an active member of the Central Telford St Mary’s, Ketley Ecumenical Partnership. We welcome the start of Telford Minster, as a pioneering church on a Bishop’s Mission Order, Stirchley & Brookside working across Telford and beyond, to support inherited churches like our own and to establish new church communities, Working with Schools primarily on new estates. The Minster will have a particular focus on those under 40, and their families. It is hoped that as the Minster community grows disciples, some of them will also seek to serve God in the places where they live. This is a Ecumenical long term plan for overall growth. It will need close co-operation between the Minster and the older church communities. Worship Patterns The worship space in Meeting Point House in the town centre will also be an excellent place for youth gatherings from Governance & Finances across the area, children’s events, conferences and Diocesan meetings. Minster staff regularly offer to support us in this The Rectory Parish. We feel that we are not alone, and that we enjoy mutual support with others in the Deanery and many of our ecumenical colleagues. Shaping for Mission Comment from the Into all of this we look forward to welcoming a new Team Rector who will help us to build on what is good and to face the Area Dean challenges of growing the churches and reaching out to the population around us, with a lively and enthusiastic faith and a missional heart. We will need a leader who is energetic, prayerful, respectful, and imaginative. A leader who can help us Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury to find God’s vision for the future and who will help us to discern some achievable priorities over the next few years, and who will have both patience for the long haul and the courage to face up to the challenges ahead. Someone who can do it The Telford Area with love in their heart and a smile on their face! The position of Team Rector is going to be combined with a new post of Associate Archdeacon for the Salop Archdeaconry. This will require some good time management skills, but the combination will enhance both spheres of work, allowing the bigger picture to influence local decision making but also keeping the big canvas discussions rooted in the reality of daily life in a busy Parish. The dual role will be quite unique and give a breadth of understanding and experience of ministry that will be hard to find elsewhere. Page 3 of 3 Welcome An Overview Role Description ROLE DESCRIPTION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Team Rector of Central Telford Parish and St John’s, Lawley Associate Archdeacon of Salop Archdeaconry St Leonard’s, Malinslee This is an exciting developmental time for ministry and mission in Central Telford and in the wider Deanery. The St Mary’s, Ketley Patronage Board for this appointment is looking to appoint an experienced missional leader, with a track record Stirchley & Brookside of growing churches, who will journey with us in the footsteps of St Chad - to develop discipleship, encourage Working with Schools vocation and inspire evangelism. Ecumenical We are praying for someone who: Worship Patterns

Governance & Finances • can build the life of the congregations spiritually and numerically, across the age range The Rectory • will give strong, creative and strategic leadership to the mission of the four churches Shaping for Mission • can build on the pioneering work started in Stirchley and Brookside Comment from the Area Dean • can inspire the churches to work collaboratively within the Parish, in the Deanery and with our ecumenical Comment from the partners Bishop of Shrewsbury • will strengthen a ‘whole parish’ sense of belonging and promote discipleship, vocation and evangelism The Telford Area • will affirm, respect and encourage the gifts of clergy and lay teams, and grow more lay leaders. • will help the churches to make good use of media and technology for worship, communication, raising our profile and furthering our mission

Page 1 of 4 Welcome An Overview Role Description ROLE DESCRIPTION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Team Rector of Central Telford Parish and St John’s, Lawley Associate Archdeacon of Salop Archdeaconry St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley We can offer you: Stirchley & Brookside Working with Schools • the challenge of growing and developing four diverse churches in a new town setting Ecumenical • the opportunity to support pioneer ministry in areas with no physical church presence

Worship Patterns • a supportive PCC and 4 DCCs and enthusiastic lay ministry, including 3 Licensed Readers Governance & Finances • some paid part-time administrative support The Rectory • clergy colleagues and ecumenical partners Shaping for Mission Comment from the • a beautiful area of the country with excellent transport links by road, rail and air, and good Area Dean local schools and amenities

Comment from the • a well- appointed Vicarage close to the town centre Bishop of Shrewsbury • The Telford Area an openness to the Holy Spirit and God’s many surprises • an opportunity to work on a wider canvas in the Associate Archdeacon role

Page 2 of 4 Welcome An Overview Role Description ROLE DESCRIPTION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Team Rector of Central Telford Parish and St John’s, Lawley Associate Archdeacon of Salop Archdeaconry St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley As the seeks ‘to follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad’ it is committed to three priorities: Stirchley & Brookside Developing discipleship Encouraging vocations Inspiring evangelism Working with Schools The Associate Archdeacon will share in the encouragement and support of the Deaneries and parishes of Ecumenical the Salop Archdeaconry as they seek to develop their mission and ministry in response to those priorities. Worship Patterns In doing so, s/he will need to be aware of the evangelistic dimension of archidiaconal work around clergy Governance & Finances deployment, pastoral reorganisation, finance and buildings, and not least as we face the challenges of the post-Covid period. It will be an exacting but exciting role which involves sharing in the oversight, discipline The Rectory and pastoral care of the Archdeaconry as a whole. Shaping for Mission Associate Archdeacon The role of Associate Archdeacon will be held in conjunction with the post of Rector of Central Telford Comment from the Role Description and will attract a stipend to the level of Residentiary Canon with provision for extra working expenses. Area Dean The commission as Associate Archdeacon will be dependent upon continuation in the post of Rector and Comment from the if s/he ceases to hold that post then the Licence as Associate Archdeacon will terminate automatically on Bishop of Shrewsbury the same date without further notice. The Telford Area The Associate Archdeacon will be an additional colleague to work alongside the Bishop of Shrewsbury and Archdeacon of Salop and will meet regularly with them both for strategic planning. Particular responsibilities may be allocated across the Area according to the giftings of the individuals in post. It will be essential for the Associate Archdeacon to hold a full and operational driving licence.

Page 3 of 4 Welcome An Overview Role Description ROLE DESCRIPTION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Team Rector of Central Telford Parish and St John’s, Lawley Associate Archdeacon of Salop Archdeaconry St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley The Associate Archdeacon will be an ex-officio member of the Diocesan Advisory Committee and play a part in the exercise of Faculty Jurisdiction in church buildings and churchyards. S/he will attend meetings of the Stirchley & Brookside Shrewsbury Area Mission and Pastoral Committee and share in decisions regarding deployment and Working with Schools pastoral reorganisation across the Area. S/he will participate in meetings with Rural Deans and Lay Chairs Ecumenical and work with them in discerning the best use of finances, buildings and clergy/lay leaders to resource the Worship Patterns mission and ministry of the Church in the Salop Archdeaconry. Governance & Finances The Rectory The Associate Archdeacon will be available to clergy Shaping for Mission to provide whatever support is appropriate and at times of difficulty to ensure that issues are dealt with Comment from the Area Dean professionally and if conflicts exist doing everything possible to bring about a satisfactory resolution. The Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury Associate Archdeacon will share in the support of parishes in vacancy, help to induct and install The Telford Area ministers, be present at Visitations and when necessary admit Churchwardens to their office.

Page 4 of 4 Welcome An Overview Role Description PERSON SPECIFICATION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Team Rector of Central Telford Parish and St John’s, Lawley Associate Archdeacon of Salop Archdeaconry St Leonard’s, Malinslee Are you someone who: St Mary’s, Ketley

Stirchley & Brookside • has a strong prayer life and is open to the Holy Spirit’s leading Working with Schools • has a track record of growing churches spiritually and numerically Ecumenical • can evidence from experience an ability to lead churches in their mission and evangelism Worship Patterns Governance & Finances • is a good listener and communicator: valuing, encouraging and enabling people to use their gifts in service, and is a good team leader The Rectory Shaping for Mission • respects and celebrates different traditions and worship styles, making scripture understandable and Comment from the relevant to people’s daily lives Area Dean • has IT knowledge and skills that can help us build new ways of communicating with people Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury • has excellent administrative, organizational and time management skills

The Telford Area • has strong financial and management skills with a track record of enabling financial security

• can comfortably engage with senior staff, but also love the poor and the lost

• enjoys their ministry, and can play as well as work

• has a genuine desire to support other clergy in their ministries (as Associate Archdeacon) Welcome An Overview Role Description HOLY TRINITY, DAWLEY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Dawley is predominantly an area of deprivation with a substantial number of households living in St John’s, Lawley food and fuel poverty. The community extends to the previously small settlements of Horsehay, St Leonard’s, Malinslee Doseley, Aqueduct and Lightmoor which have expanded into a large suburban mixture as the new St Mary’s, Ketley town has developed. Fast population change brings both challenges and opportunities for the Stirchley & Brookside churches in Dawley. Working with Schools There has been a place of worship on the site of Holy Trinity Church in Dawley since Norman times, and the current church building is 175 years old and in very good condition. Ecumenical Worship Patterns Over the past 5 years Holy Trinity has gone through a period of change. The membership took the significant decision to remove the pews and update the technology used for services. The flexible Governance & Finances space has allowed new things to happen in the Church. In normal times a weekly toddler group The Rectory called Tots was growing, as was the monthly Messy Church. The extra space released a separate Shaping for Mission area for serving food, so more time could be spent with the families, to build relationships with Comment from the them. It also makes the offer of Experience Easter, Harvest and Christmas to the local schools much Area Dean easier and larger groups of children can be accommodated safely. Comment from the Normal Sunday morning worship has been a mixture of Holy Communion and Morning Prayer. The Bishop of Shrewsbury weekly Sunday Evening Service has a small congregation and this is the only evening service in the The Telford Area Parish. During 2019 a monthly ‘Café Style’ service was introduced with the intention to develop this into a more accessible offer for families from Tots and Messy Church. Lay leadership of services is encouraged and welcomed. There is currently a Zoom study group meeting weekly.

Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description HOLY TRINITY, DAWLEY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley There are plans for a regular community-based activity to build the relationship between the church and the local community eg. a soup lunch or Bread Church. Many of the local residents see Holy St John’s, Lawley Trinity as ‘their church’ but are not involved in church activities except for the various Fairs/Sales of St Leonard’s, Malinslee Work. There is a desire to change this and actively grow the Kingdom of God. St Mary’s, Ketley It is important that a new Rector can work collaboratively as the Central Telford Ecumenical Stirchley & Brookside Partnership is important to the congregation of Holy Trinity and the local Dawley community. Working with Schools Dawley Christian Centre, with a central location in the High Street is home to the local Methodist Ecumenical church, the Parish Office and the Food Bank and is therefore widely used by this community. Dawley Baptist church is vibrant, currently expanding its building for community use and is committed to Worship Patterns CTEP. Through the Partnership, Holy Trinity has been involved with some great community events Governance & Finances like – Pentecost in the Park, Good Friday Walk of Witness and Experiencing Easter outside. During The Rectory the first lockdown in 2020, and again in 2021, the leaders of these local churches have worked Shaping for Mission together to provide on-line “live” worship week by week for their congregations. Comment from the Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description ST JOHN’S, LAWLEY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s is a traditional church building in very good condition on the edge of the old settlement of Lawley. Lawley has now become a very large suburban development and is still growing, with a St John’s, Lawley much younger and more diverse population than the original. This provides the church with both St Leonard’s, Malinslee opportunities and challenges. St Mary’s, Ketley Although mainly an older congregation, used to traditional styles of worship, folk at St John’s are Stirchley & Brookside always happy to welcome new people and listen to new ideas. In 2019 a designated area for children in church was established, allowing room for families with pushchairs, and/or young Working with Schools children to have space to stay together comfortably, during services. During 2020 there was Ecumenical considerable change in service patterns and in the style of worship due to Covid, but the Worship Patterns congregation has been adaptable and has embraced all things new. There is a small bible study group that now meets weekly on Zoom. Governance & Finances The Rectory There is no formal pastoral care system in place but most of the Church members keep in touch with each other outside of worship. This has proved particularly valuable during the pandemic. Shaping for Mission Comment from the St John’s takes its mission links seriously. As well as supporting the Dawley Food Bank and Christians Area Dean Against Poverty, church members continue to support a link church in South Africa, a children’s charity in Mozambique and sponsorship for a secret child in Syria. Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury St John’s is the only church in the parish with a Church Hall which, since its refurbishment in 2013, The Telford Area has provided much needed facilities for local community groups including uniformed organizations – Rainbows, Cubs and Scouts. It also provides good facilities for church events. The grant for refurbishment of the church hall was based on the need for such community facilities in an ever- expanding Lawley Village. Sadly, 2020 has seen most of these activities temporarily cease, with the loss of income that follows.

Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description ST JOHN’S, LAWLEY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley ‘Lawley Smallies’ is a well- supported and much-loved toddler group. It has been running in the church hall since 2013 thanks to a small group of volunteers from St John’s and other local churches St John’s, Lawley and has a long waiting list. There is enormous potential for growth here. This group has supported St Leonard’s, Malinslee over 160 families in the last seven years and could expand the ministry if more lay leaders were St Mary’s, Ketley available. Stirchley & Brookside In 2020 the congregation, with a diocesan grant for evangelism, built a ‘Bible Story Sacks’ Library for children, from toddler age to end of KS1. Post- covid they will launch this across the whole Parish as Working with Schools a ‘stepping stone’ to growing faith in families. Ecumenical St John’s has a small team who assist in enabling ‘Experience’ Christmas and Easter events to Worship Patterns happen in church for the local primary schools. Partnerships in mission are essential to serving this Governance & Finances community. Telford Minister and the local ecumenical partnership (CTEP) enable a wider vision and The Rectory can support the outreach to the newly developing communities in the area. Shaping for Mission St John’s Church struggles with financial stability because of the small number of people in Comment from the employment in the congregation, but it does have access to a Trust Fund (held by Lichfield Diocese) Area Dean which provides some financial cover for any repairs to the fabric of the Church building. It has the only “open churchyard” in the Parish. Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description ST LEONARD’S, MALINSLEE Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley Stirchley & Brookside Working with Schools Ecumenical Worship Patterns Governance & Finances The Rectory Shaping for Mission Comment from the Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area

Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description ST LEONARD’S, MALINSLEE Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley Stirchley & Brookside Working with Schools Ecumenical Worship Patterns Governance & Finances The Rectory Shaping for Mission Comment from the Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description ST MARY’S, KETLEY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley The Parish of Ketley combines areas of post World War II housing, much of it formerly Council-held, with newer developments. The most recent of these is Ketley Millennium Community which is nearing St John’s, Lawley completion at the time of writing. St Leonard’s, Malinslee The church of St Mary the Virgin, Ketley was built in 1838 and is located in the attractive, village-like area of St Mary’s, Ketley Red Lake. The building was improved around 10 years ago by the provision of a small kitchen, toilet and meeting room. These facilities help to make the space more adaptable for wider use. The church has been Stirchley & Brookside able to open its doors and outside space to the local community for a variety of events. Whether for these Working with Schools or for worship, visitors and new members remark on the warmth and friendliness of the welcome and fellowship. Ecumenical In the past St Mary’s has had a strong choral tradition, and although currently diminished, this is still Worship Patterns reflected in its style of worship. However, change has been embraced more recently. In 2018 Team staffing Governance & Finances levels changed and new lay leaders were required. Several committed members started preparing and The Rectory leading informal acts of worship. With the help of God and the encouragement and support of the clergy, this has been a great blessing. What seemed daunting at first has been rewarded by the support of the Shaping for Mission congregation in developing this ministry. The events of 2020 have also led to changes in worship patterns Comment from the and style and the congregation has embraced these and broadened their understanding of worship and Area Dean deepened their relationship with God. Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area

Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description ST MARY’S, KETLEY Person Specification The church has worked hard at building good relationships with the Ketley community over the years. This Holy Trinity, Dawley is best shown in the links with The Meadows Primary & Nursery School. School children visit the church at St John’s, Lawley various points during the year and clergy visit the school for assemblies and events. In 2019 church St Leonard’s, Malinslee members joined the Parish Team, led by the Schools & Families Enabler, to offer Easter and Christmas Experience Days. St Mary’s, Ketley A quarterly ecumenical quiet morning has been established at St Mary's. This has developed from a regular Stirchley & Brookside monthly service that has been held for the last 6 years in North Telford. It draws its attendees from a range Working with Schools of Anglican and Roman Catholic churches but all and any are welcome. The quiet morning comprises time Ecumenical for worship, prayer and reflection concluding with a shared Agape and lunch. In the future St Mary’s will require help Worship Patterns • to further develop the informal worship, lay leadership and discipleship Governance & Finances • to further develop contacts with the Ketley Community, particularly with the potential of the The Rectory Millennium Development Shaping for Mission • to be more mission-minded as a church and as a part of the wider Parish Comment from the Area Dean • to grow numerically and increase income from regular givers. Comment from the • to be both creative and missional in our fundraising activities Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description STIRCHLEY & BROOKSIDE Person Specification A new feature of Central Telford Parish and the Central Telford Ecumenical Partnership is a Pioneer Ministry Holy Trinity, Dawley recently renamed ‘Christian Presence in Stirchley and Brookside’. This is a small community of local St John’s, Lawley Christians, led by a full-time clergy person from the Central Telford Parish team, who operate in places St Leonard’s, Malinslee where local people normally meet: such as the Sambrook Centre Stirchley; Brookside Community Centre; Lakeview Care Home and in the Church of St. James in Stirchley Village, now under the care of the Churches St Mary’s, Ketley Conservation Trust. The people come from a variety of Christian denominations with a shared vision and Stirchley & Brookside mission which is rooted in living out the gospel through social action. Working with Schools Working in partnership with other groups and organisations is at the heart of the ministry and working alongside other churches to share in schools and families work is essential. It is hoped to build a working Ecumenical partnership with the new Telford Minster Church. Worship Patterns Big Local Meetings take place each month to discuss community development projects in partnership with Governance & Finances the residents. The Rectory 2020 has of course been very challenging and most of the ministry has been laid down for a time. The Shaping for Mission community centres and cafes have been closed, the streets and parks empty for months. Telephone Comment from the contacts continue and people are directed to places where additional support can be found. Brookside and Area Dean Stirchley have a high level of social need. The contract for the full-time post is until May 2021, and at the time of writing the exact future of the project is unknown. The Parish is prayerful for this initiative and will Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury always support in practical ways when asked. The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description WORKING WITH SCHOOLS Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Over the last 4 years we have worked hard to develop our relationship with schools, increasing from initial contact with 4 schools to now having contact with all 15 Primary in the Parish. Schools have been involved St John’s, Lawley in a range of things from visits to church to support aspects of RE (eg exploring signs and symbols) to St Leonard’s, Malinslee celebrating festivals and inviting parents. Most notable has been the huge number of children who have St Mary’s, Ketley attended churches across the Parish every festival season to take part in our Experience Christmas, Experience Easter and Experience Harvest. Some schools are not near to a local church and so we have Stirchley & Brookside taken the Experiences into school. A small team developed the resources from the published material, Working with Schools adapting them to suit our location. (In the Experiences children move around five stations, hearing parts of Ecumenical the story of Christmas/Easter brought alive and this is followed by a reflection time. The Experience Harvest we wrote focused on the Fruits of the Spirit and we also went into a couple of schools who had specifically Worship Patterns requested an Experience Pentecost.) Governance & Finances A couple of years ago we also offered schools Experience Easter Outside, to link to the focus on outdoor The Rectory learning. The response was overwhelming, and staff and children loved being able to walk the Easter story, Shaping for Mission journeying from Gethsemane all the way to the empty tomb, which we had built outside. Again, over 1200 Comment from the children took part and the plan was to run this for Easter 2020 where we had all 15 schools booked in. Area Dean Sadly the pandemic halted our Easter plans, but Experience Christmas was filmed, and all the schools welcomed the DVDs and accompanying resources for use at the end of December. Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The experiences have been run in collaboration with the Ecumenical Partnership where there is a team of The Telford Area around 30 people from numerous churches who work across a range of roles from running stations, leading reflections, building tombs to buttering hot cross buns and making hot chocolate! It would be great to see this continuing with someone able to liaise with schools and organise the team. We have also been engaged in leading class or school worship in many of the schools, supporting staff in their RE planning and we have taken art exhibitions into schools to promote discussion around the Christian faith and to develop spiritual awareness. There is one Church School in the Parish – Dawley C of E Academy – and we have been involved here regularly in collective worship and Governance. Welcome An Overview Role Description CENTRAL TELFORD Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley ECUMENICAL PARTNERSHIP St Leonard’s, Malinslee Revd Ian Olliver, the current Minister at Dawley Baptist Church writes…. St Mary’s, Ketley “Over the past ten years the churches in Central Telford have worked closely and ecumenically. This has been Stirchley & Brookside especially the case in the following areas: Working with Schools Community outreach, Courses for those exploring faith, Discipleship and mission training, Events for children, Schools Ecumenical work including Open the Book assemblies and Experiences at festival times, Pentecost in the Park, Good Friday Worship Patterns Witness, Youthwork (Telford Youth Fellowship), Sharing the Christian Centre premises for administrative support and Governance & Finances for contact. The Rectory The church leaders have recognised that in an area of such large population, working together enables us to do the work of the Gospel more efficiently and effectively. Plus the pastoral and prayer support we have been able to offer Shaping for Mission one another has helped us all in ministry. Over the recent lockdowns we have been able to broadcast high quality Comment from the innovative services by pooling our resources and giftings. I am sure the Partnership would welcome a new Rector who Area Dean has the desire to minster in a team environment and who would enable the Partnership to develop further, for the Comment from the sake of the Gospel.” Bishop of Shrewsbury A very visible aspect of the Partnership is the Dawley Food Bank, based in Dawley Christian Centre in the High Street. The Telford Area Set up 10 years ago it is a community based organisation under the umbrella of the Methodist Church and run entirely by volunteers. Individuals, local churches, schools and many other organisations support the Food Bank by constant donations of goods or money. Local supermarkets donate goods and produce. Its work has continued and has been vital during the pandemic. A further aim of the Food Bank is to provide a level of support whereby people can talk about their issues and be signposted to other agencies for information, help and advice. Central Telford Parish is in a formal partnership with Christians Against Poverty who have an office in Meeting Point House. Welcome An Overview Role Description WORSHIP PATTERNS Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Until March 2020, all the churches were able to offer weekly services in their churches at the following times: St John’s, Lawley St Leonard’s, Malinslee Holy Trinity Dawley Old Vicarage Road , Dawley, TF4 3NH - Usually meets at 9.45am and 5pm on a Sunday. St Mary’s, Ketley St John’s Lawley Dawley Road, Lawley, TF4 2PDU - Usually meets at 9.15am on a Sunday. Stirchley & Brookside St Leonard’s Malinslee Church Road, Malinslee, TF4 2AS - Usually meets at 11.15am on a Sunday. Working with Schools St Mary’s Ketley Shepherds Lane, Red Lake, Ketley, TF1 5EH - Usually meets at 11.00am on a Sunday. Ecumenical Worship Patterns In 2020 we moved to fortnightly face to face services when it was possible to do so. This enabled one minister to Governance & Finances cover all churches if necessary. We hope to return to weekly services by the summer of 2021. During the various The Rectory lockdowns we have offered a variety of on-line possibilities and encouraged church members to try new things, explore different types of worship and to make the most of the opportunity to meet God in new ways. We Shaping for Mission currently have a 10.30 and a 5.30 Zoom service each week and we share in the 10.30 CTEP service, hosted on the Comment from the Dawley Baptist YouTube page, and this can be watched at any time. Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area

Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description WORSHIP PATTERNS Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley All 4 churches enjoyed a mixture of eucharistic worship, morning prayer, family services, informal café-church gatherings. Messy Church met on a Saturday and baptism preparation took place in the context of a family St John’s, Lawley Saturday breakfast. Baptisms were usually held in the afternoon, but some took place in the main services. The St Leonard’s, Malinslee Bible Story Sacks Library is an initiative to provide a stepping stone between the numerous toddler group families and baptism families, and church family worship. This will be launched later in 2021, Covid permitting. St Mary’s, Ketley Stirchley & Brookside Occasional offices provide many opportunities to engage with local families. Working with Schools 2019 elect Roll Av Sunday attendance Baptisms weddings Funerals Ecumenical HTD 54 32.+ 2 11 7 59 Worship Patterns Governance & Finances ST L 45 27 6 1 13 The Rectory St J 27 20 + 2 11 2 21 Shaping for Mission Comment from the St M 26 16 + 1 5 5 18 Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area

Page 2 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description PARISH GOVERNANCE Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley & FINANCES St Leonard’s, Malinslee St Mary’s, Ketley Stirchley & Brookside There is one PCC for the whole Parish, and four separate District Church Councils. Each church can elect Working with Schools two district wardens and their own treasurer, secretary and Deanery Synod Representative, plus three Ecumenical others. There are two Parish Wardens and a Parish Treasurer and Secretary. They are good at supporting Worship Patterns and encouraging each other in their roles. Governance & Finances The Parish Treasurer is very competent and is in regular communication with the Diocese. The Parish The Rectory Share is calculated as £93,706 and CTP receives a Special Assessment, because of the level of deprivation Shaping for Mission within the Parish, resulting in a Share of £70,110. This is divided in varying proportions between the Comment from the churches and has been paid in full for the last 10 years. 2020 was tough for us all, but with a refund from Area Dean the Diocese and help from another church in the Deanery, we were able to cover the Share. 2021 is Comment from the going to be harder, as deposit accounts are now very low. Weekly giving has remained largely constant Bishop of Shrewsbury but fund- raising opportunities are more limited and there will need to be some creative thinking. The Telford Area Thankfully the church buildings are in good repair and quinquennial works almost completed. Welcome An Overview Role Description THE RECTORY Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley The Rectory is situated next to the church of St Leonard in Malinslee and is a 15 minute walk from St John’s, Lawley the Town Centre. The house, built in the late 1970’s, has four bedrooms (3 large doubles and one St Leonard’s, Malinslee single) and a family bathroom upstairs (with a bath and a shower). Downstairs there is a lounge, St Mary’s, Ketley dining room, kitchen, utility room and also a separate study and cloakroom. There is a garage and large gardens to the front and back, with ample parking on the driveway. The property features Stirchley & Brookside wooden floors downstairs with both a carpeted study and upper floor. There is double glazing Working with Schools throughout and a functioning alarm system. A new boiler was installed in 2017 and there are fibre Ecumenical connections to the property for high- speed internet access. Worship Patterns Governance & Finances The Rectory Shaping for Mission Comment from the Area Dean Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area Welcome An Overview Role Description SHAPING FOR MISSION Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Shaping for Mission is a new and exciting initiative, encompassing the whole of the Lichfield Diocese, and using the Deanery as the basic unit of renewal. To this end each Deanery is being invited to form St John’s, Lawley a ‘Shaping for Mission’ Team who, prayerfully, and in dialogue with others, can re-appraise what St Leonard’s, Malinslee resources for ministry and mission exist in the Deanery and consider how they might be most St Mary’s, Ketley effectively deployed. Do we need new configurations of parishes that can better connect with the communities we seek to serve? Should we be encouraging new combinations of lay and ordained Stirchley & Brookside leadership? Are there activities which we should be expanding or maybe contracting to ensure that Working with Schools our energies are better focused on the ‘missio Dei’? These and many other radical questions need to Ecumenical be pursued as we seek to discern what God is calling us to be and do in the years ahead, and how we can give each other mutual support in making this happen across the Deanery. Worship Patterns Governance & Finances Central Telford Parish will share in this review and its Rector will have the opportunity to play a full The Rectory part in it. As a newly appointed priest s/he will have ‘fresh eyes’ and a valuable contribution to make as this vision of a renewed and re-empowered church becomes a reality in Telford Deanery, in Salop Shaping for Mission Shaping for Mission Archdeaconry and across the Diocese. Comment from the Area Dean So if you’re looking for an adventure in ministry and mission here is another reason why God might Comment from the be calling you to work in this town. And for our part we will welcome your unique gifts, your passion Bishop of Shrewsbury and your perspective as this great endeavour takes shape. The Telford Area

Venerable Archdeacon of Salop Welcome An Overview Role Description COMMENT FROM THE AREA DEAN Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley In 2018 Telford celebrated it’s 50th anniversary, 50 years which have seen many changes and much growth with communities coming together, sometimes reluctantly, to make it the thriving, expanding, St John’s, Lawley joyous place that it is today. A place where family is paramount, with many people still living just around St Leonard’s, Malinslee the corner from their parents and siblings and giving areas a feeling of closeness not unlike many smaller St Mary’s, Ketley villages. Stirchley & Brookside The town hasn’t stopped growing and many new estates are springing up all over the area giving much Working with Schools scope for mission and community engagement. The demographic is varied, Priorslee and parts of Wellington are very affluent, but in the main the area has high levels of deprivation and a large number of Ecumenical families and individuals living in poverty. There are several Foodbanks and Foodshare initiatives across the Worship Patterns town and church/school partnerships to ensure that no child goes hungry. Governance & Finances The Rectory “The town hasn’t stopped growing and many new estates are springing up all over Shaping for Mission the area giving much scope for mission and community engagement” Comment from the Area Dean Churches may not have the country’s highest numbers of regular worshippers at their traditional Sunday Comment from the services but Messy Church and Toddler Groups have high engagement levels and the Church is an Bishop of Shrewsbury important part of tradition in Telford and the Deanery facilitates large numbers of Baptisms, Funerals and The Telford Area Weddings which bring hope, comfort and joy to the families and the community. Links with schools are very good across the Deanery and partnerships with other church denominations are strong and active. One school has a team of Lay Chaplains actively involved in its everyday life, we have University Chaplains working within the Priorslee Campus of Wolverhampton University and Hospital Chaplains working in the Princess Royal Hospital and The Severn Hospice. Page 1 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description COMMENT FROM THE AREA DEAN Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Churches Together has a strong presence within the Deanery and Central Telford Parish works within CTEP St John’s, Lawley (Central Telford Ecumenical Partnership) alongside Methodist and Baptist brothers and sisters, sharing St Leonard’s, Malinslee prayer, services and resources to the benefit of all. St Mary’s, Ketley This year saw the birth of Telford Minster funded through Strategic Development Funding money with the Stirchley & Brookside remit of growing a new church community in the centre of Telford and supporting existing church Working with Schools communities in Mission and Ministry with extra staffing and resources. Covid has hampered the opening of Ecumenical the new and purpose restored worship space where Telford Minster will meet above Meeting Point House in the Town Centre, which will also become a Diocesan Resource for the use of Diocesan, Deanery and Parish Worship Patterns events, but this is expected to be complete by April 2021 and will be a welcome resource within the area. Governance & Finances This is a critical and exciting time in the spiritual life of Telford – The Diocesan initiative ‘Shaping for Mission’ The Rectory is bringing the Deanery Churches together like never before, in all of our diversity to seek sustainable and Shaping for Mission exciting ways to work in partnership across the Deanery in Mission and Ministry, to set a vision and see how Comment from the the can engage, along with others, to see the Gospel spread far and wide. We are a Area Dean diverse and lively Chapter and we look forward to welcoming you to Telford Deanery and seeing where the Comment from the next part of our journeys will take us as we travel together for the building of the Kingdom. Bishop of Shrewsbury The Telford Area

The Revd Debbie Loughran Area Dean Page 2 of 2 Welcome An Overview Role Description COMMENT FROM THE Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley BISHOP OF SHREWSBURY St John’s, Lawley The Diocese of Lichfield is a diverse, rich and exciting place to live and work. It lies at the heart of England, not just geographically but St Leonard’s, Malinslee culturally and socially. There are areas of spectacular natural beauty that sit beside the legacy of centuries of industry and commerce; areas of urban deprivation and rural poverty beside places of aspiration, growth and hope. St Mary’s, Ketley What unites us as a Diocese is the invitation to “Come follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad”. St Chad, the first , Stirchley & Brookside challenges us to humble, faithful and courageous mission in this part of the Midlands and in this generation. We are committed to Working with Schools the mutual flourishing of faithful Anglicans of all traditions, and to welcoming and honouring people of all backgrounds. We are inspired by our Diocesan Vision: Ecumenical Worship Patterns “As we follow Christ in the footsteps of St Chad, we pray that the two Governance & Finances million people in our diocese encounter a church that is confident in the gospel, knows and loves its communities, and is excited to find God The Rectory already at work in the world. We pray for a church that reflects the Shaping for Mission richness and variety of those communities. We pray for a church that Comment from the partners with others in seeking the common good, working for justice Area Dean as people of hope.” Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury We have identified three priorities as we seek to realise this vision more fully: to developing discipleship, encouraging vocation and The Telford Area inspiring evangelism. These priorities help us focus our work in all the varied forms of Christian life in the Diocese; in our parishes, Fresh Expressions, Schools, Chaplaincies and the Cathedral. The priest appointed to the post of Team Rector in the Central Telford Parish would be accepting an invitation to join us in this pilgrimage of faith. We will do all we can to support you to grow as a disciple, deepen your vocation and be a confident bearer of the good news of Jesus Christ so that you are equipped and ready to do the same for those with whom you are called to share in ministry. Is God calling you to join us? +Sarah, Shrewsbury Welcome An Overview Role Description TELFORD – WHAT DOES IT OFFER? Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley St John’s, Lawley Telford celebrated 50 years as a New Town in 2018. It was created around existing communities on the East Shropshire Coalfield including the Medieval Market town of Wellington. Telford is still St Leonard’s, Malinslee growing with a current population of around 175,000. Geographically, it sits in the large mainly St Mary’s, Ketley rural county of Shropshire but communications are good with the M54 and railway line linking to Stirchley & Brookside the West Midlands and the wider motorway network and to the west it is a short drive to the Welsh Working with Schools border and all that Wales has to offer. The Wrekin hill is a local landmark and Shropshire contains many areas of outstanding natural beauty. Ecumenical Worship Patterns The recently upgraded Telford Town Centre is within Central Telford Parish, with established retail Governance & Finances and leisure facilities including an Ice Rink, Bowling Alley, Library, Cinemas, all adjacent to the large The Rectory award-winning Town Park, also home to Telford Hornets Rugby Club. There are many other local Shaping for Mission open spaces providing opportunities for walking, cycling, horse-riding, fishing and golf. Comment from the Area Dean The heavy industry of the coalfield has been replaced mainly by light industry or IT companies and these are generally sited on the various modern Industrial estates which were planned in the Comment from the Bishop of Shrewsbury development of the new town. The rich industrial heritage of the area is celebrated at the award- winning Ironbridge Gorge Trust Museums located in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site. The Telford Area The Telford Area RAF Cosford Museum is a short distance away, as is the Severn Valley Railway and the historical county town of Shrewsbury. Welcome An Overview Role Description TELFORD – WHAT DOES IT OFFER? Person Specification Holy Trinity, Dawley Education provision in the Borough of Telford and the Wrekin has been well developed in recent years, St John’s, Lawley with many new school campuses. Within Central Telford Parish boundaries are numerous Secondary and Primary Schools. St Leonard’s, Malinslee In 2015 Holy Trinity Academy opened in the Priorslee area as a Voluntary Aided Ecumenical Secondary St Mary’s, Ketley School and Sixth Form. This new campus replaced a former Roman Catholic College and is a joint Stirchley & Brookside venture with the Lichfield Diocese. Working with Schools Further education is provided at Telford College campus in Wellington. The University of Ecumenical Wolverhampton has a Telford Campus at Priorslee and there is a University Centre in Shrewsbury Worship Patterns linked to the University of Chester. Birmingham and Aston Universities are a short train ride away. Governance & Finances GP surgeries work together as part of TelDoc and the Telford Princess Royal Hospital is linked with the The Rectory Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Local people also benefit from the proximity to Birmingham and the specialist units there. Both Telford and Shrewsbury have hospice facilities as part of the Severn Shaping for Mission Hospice. Comment from the Area Dean “Vibrant Shropshire, Independent by Nature” is a new draft Cultural Strategy for Shropshire 2021- Comment from the 2031, with ambitions and strategic priorities for the cultural sector. The focus is on keeping people Bishop of Shrewsbury happy and healthy, helping people who are lonely to connect with others, embracing the skills and The Telford Area experience of the older generation, attracting and keeping young people in the county.

Shropshire is a hidden gem, waiting to be explored by our new Team Rector and Associate Archdeacon. If your heart has risen on reading this Profile, then please take time to pray about whether it is right to submit an application. We shall be praying for all those involved in the Vacancy process and trusting God for the future.