Y R T N E V O C F O E DIOCES Archdeacon Missioner in the Diocese of Coventry Role Information Pack Contents Introduction by the Bishop of Coventry Context 1. The Diocese of Coventry 2. Diocesan Vision and Strategy 3. Recent developments and future aspirations 4. The Archdeacons The Archdeacon Missioner 1. The Person 2. The Role 3. Key relationships 4. The Person Specification Terms and Conditions Further Information Appendices 1. Strategy document – Whole Diocese 2. Natural Church Development 3. Terms and conditions Introduction by the Bishop of Coventry Thank you for your interest in this post of Archdeacon Missioner in the Diocese of Coventry. I’ve been here eleven years now, and I love it. I think it’s an ideal size and shape for a Diocese, with a fascinating variety of missionary contexts, and a deep spiritual lineage stretching back to the 12th Century, when the Diocese of Lichfield relocated to Coventry. We were re-founded in 1918 when Europe was still at war, with a vision to ‘bring people to Christ’. That theme of the light of the gospel bringing hope in times of despair returned powerfully in 1940 when the Cathedral was bombed and the Diocese, led by the Cathedral’s ministry, committed itself to building a ‘kinder, simpler – a more Christ-Child-like sort of world’1. Here we are now in the 21st Century carrying on the community. Our strategy is to build up the health of the church same apostolic mission – the message and ministry of so that we will see the growth of the church, and to do that reconciliation, as Paul puts it (2 Corinthians 5.16-21) – across the Whole Diocese of church communities, church among the people of Coventry, most of Warwickshire and schools, Christian chaplaincies and the Cathedral. some of Solihull. We’re called to draw all people into the reality of the life and worship of the triune God as they With Bishop John, I oversee that apostolic mission to this become disciples of Jesus Christ and, as Christ’s people generation, representing the originating sending of the and body, transformative agents of their local and global church, seeking to embody it in all we are and to release 3 1 Provost Dick Howard’s Sermon during the BBC’s Christmas Service broadcast to the nation and the then Empire from the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. it in all that we do. Bishops are never alone. There are no growing and stewarding our resources – human, financial, bishops without the church, and so from the earliest days physical etc – properly, aligning them for the mission that they have relied on deacons to enable the life of the church God has for us and making sure that they are being used to grow and expand (1 Timothy 3.1-13). well, that we are doing what we say we are doing. Soon after coming to the Diocese I felt that the traditional We know from parish experience that pastoral pattern of geographically defined archdeacons had many and missional ministry, and works of stewardship, advantages for the stability of church but that it fitted less management and accountability, interrelate at every level. well with the apostolic dynamic of the Church. If we are to So it’s clearly vital for the Bishop and the Whole Diocese be Chief Pastors and Leaders of Mission in the Diocese, that these three servant ministries work together in a Bishop John and I need lead colleagues to carry forward common, co-ordinated mission to build up the life of the that pastoring and that missional activity, and to see it church and to proclaim the kingdom of God through an fulfilled across the Diocese, supporting the presbyters and effective pastoral ministry, imaginative missional activity, lay leaders in every place to build effective pastoral and including an ambitious plan for church planting, and the missional communities of Christian Faith. provision of the resources and mutual accountability to enable the work to be done. These three interrelated roles That’s how we landed on the pattern of Archdeacon Pastor enable the Diocese to implement our missional strategy. and Archdeacon Missioner My prayers are with you and for you as you consider The other key post in the leadership and running of the whether you may be being called to join us in this work. Diocese is the Diocesan Secretary. This is another essentially diaconal post, though one often filled by a lay person as it is Yours in Christ with us. This role serves the apostolic mission by ensuring that the Diocese is run well, effectively governed and that we are 4 Context The Diocese of Coventry The Diocese has a population of 867,000 people and has 127 benefices with 244 churches which are organized into The Diocese of Coventry consists of the whole of Coventry 11 Deaneries. We have 312 members of clergy including City together with a large part of Warwickshire including full-time and part-time stipendiary, House for Duty and Self- the towns of Alcester, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Rugby, Supporting as well as those with Permission to Officiate. Shipston-on-Stour, Southam, Stratford-upon-Avon, and We also have a good network of Readers and a variety of Warwick plus a small but significant section of Solihull. It lay ministries across the Diocese. is a Diocese rich in diversity; urban and rural, significant poverty and deprivation to real wealth and privilege, The Diocese has 75 church schools, including two students to families and seniors, many different churches secondary schools, 6 Academy Trusts, educating 18,000 and large communities of other Faiths. There is a huge mix children and young people. We are committed to school of ethnic diversity, and our reach into it is not as good as expansion through the creation of new schools, the we would like it to be. enlargement of existing schools and, if possible, alternative provision. Over recent times Coventry and Warwickshire, together with Solihull and other parts of the West Midlands, It also has a range of institutions where there are have seen a strengthening of manufacturing after years Chaplains licensed by the Bishop, including two of decline and the local economy has grown. With universities, prisons, schools, hospitals and hospices. Warwickshire being a county of rapid house building, the City of Culture coming to Coventry in 2021 and with two Coventry Cathedral has worldwide recognition for its large and expanding universities in our Diocese, there is iconic buildings, its story of hope rising from the ashes of a sense of growth and optimism in the air. Though the despair and its international ministry of reconciliation. The uncertainties of Brexit loom large. Cathedral has played a large part in the bid for the UK City of Culture and will be very much part of the events in 2021, 5 along with other parishes, schools and other organizations our primary means of fulfilling that purpose is the across the Diocese. As part of the build-up to the City of application of the healthy church principles identified Culture, the Cathedral is planning a major development to by Natural Church Development (see Appendix 2). its space, the first since it was consecrated in 1962. These are the eight essential qualities (8EQs) of healthy churches. We look for growth by improving Last year, the Diocese celebrated its Centenary and the health. programme included a four-day visit from the Archbishop of Canterbury, a Diocesan Festival and many other events. More recently, having recognized that the Diocese is During the Centenary the Diocesan Board of Finance much more than church communities and parishes, was able to help the Cathedral declare a jubilee on entry we have turned our attention towards a more charges, greatly increasing visitor numbers. We hope this integrated strategy for the Whole Diocese which will be one of several lasting legacies of the Centenary. includes churches, church schools, the Cathedral and chaplaincies. All of these gather around the Bishop to The Diocese is well served by a good transport network. share in the apostolic ministry and mission given to us London can be reached by train in under an hour, by Jesus, focused by Paul’s words to the Corinthians: Birmingham Airport is close to the north western border of the Diocese, and major roads (M6, M1, A46 and A45) All this is from God mean that other parts of the country are easily accessible. who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Diocesan Vision and Strategy (2 Corinthians 5:18) We have a clear and well-articulated vision and strategy. Churches, schools, chaplaincies and the Cathedral The mission purpose of the Diocese is ‘worshipping God, are therefore Partners Together in the Message making new disciples, transforming communities’, and and Ministry of Reconciliation. This is the gospel we 6 proclaim and the reason we are here – to make known • currently 79% of parishes have used the NCD God’s own appeal in Christ: ‘Be reconciled to God’ (2 survey at least once and are participating in the Corinthians 5.20) and, reconciled to God, be reconciled to NCD process; your neighbour and to the creation of which you are part. • 76% of churches (with at least a second survey) Our Whole Diocese Strategy can be found at Appendix 1 rate themselves as healthier than when they and this document includes our six shared objectives to started to use this approach; which our finances, resources and mission are aligned, together with our two current emphases which run through • a team of mentors has been appointed and this all the objectives – to engage more effectively with children team processes approximately 70 surveys every and young people and to improve our BAME inclusion.