Apprentice at Holy Trinity Church, Hinckley

Website? www.holytrinityhinckley.org.uk

Holy Trinity Church in Hinckley (Leicestershire) is looking for an Apprentice who will particularly focus on work amongst children aged 11 and under. The person we’re looking for is probably just finishing at college or university, or is a younger person who wants to take a break from work to gain experience in church ministry. You will definitely be a committed evangelical Christian with a growing love for the Lord and desire to serve him.

The Job

Your time will be divided into three main areas:

Ministry: Children’s Work

Junior Church. On Sunday mornings our Junior Church takes place. We have separate groups for children aged 2-4, 5-7, and 8-11. You will be involved in regularly leading and helping at one of these groups. Depending on your experience so far and how you grow into the job, you could also help our Assistant Minister, Andy Winter, in overseeing Junior Church and training its leaders.

Holiday Club. We have an annual summer Holiday Club for children. You will be heavily involved in this, and could have a major role in planning and running it, if that’s right for you.

Schools work. We already have more opportunities to work in local schools than we’re able to take up (e.g. taking assemblies). You will be involved in helping with this work.

Children’s Work during the week. We don’t currently have any children’s work during the week (such as an after-school club). You could be involved in helping to set something like this up.

Training

Midlands Ministry Training Course. This is a superb course, specifically aimed at people at the Apprentice stage. It takes place one day each week in Birmingham. We will pay your fees for attending, and we’ll want you to put a lot into the course, so you get the most out of it.

Oversight. You’ll work closely with our Assistant Minister, Andy Winter. He will take responsibility for overseeing your work and your growth in ministry, and you will meet regularly with him.

Practical tasks

You will also help with some practical tasks. These may include jobs such as administrative help in the church office, and tidying the church’s Trinity Centre. These practical tasks will never take up more than one third of your working week, and may often take less. We want the main focus to be on your Word-ministry and training.

The Church

Holy Trinity is an evangelical church which is conservative in theology and open in style. The current ministry staff are Tim Ward (Vicar), and Andy Winter (Assistant Minister). Tim trained at Oak Hill Theological College in London, and Andy trained at Moore College in Sydney.

We have two services on a Sunday: a traditional service at 9.15am, and a contemporary-style service at 11am (with Junior Church). The Apprentice would be expected to attend the 11am service.

We have recently decided that the Lord is leading us is to plant a new church, and we are preparing to do this in 2009. The reason for this is that we need to create more space for further growth. Plans are at an early stage, but (depending on the time-scale) the Apprentice may well be involved in the new exciting opportunities for ministry which this will create.

Our ‘Youth Church’ for teenagers meets on a Sunday evening.

We have a number of Home Groups, and the Apprentice would be expected to be a committed member of a group; that is the best way to feel part of the church family and find good support.

About our town

Hinckley is a town of 60,000 people. It’s in the middle of England, between Coventry and Leicester. We are right next to three motorways (M69, M1 and M6), which allow very quick access to the rest of the Midlands and beyond. London is about an hour away by train. And there’s plenty of green countryside around!

Length of Appointment

The post is for one year, starting in September 2008. It could be renewed for a second year, if things go well.

Money

We can give a grant of £5000 for the year. We can discuss with you whether you feel you need to raise extra money, and how that could be done.

Accommodation

This will be either a room in the home of member of the church family, or a room in a shared house or flat.

How to apply

To apply, please send us a CV, including an account of your ‘Christian history’, details of any involvement so far in Christian service, plus the contact details of three referees, at least one of whom should be a full-time church minister

Applications should be sent to:

Tim Ward, 1 Cleveland Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0AJ / vicar@holytrinityhinckley.org.uk. For an informal discussion about any of this, feel free to phone Tim Ward (01455 635711) or Andy Winter (01455 448741).

Closing date for applications: Friday 29 February.