ST. MARY’S, HAILSHAM
APPRENTICE/PARISH ASSISTANT
Website? www.stmarys-hailsham.org.uk
St Mary’s is the parish church for Hailsham, a socially diverse market town in East Sussex with an overall population in excess of 22,000. The present congregation of around 160 each Sunday reflects that diversity and the ministry is conservative/classical evangelical. St Mary’s is affiliated to the newly launched Sussex Gospel Partnership.
In 2005 David Bourne was appointed as the new vicar and in 2006 was joined, as curate, by John Brook from Oak Hill College.
This new gospel ministry aims to proclaim Jesus at the heart of the town by putting the Bible at the heart of church life to teach and motivate the church to grow and to reach out to its diverse community. Our main priorities over the next three to five years are to continue revitalize the main morning service, making it an accessible, contemporary, child/youth/ family friendly service teaching the Bible to all ages, to develop our outreach to young people and their families through our large Mums and Toddlers group and through new initiatives with an after school club and our affiliated uniformed groups, to recruit and train leaders to develop our teaching programmes for young people and to develop new learning and training opportunities for all the congregation alongside new initiatives in evangelism with other local churches and the Sussex Gospel Partnership.
Apprentice Role
The precise role of an apprentice would depend on the skills offered. However we are looking to address the following areas of ministry.
The primary area of ministry is a pastoral/evangelistic role working with women, with families and with children and young people many of whom will come from non church backgrounds to befriend them, introduce them to the gospel, encourage them into the life of the church and teach the Bible to them.
Ideally an apprentice would also bring the skills to lead and develop our music at the main morning service.
PASTORAL / EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY
To build relationships with women in the congregation
This would be a supportive teaching/pastoring role, one to one and in small groups to develop Bible study and prayer and basic Christian living.
To build relationships with non-church families to support them and teach the gospel Mums and Toddlers (St Mary’s Tiny Tots)
We are aiming to increase the range of opportunities for Mums to hear the gospel but also to offer parenting support etc and to encourage links to Sunday morning.
An apprentice could become a key part of the team involved in the planning and delivery of the programme and the further development of the team.
The main focus is a weekly Mums + Toddlers group meeting at St. Mary’s, led by a church team, currently up to 70 mums and toddlers attend each week.
Tiny Tots provides vital opportunities to get alongside families.
To build relationships with young people and to teach the gospel
There are several possibilities for work with young people.
Sunday Groups
An apprentice could work as part of the team for Sunday based young people’s groups to support their programme particularly for additional midweek activities aiming to grow this work and disciple young people.
SALT (14+)
An apprentice could co-lead with the curate this small but growing group of teenagers currently meeting on Friday evenings.
Guides and Brownies
There is a Guide and Brownie groups linked to St Mary’s.
An apprentice could join in support of that work and in particular to give input to their regular participation in all age services.
After School Club
We have recently taken a new initiative with an after school club for 6 – 11 year olds.
All Age Services
An apprentice could join the team to plan, prepare and present our monthly All Age services which use music, drama etc alongside preaching to teach the gospel and to encourage young people to develop and use their gifts to serve.
Town Centre Ministry
Bite-In
St Mary’s is open for coffee and lunches every Friday and attracts a great many especially elderly – an apprentice could be part of this team welcoming and befriending - a gently evangelistic role -and part of a strategy to open up the building to the community on a regular basis and to explore the possibility of a lunchtime, ‘Listen and Lunch’, evangelistic service.
An apprentice could have a key role in these initiatives.
MUSIC MINISTRY
Ideally we are looking for an apprentice with excellent keyboard and general musical skills to lead and to develop our music on Sunday mornings. Although this is a ministry supporting the Bible teaching focus we believe in our context it is vital one, it is important to do this well to help to set a lively, contemporary and welcoming style for our ‘Sunday shop window’ and to help people to hear and to respond to God’s word with glad hearts.
We combine the best of traditional and contemporary music and for all ages. A strong element of the apprentice role could be in training others to ensure the sustainability of any musical developments.
GENERAL
An apprentice would be included as a member of the staff team (currently – vicar, curate and two Readers) meeting every Monday morning for Bible study, prayer and planning. There is a weekly church prayer meeting and seven housegroups.
We would anticipate an apprentice belonging to a housegroup and contributing to its leadership.
An apprentice at St Mary’s would gain a wide range of experience of working with all ages in a diverse social community, opportunities to learn and develop in a town centre parish church as it moves to being a more gospel driven, Bible teaching church and to play an important role in that process of change.
As with any apprentice role there would also be that element of ‘mucking in’ to do whatever might need doing, stacking chairs, washing cups, cleaning pews, an expression of servant-hearted service among God’s people.
MINISTRY TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
An apprentice would be responsible to the vicar or curate with regular times for feedback, discussion, guided reading and theological reflection and would also join for one day a week (Tuesday) the South Coast Bible Training Course in Eastbourne. Provision would also be made for an apprentice to take part in other training / ministry opportunities including potentially New Word Alive, EMA, 9:38, summer ventures etc. Options for training in a second year could include Moore College modules or part-time Cornhill. We would also encourage an apprentice to develop a link with a mentor/prayer partner outside of the immediate work situation.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Duration
Ideally at least 2 years with an initial three month probationary period, termination subject to one month’s notice on either side.
Accommodation
There is an excellent 2 bedroom flat available (could suit a married couple) or accommodation with a member of the congregation.
Training Grant
£3500 – 4000 pa depending on circumstances and experience plus working expenses and all training and accommodation costs.
For an apprentice with the necessary keyboard skills there would be the opportunity for additional income from organist’s fees or private music tuition.
Hours, Holidays etc.
Working hours would be a variable 40 hour week with one full day off each week and 5 full weeks holiday including Sundays each year.
An apprentice at St Mary’s will
know and love the Lord Jesus
love the Bible as the word of God and accept its authority
aim to see the Bible taught faithfully to all ages
be passionate to share God’s gospel with those who do not know him
aim to see music, contemporary and traditional and of excellent quality, teaching and encouraging God’s people and ideally will have the skills to support this aim
be motivated to work with women, young people and their families both in and outside the church but ready also to support the church’s ministry to the elderly
be ready and willing both to learn and to serve
We are looking for someone who will work and pray with us to establish and grow gospel ministry in this new setting, sharing in all aspects of church life and demonstrating a clear Christian lifestyle. In turn an apprentice will find from us support, care, training and experience for future ministry.
Given the current balance of the team and the job requirements emphasizing work with women, children and young families this would particularly suit a female apprentice.
This post is subject an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.
For more information or to apply:
David Bourne
The Vicarage
Vicarage Road
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 1BL
Tel: 01323 842381
Email: davidjbourne@googlemail.com
Web: www.stmarys-hailsham.org.uk