House for Duty Rural Dean for Fincham and Feltwell Deanery

House for Duty Rural Dean - Fincham and Feltwell

(open to SSM and those looking for a new challenge)

We are looking for an excellent parish priest who has a passion for Ministry alongside experience of leadership within the Deanery. 

The Deanery is in the northwest of the Diocese of Ely and is in the final stages of drawing together their new Deanery plan.

The post is for Sundays and two days a week.  The available vicarage is in the small village of Fincham, which is in the centre of the Deanery.

The role involves

• Care of clergy
• Strategic leadership in line with the Deanery plan
• Enabling parishes to live the Diocesan strategy – Living Ely2025 A People Fully Alive
• Working with Lay leaders across the deanery
• Encouraging Lay ministry in the parishes
• Working closely with the Archdeacon and other Rural Deans
• Building on the work of the previous House for Duty Rural Dean

More about the Role

There is an exciting opportunity to join the innovative and creative Deanery of Fincham and Feltwell as a House for Duty Rural Dean.  The candidate will need to have a passion for ministry alongside experience of leadership and welcome working with a well-established lay leadership team.

The Deanery of Fincham and Feltwell lies north west of Ely bordering Norwich.  Geographically it lies wholly in the county of Norfolk.  The Deanery encompasses 31 parishes.  It consists of the market town, Downham Market and the remainder of the deanery is made up of smaller villages.  There are two petitioning parishes, that of Downham Market and Hilgay. 

The Deanery is currently supported by a number of retired clergy, a stipendiary curate and four self- supporting ministers.  In terms of the new Deanery plan there is the vision for a stipendiary clergy person at Downham Market and then three further clergy.  There are some groups within the Deanery that are leading the way in terms of new ministries and people coming into local priestly ministry as Self-Supporting Ministers.

The post is for Sundays and two days a week.  You will be expected to help with Sunday preaching in vacant parishes and provide a local lead and support to those vacant parishes. You will also support the Lay Chair and other key lay people as they lead the pastoral re-organisation process and encourage the Deanery to continue to develop on its response to the Diocesan Strategy - People Fully Alive: Ely2025

The available vicarage is in the small village of Fincham, which is in the centre of the Deanery.  There are good rail links to London, Cambridge and Ely, with a driving journey time of 30 minutes to Ely.

Further Documents and Applications

• The Role of Rural Deans - Diocese of Ely
• Learn more about our Strategy here
• To arrange an informal conversation with Archdeacon Hugh McCurdy, please email [email protected]
• Download an Application form here.
• Completed Application forms should be sent to Karen Steyn by email at [email protected]

The Diocese is committed to safer recruitment practices with people working or volunteering with children and therefore this position is subject to an enhanced disclosure from the DBS.