Vacancy Detail Overview, Role Detail and Person Specification Residentiary Canon Pastor Please note that this post will be offered subject to references and an enhanced criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Overview Preamble The Collegiate Church of Manchester was first founded in 1421 by Charter and Royal Licence from King Henry V. The College was dissolved by Act of Parliament in the reign of King Edward VI and was in the year 1553 refounded by Queen Mary; it was again dissolved in the reign of Queen Elizabeth who thereupon granted it another Charter. The existing Charter was granted by King Charles I with the object of continuing and restoring the old College and founding it anew and by that Charter the College, consisting of a Warden and four Fellows, all being priests, was incorporated by the name of the " Warden and Fellows of the College of Christ in Manchester founded by King Charles " with perpetual succession. The Charter also provides that there shall be forever in the said College two Chaplains or Vicars, being Clerks, and four men, being either Clerks or laymen, and four boys skilled in music, to perform daily prayers and Divine service in the Chapel of the College. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners Act 1840 enacted that the Warden and the Fellows should be styled respectively the Dean and the Canons. By Order in Council dated the 10th day of August, 1847, it was ordered that the Collegiate Church of Manchester should be constituted and become and should forever thereafter be a Cathedral Church and the seat of a Bishop and should be invested with all the honours, dignities and privileges of a Cathedral Church or Episcopal seat and that the Dean and Canons of the said Cathedral Church should be the Dean and Chapter thereof. The Dean and Residentiary Canons are seized of the Rectory of the ancient Parish of Manchester, and the Dean, as well as being Chairman of the Chapter, is the Rector of the Residuary Parish of Manchester. As such, the Dean still acts as Chairman of the meeting of parishioners and Annual Church Parochial Meeting which have continued to be held according to ancient usage for the Residuary Parish of Manchester, at which Church Wardens continue to be elected annually and at which all other things necessary to be done at a meeting of parishioners and Annual Parochial Church Meeting continue to be done. The finances of the Cathedral Church are governed by the Parish of Manchester Division Act 1850 and the Parish of Manchester Revenues Measure 1933 and other legislation. A new Constitution and Statutes were drawn up by a Transitional Council established in accordance with the Cathedrals Measure 1999 and came into effect at Pentecost, 2002. Vision Led by the Holy Spirit we seek to: be a sign of the presence of God in the world as sacred space for worship, prayer, hospitality and sanctuary; witness to the inclusive gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed; encourage and support Christian pilgrimage, spiritual formation and Christian education; be a place of excellence in supporting the ministry of the bishop, the diocese and its parishes, together with other churches in the city; celebrate our diversity as a city and diocese; engage prophetically for justice, peace and reconciliation in God s world; engage in critical theological reflection and action in collaboration with other agencies and especially with the universities; preserve and develop our heritage; celebrate human flourishing through music and the arts. 1 P a g e
Background The Cathedral is a praying community, founded as a Collegiate Church in 1421 and established as a Cathedra in 1847. Our spiritual life is sustained by the Daily Office and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, and stands in the broad tradition within Anglicanism. Theologically we sit within the broad liberal tradition within the Church of England whilst at the same time being open to other traditions within the Church. It is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester and plays its part in promoting the life and mission of the Diocese of Manchester, whose mother church it is. The Dean and Chapter ensure that the Cathedral plays its part in praying for and supporting the ministry of the bishop. The Cathedral Chapter aspires to excellence in liturgy and music, and asks visiting choirs and others responsible for planning or leading worship or other events here to share our aspiration. We are proud of our world class musicians and choir. Our choristers are recruited from the world renowned Chetham s School of Music next door to the Cathedral and form our statutory choir. The Cathedral Chapter believes that the Gospel of Jesus Christ commits us to just and loving relationships and to offering generous hospitality irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, disability, religious conviction or social status. To this end we seek to live as an inclusive community of faith seeking to offer generous hospitality to all people. We are committed to developing the Cathedral as a place of hospitality for Christians of all traditions, people of all faiths or none, and for our civic life. The clergy team presently comprises the Dean and three Residentiary Canons (Canon Precentor, Canon for Theology and Mission and an Archdeacon). There is also an Assistant Curate and two (retired but active) Cathedral Chaplains who help to lead worship and provide priestly ministry to the community. We also have a group of Honorary Day Chaplains, mostly retired, who assist with pastoral care during the day in the Cathedral. The past decade has seen an incredible programme of fabric regeneration coupled with a serious effort to re-position the Cathedral s profile in the life of the city of Manchester and in the County of Greater Manchester. An equally important phase of our strategic plan now needs to be taken up in earnest and is about the spiritual renewal of our congregational life, leading to spiritual growth and numerical increase in the size of our congregations. As such, we now wish to appoint a full-time Canon Pastor to take on this specific responsibility. The Chapter recognises that at the heart of the life of the Cathedral are the Eucharist and the Opus Dei. We are committed to modern, inclusive, imaginative and accessible worship. As Cathedral for the Diocese, the worship offered on diocesan occasions seeks to be non-partisan, excellent and engaging. Development Project The Manchester Cathedral Development Project (MCDP) provides an opportunity to secure a 600-year tradition of music, modernise and develop the cathedral buildings and enhance the use of the spaces around them. The main aims of the project are: to make the cathedral fit for the 21 st century by improving the building and facilities within it; to play a part in redesigning the immediate environment, helping to create a series of new public spaces around the cathedral in partnership with regeneration plans by the cities of Manchester and Salford for the vicinity of the cathedral buildings; to ensure our 600-year tradition of choral music continues by creating a music endowment fund and installing a new organ. The renewal of Manchester Cathedral and its immediate environment will benefit the entire community, including worshipping congregations, the socially disadvantaged and those involved in the arts, music, spirituality and heritage. Since its establishment in April 2009 and the subsequent adoption of the MCDP Masterplan by the Dean and Chapter, a number of committees, working groups and sub-groups have been established. A comprehensive programme of works is now being pursued and is carefully managed by a bespoke project management system designed by Dooley Associates Ltd. 2 P a g e
Role Purpose As a Residentiary Canon, the Canon Pastor will be a member of the Cathedral Chapter and be required to carry out all duties in support of the strategic mission of the Cathedral as determined by the Dean and Chapter, in accordance with the Cathedral s Constitution and Statutes. The Canon Pastor will act as the main point of contact at Manchester Cathedral for the pastoral needs, spiritual development and numerical growth of our various and often transient congregations. The Canon Pastor will also be expected to discern and establish a number of newer areas of ministry and growth, which will be supported by other members of the clergy team under the direct leadership of the Dean. The Canon Pastor will provide pastoral care to the congregations (regular home visits, youth work, Sunday School, follow-up on baptisms, weddings and funerals, help to establish groups for seekers and discipleship development, welcome new people etc.) and foster spiritual nurture and growth in Christ. In the power of the Holy Spirit and in collaboration with the clergy team and others, the Canon Pastor will enable spiritual and numerical growth of our existing congregations. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate exemplary team working skills, a deep commitment to daily worship and Opus Dei and have the capacity to work flexibly and effectively. They will be expected to demonstrate strong organisational and interpersonal skills, well-developed personal management skills; they will be creative, energetic, open and collaborative to help ensure that the Cathedral can be a place where those seeking God or wishing to grow in the Christian faith can be directly assisted. The individual will be expected to have a strong work ethic that welcomes the challenges and demands of a busy Cathedral. Role Context At the end of a Clergy Residential on the topic of developing a pastoral theology and practice for a mission-shaped Cathedral the Cathedral clergy identified eight key areas to inform the pastoral care strategic plan, along with a few action points for each of them: 1. Seek approval of Chapter to appoint a Canon Pastor to: Enable the Cathedral to take forward the pastoral care strategy in the areas detailed below; Foster a pastoral culture; Build relationships, do home visits and help people to discover and use their spiritual gifts and natural talents. 2. Pastoral care of occasional attenders by: Affirming occasional attenders and their sense of belonging. 3. Daily chaplaincy (with the help of Canon Adrian Rhodes Cathedral Chaplain) provision for visitors by: Recruiting honorary chaplains to ensure that there is a chaplain in the Cathedral every day; Fostering a loving and empathetic prayer ministry to people; Developing a vibrant, self-sustaining team of chaplains who are present to ground the sense of the numinous in those who are drawn to the Cathedral; Developing systems to enable chaplains to offer effective responses to occasional needy people regarding finding a source of help (e.g. money, home, job and mental health care). 4. Attract and grow newcomers by: Making God real for those who now live in the parish/city centre Developing provision for families and children Ensuring that there is space and time set aside in the Cathedral diary for evangelism and discipleship activities. 5. Oversee and develop the Pastoral Care Team by: Offering training, once the group is refreshed; Ensuring that there is good communication regarding members of the congregation in need. 3 P a g e
6. Develop the gifts and skills of congregation members by: Helping people to pray; Encouraging vocations of all kinds so that it feels as if the love of God permeates the life of the Cathedral community. 7. Respond to mental health and other pastoral issues by: Providing training, at appropriate levels, for all Cathedral staff members, the Pastoral Care Team and the honorary chaplains. 8. Support the carers by: Social events, praying together and sharing diaries; Encouraging them to do it better for each other; Setting boundaries. Responsibilities As a Residentiary Canon: To play a full part as a member of Chapter providing strategic governance for the Cathedral (Chapter meets 11 times per year); To share with the other Residentiary Canons the duties of being in residence (Monday residence); To be committed to daily corporate worship whenever possible. Attendance at Morning and Evening Prayer/ Evensong) is encouraged of all the resident clergy. Clergy are especially expected to robe and join Evensong unless otherwise prevented and with apology to the Dean. In relation to the role of Canon Pastor: To work under the leadership of the Dean and with members of the clergy team, staff and members of the congregation to be responsible for the pastoral and spiritual care of our congregations; To work with the Pastoral Care team; To have oversight of the Honorary Chaplains; To work with the Canon for Theology and Mission to set up and help lead courses for Christian exploration, faith nurture and fellowship; To work with the Canon Precentor to increase lay participation in worship services and where possible to help introduce new forms and acts of worship; To help the baptised deploy their gifts and talents in the service of God and the community through teaching and creating opportunities for lay ministry; To help foster new Lay Ministers (including Readers) and vocations to ordained ministry; To help increase the levels of congregational giving through planned giving; To establish new areas of ministry to young people, students, children and their families; To work ecumenically where possible to enable numerical and spiritual growth and Christian witness in the city and to raise the profile of the Cathedral in the (small) residual Cathedral parish; To assist the Dean and Canons in any way that promotes spiritual growth of the Body of Christ at the Cathedral through helping with events, retreats, quiet days, Bible study groups, etc.; To represent the Cathedral at Deanery Chapters, Synods, City centre Ministers Groups, etc. (with other residentiary canons). 4 P a g e
Additional Cathedral roles: Attendance at Cathedral Council (if nominated), the weekly clergy staff meeting, various committees of the Development Project (as required) and other committees as decided by Chapter (e.g. Finance and Investment, Fabric Advisory Committee, etc.); To perform any other duties appropriate to the role as may be required by the Dean; To participate in a planned program of professional development in order to maintain growth in professional skills and knowledge; To bring to the attention of the Cathedral Administrator any matters relating to the health and safety of staff, clergy, volunteers and visitors; To engage with the cathedral s commitment to deliver value for money services that optimise the use of resources by maintaining a cost conscious approach when undertaking all duties and aspects of the role. Person Specification Qualifications The successful candidate should have: Essential/ Desirable Tested by* A, I, P, T 1 A theological, pastoral or equivalent professional qualification; Essential A 2 A demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development. Desirable A Background & Experience We are seeking a priest colleague who: Essential/ Desirable Tested by* A, I, P, T 1 Has been in holy orders for at least six years; Essential A, I 2 Is committed to the pattern of prayer and worship that underpins cathedral life; Essential A, I 3 Is comfortable in an essentially liberal catholic liturgical context; Essential A, I 4 Has a clear calling and commitment to reconciliation ministry; Essential A, I 5 Has a proven track record of providing effective nurture and pastoral care and is able to build community and help others to feel valued and cherished; Essential 6 Has a proven track record of working effectively within a team and on own initiative. Essential A, I A, I Knowledge The successful candidate should: Essential/ Desirable Tested by* A, I, P, T 1 Be theologically literate and able; Essential A, I, P 2 Have a demonstrable record in engaging with congregational communities and how to inspire others to explore and enter the Christian faith; Essential 3 Be IT literate and have demonstrable knowledge of Microsoft Office. Essential A, I, T A, I 5 P a g e
Skills & Competencies We are seeking a priest colleague who: Essential/ Desirable Tested by* A, I, P, T 1 Can combine energy and passion with spiritual maturity; Essential A, I, P 2 Is an excellent communicator and a lively, inspiring but intelligent preacher; Essential A, I, P 3 Can achieve that subtle balance of holiness and humanity with reverence and fun; Essential A, I, P 4 Is able to discern, develop and harness the gifts of others and able to assist in the outwardfacing work of the Cathedral; Essential 5 Is not afraid of being accountable or taking the initiative; Essential A, I 6 Will flourish in a team of clergy & laity working hard together for a shared purpose; Essential A, I 7 Can work flexibly in a highly complex and busy Cathedral; Essential A, I 8 Will be sympathetic to the aims of the Manchester Cathedral Development Project and be fully supportive of its vision, which is now in its sixth year of implementation. Essential A, I, P A, I A = Application form, I = Interview, P = Presentation, T = Test Terms and Conditions This post will be appointed under Common Tenure therefore the post holder will be entitled to the following: A Statement of Particulars setting out the terms of the appointment; A stipend in accordance with the rates set by the Church Commissioners for a Residentiary Canon; Housing; Reimbursement of reasonable working expenses; Typical annual leave benefits; A regular day off; Pension provision. The post holder will be accountable to the Chapter via the Dean, and under Common Tenure will be required to meet the following responsibilities: Undergo medical examination before appointment; Undertake appropriate continuing ministerial development; Participate in ministerial development review once a year; Be subject to a capability procedure. Please note that this post will be offered subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). 6 P a g e
Organisational Chart The Dean Dean's PA Canon Theology & Mission Canon Pastor Canon Precentor Cathedral Administrator Director of Fundraising & Development Wardens Archdeacon Hon. Archivist Cathedral Chaplains Honorary Day Chaplains Organist & Master of the Choristers Cathedral Curate Accountant Architect Volunteer Programme Secretary to the Development Project Visitor Services Manager Education Officer Sub-Organist Chorister Recruitment Officer Health & Safety Consultant Estates Guides & Welcomers Library Lay Clerks Organ Scholar Finance Assistant Communications & Marketing Officer Office Assistant Logistics Officer Arts Choristers Voluntary Choir Senior Verger Stewards Worship & Music Administrator Bell Ringers Verger Ministers Readers Liturgical Vergers Intercessors Cleaner 7 P a g e