Rector of the Weighton Wold Group of Churches, York

The benefice of Weighton Wold is made up of the parishes of Market Weighton, Goodmanham, Sancton, Londesborough and Shiptonthorpe, on the stunning Wolds Way national trail, enjoying beautiful scenery, heritage and history. Located between York, Hull and the East Coast the area is well served by road and rail links. Originally mainly farming villages, the parishes are centered around the prosperous town of Market Weighton, which is currently expanding due to much housing development in the area.

We want to :

• develop opportunities for mission and outreach to reach and serve a growing population.
• put our faith into practice through prayer, reflection, music and the sacraments
• maintain our existing pattern of services, while introducing new initiatives that appeal to younger members
• use our buildings as places for our communities to meet God and feel at home
• inspire others to explore Christianity through sharing our heritage

We are looking for a new rector who will be :

• a collegiate, visionary and creative leader to lead our benefice in our mission and ministry
• a person of prayer, deeply rooted in the sacraments
• someone who can Live Christ’s Story, share the story with others and teach us how to do this too
• passionate about rural ministry and imaginative in engaging with our communities
• committed to supporting and developing lay ministry

The Diocese of York

The Diocese of York, led and guided by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, takes in much of North and East Yorkshire. As the largest diocese in England, geographically, the area is very diverse, featuring a multitude of needs and opportunities. This includes the bustling urban centres of York, Hull and Middlesbrough, the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors National Park, and the incomparable Yorkshire Coast; as well as areas of deprivation in some of our urban and smaller rural and coastal communities.

Our mission and ministry relies on thousands of people – lay and ordained, volunteer and paid. Our diocesan teams provide a wide range of support services to our mission and ministry, including lifelong learning for ministry, the care of church buildings, and safeguarding. Together, we are striving to be a people who are ‘Living Christ’s Story’. We want to be a simpler, bolder, humbler church which in its diversity reflects the communities it serves. We are bringing renewed focus and fresh energy to achieving our aims:

• Becoming more like Christ
• Reaching those we currently don’t
• Growing in discipleship, influence and numbers
• Transforming our finances and structures

Our approach is aligned with a commitment to the best of our parochial inheritance and to the poorest communities, and to the financial realities we face.

Under current immigration rules, it is not generally possible for us to appoint clergy who are not already eligible to work in the UK.

Appointment is subject to a satisfactory Enhanced DBS disclosure.

If you would like an informal chat regarding this post please contact Bishop Flora Winfield, Bishop of Selby, via her PA Linda Bunn, at bishopofselbypa@yorkdiocese.org

Closing date for applications: Midnight on Sunday 8^th June 2025

Interviews: the afternoon of Tuesday 24^th and Wednesday 25^th June