Children and Families Worker

ABOUT US

Sudbury is a bustling market town with the sixth largest population in Suffolk of 24,000.

St.Gregory’s is the civic church with strong links to the town and its uniformed organisations.

With four primary schools in Sudbury, two of which are CofE, there is a real opportunity to achieve our key aim of growing younger.

St Gregory’s has a central worship tradition singing hymns and some liturgy to pipe organ.

Sunday morning attendance is fifty adults and seven children and babies at the main Sunday service where the CFW would be expected to attend most regularly. We offer junior church every Sunday for ages 3-10 and intend to run a toddler church from September. A creche space is also well-used. We are a dedicated and enthusiastic team of volunteers currently deploying our recent Beacon grant with AV technology and refitting the space to enable age-specific areas with live streaming and Wi-Fi. A garden area for junior church recreation is also being developed. There is energy and enthusiasm for innovation such as the fresh expression ‘Christmas Through The Keyhole’ which delights everyone. Termly school services and concerts are hosted by St Gregory’s.

All Saints is open evangelical with an adult congregation of 30 on Sundays. Bronze status Eco Church has been achieved and there is a thriving monthly service for adults with special needs. The hall would be ideal for a mid-week toddler church, with a secure garden, refurbished kitchen and open-plan floor space very near a CofE Primary School.

The benefice actively supports ‘Open The Book’ and the incumbent takes assemblies. The Children’s Society is strongly supported via the Christingle Service. The shoebox appeal is linked up with the local primary schools and generates significant numbers of boxes every year. Other mission partners include local youth and schools’ work. Several members of the benefice are governors thereby increasing opportunities for mission and ministry.

We have five flourishing home groups and co-lead an ecumenical ALPHA course.

We are also recruiting a children’s choir leader who will be trained by St Martin-in-the-Fields. We believe the renewed interest in choirs will grow our children’s ministry aided by the beautiful and ancient setting of St Gregory’s.

Modelling Jesus’ strategy of identifying the spiritually hungry we welcome children with special needs, and plan to tackle loneliness by creating new communities via toddler church and a vibrant social life for choristers.

We are altering the DNA of our mission and ministry to achieve long-term sustainable growth by embedding accessibility and hospitality across our ministries.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:                                 Children and Families’ Worker

Location:                                St Gregory and All Saints, Sudbury

Responsible to:                      The Lay Employee will be employed by St Gregory’s PCC and will be under the supervision of Revd. Andrew Doarks, Rector

Responsible for:                     Children and Families’ Work Volunteers

Purpose and Objectives:      

To be responsible for development of the mission and ministry programme for children and families within the church in consultation with the PCC and Ministry Team.

To enable children and families to develop their faith and to participate fully in the life of Church, it is hoped that this may also include some youthwork.

To share your faith enthusiastically and confidently; making disciple-making disciples will be one of the post-holder’s main priorities.

To pray regularly for the children and families, before and after sessions, with and for volunteers.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. To oversee and develop our work with children and families in a consultative process within the church, whilst evidencing consideration for the context and local community.
  2. To raise disciple-making disciples – to be confident in sharing Christian Faith, Hope, and Love with children and adults so that they can go and do the same.
  3. To help children and families to explore the Christian faith in a creative and dynamic way:
  • intergenerational engagement in worship, mission, and ministry
  • Lead junior church supported by volunteers
  • initiate, encourage and support participation in new ventures (e.g: all-age services / holiday clubs / toddler groups / After School Clubs / Messy Church / Youth Club / Parenting for Faith / School Assemblies . . .
  1. To consult with families and in partnership identify their needs and provide a range of social education and some intergenerational activities which aim to meet these needs.
  2. To manage and administer an agreed budget to enable the ministry to develop.
  3. To appraise and review initiatives set up and activities undertaken and change where necessary the action and focus of work after consultation with, and agreement, from the Ministry Team and PCC.
  1. To work with the Rector, and the Safeguarding Lead, to ensure compliance with the Churches’ Policy on Safeguarding and creating a safe space for all.
  2. To recruit, support, and encourage volunteer leaders for our benefice’s Children’s and Families’ Work.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

  • Undertake appropriate training (provided).
  • Attend Ministry Team meetings as required.
  • Produce written reports about the Children and Families work in brief for bi-monthly PCC meetings, and as an annual review for the APCM.

MANAGEMENT

The successful candidate will have a line manager whose responsibilities will be to:

  • Become familiar with the work you are doing.
  • Equip and offer training and development.
  • Work with you to encourage the church to respond to new challenges and opportunities in mission to children and families.
  • Determine priorities for the work with children and families.
  • Work with you to prepare your personal development plan.
  • Ensure good communications between all the ‘stakeholders’ (groups and networks) involved.
  • Monitor and evaluate your progress on a regular basis (supervision meetings will take place – usually weekly).
  • Be there to listen to any concerns you have and to help problem-solve where necessary.

 PERSON SPECIFICATION

These are the essential and desirable qualities we are looking for:

A: Application

I: Interview

R: Reference

T: Testing by an Exercise

How it will be Assessed Essential /

Desirable

Knowledge
Knowledge of how children’s and families’ ministry work A, I, R E
An understanding of how to work best with volunteers A, I, R E
Familiarity with, and appreciation for, the work of the Church of England A, I E
Knowledge of the Safer Recruiting and Safeguarding requirements for volunteer and paid roles in line with Church of England guidance. A, I, T E
Skills & Qualifications
Quick and keen learner A, I, T E
Good Verbal and Written Skills and able to communicate effectively with children and adults I, T E
Experience
Experience of sharing faith with children and their families. A, I, R E
Experience of running successful children’s activities and developing creative resources A, I, R E
Experience of working with schools and/or community projects A, I, R D
Prayerful A, I E
Confidence in using technology (e.g. PowerPoint and Screens) and social media (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc) A, I, T D
Capacity to work without supervision and the ability to motivate volunteers A, I, T E
General Attributes
Reliable, Trustworthy and can maintain discretion and confidentiality R E
A commitment to uphold current safeguarding legislation and best practice A, I, R E
A team player who will encourage and support others A, I E
Friendly and warm persona, with an ability to work with a diverse group of people A, I E
A demonstrable love of Christ A, I E
Good self-awareness and the ability to reflect A, I E
Sympathetic to the mission and ministry of our benefice A, I D

 

GENERAL INFORMATION - TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Terms of appointment: Three Year Fixed Term Contract
Remuneration: £27,300 – 31,200 (fte) / £16,380 – 18,720 (actual) (depending on experience)
Hours of work 22.5 hours (3 days per week) This will include some evenings and weekends, and regular attendance of Sunday services is essential, some flexibility required and offered. TOIL (time off in lieu) is applicable for evening and weekend working to be agreed with line manager.
Expenses All reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. These will need to be agreed with the line manager first.
Pension Employer’s contribution at market rate
Holiday entitlement 25 days pro-rata paid leave in addition to the usual public holidays plus Discretionary days (at Easter and Christmas)
DBS Appointment will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance
References Appointment will be subject to two satisfactory references
Probationary period Appointment will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period, during which time progress is regularly reviewed and the period may be extended
Notice period During probation 2 weeks and thereafter 1 month
Place of Work St Gregory’s, Sudbury
Start Date Monday 13th January 2025
Transport The candidate will need to be able to get to and from St Gregory’s and the schools / local area within our parish. Should the postholder require the use of transport, they must provide evidence of insurance cover for business use.  Mileage expenses, from St Gregory’s, that are agreed beforehand with the line manager, will be met.
Pension provision Membership of the Church of England Pensions Board Pension Builder 2014 Scheme following completion of probation period.
DBS requirement The appointment is subject to an unblemished enhanced DBS check in relation to the requirements of this role.

NOTES

The main duties and responsibilities of this new post are outlined in the job description. The list is not meant to be exhaustive and is likely to evolve.  The line manager is responsible for reviewing and amending job descriptions annually, in consultation with the post-holder.

It is expected that the post holder would be / become a wholehearted worshipping member of the church and there is a genuine occupational requirement for the person to be a practising Christian.

Continuing professional development will be offered, which will include occasional training sessions and external courses.

Go online for more information and application: www.stgregorychurchsudbury.co.uk

Deadline for applications: Friday 8th November 2024 5pm

Short listing interviews: Friday 15th November 2024

Parish interviews:
Week commencing Monday 18th November 2024

Applications should be sent to: sudburyrector@gmail.com