PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLOSING DATE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS WAS 29TH NOVEMBER 2019 AND SHORTLISTING IS NOW TAKING PLACE.

The Mercers Company and Lord Allendale as Patrons with the Bishop of Newcastle wish to appoint a Rector and Lecturer of The Parish of St Andrew’s Hexham.

Hexham Abbey is a living, vibrant church drawing on a long and prayerful heritage. Hexham lies 20 miles west of Newcastle in the Tyne Valley and is the commercial and social centre for west Northumberland. The Priory and Parish Church dates from 674AD, has a strong association with St Wilfrid and aspires to become ‘an open community of Christ’s disciples, sharing our worship, engaging our faith with the world, and offering our lives to serve God’s kingdom’.

This flourishing parish with Eucharistic centred worship is supported by a fine musical and choral tradition, as well as a diverse range of groups including Tots Praise and Messy Church.   

We are looking for an inspirational leader who can enable both lay and ordained ministerial colleagues to develop their gifts and skills. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to working with local partners, a wider vision that links the parish into the Greater Churches Network and a global perspective to connect the Abbey into worldwide issues. A new parish priest will enrich the Abbey’s life through an engaging preaching ministry, well developed pastoral abilities, strategic leadership for the growth of disciples of all ages and excellent organisational and communications skills. 

Following the recent uniting of the Abbey with its former priory buildings there is now a significant opportunity to unite the parish’s spiritual heritage with its growing outreach to the local community. The new Rector will be involved in the governance of a limited company which oversees the Abbey’s commercial operations and will lead on drawing the parish’s mission and its business activities together effectively for the future.  

For further information about the vacancy please speak with Venerable Peter Robinson, Archdeacon of Lindisfarne on (01670) 503810.