CCC is an independent evangelical fellowship acknowledging the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in its life and witness. We are a church family of 40-50 adults and children serving an estate of almost 2000 homes on the south side of Ulverston in South Cumbria . We meet in the estate Junior School for our Sunday morning Family Service and Sunday School and use the local Community Hall for our mid-week activities, which include a large weekly Parent and Toddlers group 'Little Nippers', a weekly primary age ‘Kidzone' and monthly Lunch and Coffee events.

There are presently two home groups meeting each week and we aim to create a third ASAP various members meet across each week in small home prayer groups.

We enjoy an excellent relationship with the Junior School and use it for our annual estate Fun Day (in June) and Holiday Club (late July) - both of which are very popular. The husband and wife team who lead both events also have a regular involvement in the assemblies of both the Infants and Junior schools on the estate and are well involved in the work and assemblies of other primary schools, particularly in a neighbouring village.

We also enjoy strong working relations with other churches in the town and strongly support the aim of ‘Churches Together in Ulverston' to draw more closely together the various congregations in joint prayer and witness.

Post Description: Terms and Conditions of Appointment

The appointed pastor will lead a small team, sharing the responsibility of leadership and providing caring and prayerful support for the church. The leadership team will include the pastor, elders, ministry team and others as appropriate and will provide the context for the training-up of new leaders.

It is expected the appointee:

Will be a Spirit-led person with a recognised pastoring gift, characterised by honesty and openness, a ‘people person', able to relate well across the age range

Will have had previous and successful church leadership experience in some form, be highly regarded by previous churches and be well-recommended by supportive and credible references

Will have a thorough Biblical grounding (which might well include a period of theological training) and be able to agree with and abide by the statement of belief, well able to teach, eager to disciple and sensitive to the needs of the fellowship, encouraging its prayer life and relationships.

Will help to develop our shared vision for the fellowship, our witness to the estate and help us continue to be actively involved in the life of the church in the town.

Will preferably live on or near the estate in order to establish good relationships there.

The pastor will be self-employed and the starting salary will be negotiable.

As far as can be maintained the flexible working week will be of a minimum of 37 hours, worked as appropriate. Annual leave will be 23 days taken in line with the church calendar, plus statutory Bank Holidays taken in lieu when necessary.

A settling-in period will be necessary and a review of the appointment carried out by mutual assessment after six months

Termination of contract will be by four weeks notice by either side

Ulverston and the Furness area

Ulverston is an attractive small market town at the head of the Furness peninsula and on the southern edge of the Lake District National Park . It lies 25 miles west of Jct 36 of the M6 and has a good rail connection with the West Coast main line. With a population of around 14,000 it is well served by six primary schools and Ulverston Victoria High School .

It has a developing high tech. industrial base and farming plays a large part in the life of the town and surrounding area. The ship-building town of Barrow-in-Furness is 8 miles further west along the A590 trunk road and provides a good range of shopping outlets. Kendal is 45 minutes drive away in the hill country between the Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales.

The Croftlands estate is projected to grow by an estimated 1000+ additional homes as part of the South Lakeland District Council's development plans. Our request for the allocation of space for a community church in those plans has been accepted and we are now part of the discussion phase of the proposals.

The town's Parish Church (with whom we have strong links) celebrates its 900th anniversary this year and the town has a strong historical base. It was the early home of the Quakers and of George Fox and has been the birthplace of a number of nationally significant people.

Culturally the town enjoys a wide range of activity - amateur drama and operatic societies, two music festivals, an annual Dickensian weekend festival, visiting professional theatre and musical events - all underpinned by an excellent public venue, the Coronation hall.

And, of course, the town lies at the foot of the Lakeland fells and lakes.