Vicar – St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington

Our Mission Statement: “Worshipping God, Loving Our Neighbour”

The Church of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington, seeks a full-time Incumbent to lead us as we continue to evolve and grow.

St Mary’s is a warm, friendly, modern‑catholic parish preparing for a new chapter in its life. We are seeking a Vicar who will help us grow in number, deepen our discipleship, and strengthen our mission across a diverse parish of 12,000 people. Our worship is centred on the Eucharist, enriched by a robed choir, seasonal liturgy, and a strong musical tradition. We are committed to pastoral care, community engagement, and welcoming all who come through our doors.

We are looking for a Vicar who will:

• Lead the parish in growth, mission, and sustainability, encouraging generosity and helping shape a secure future.
• Share ministry collaboratively with our Assistant Priest, Reader, Pastoral Lay Ministers, and active PCC.
• Offer warm, thoughtful pastoral care across all ages and contexts.
• Support and develop our worshipping life, respecting Anglican liturgy and valuing our choir and musical tradition.
• Engage confidently with major parish projects, including our Hall Development and Mission Action Plan.
• Be visible in the community, building relationships across Addington Village, Fieldway, Forestdale, and beyond.

We are looking for a priest who is:

• A leader for growth – imaginative, energetic, and able to inspire renewed flourishing.
• Pastorally gifted – a good listener, kind, responsive, and attentive to people’s needs.
• Mission‑minded – outward‑looking, hopeful, and creative in exploring new approaches to ministry.
• Respectful of tradition – appreciative of Anglican liturgy and supportive of our choir and musical life.
• Spiritually grounded – sustained by prayer and Scripture, wise, steady, and able to nurture discipleship.
• Visible and inclusive – present in the community, welcoming to all, and committed to building relationships.

St Mary’s is an ancient place of prayer with nearly 950 years of worship on this site. We are proud of our history, our warm welcome, and our strong sense of community. Our worship is modern‑catholic, with a Sung Eucharist, robed choir, monthly Choral Evensong, and active lay involvement. We run Messy Church, Junior Church, youth groups, study groups, a Mothers’ Union, and a wide range of community activities including a Welcome Place, Friday Lunch Club, walking group, reading group, and eco‑initiatives. We are quietly proud of our tradition, our music, our pastoral care, and our joyful, friendly congregation.

To find out more, please review the Parish Profile and Bishop’s Statement (attached).

If you would value an informal discussion with the Archdeacon about the role prior to application, please email [email protected] to arrange an appointment.

Closing Date: Tuesday 18 October 2026

Parish Visit and Interviews: Tuesday 17 November 2026

To be appointed to an incumbent status post in the Diocese of Southwark, a priest must have served a title post in an Anglican church in the British Isles. We aim to be a diverse and truly representative Diocese, and particularly welcome applications from women and people of UKME heritage.

The Diocese of Southwark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All post holders are expected to share this commitment, as outlined in the A Safe Church manual. Appointments are made according to the Church of England’s Safer Recruitment Guidance, including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS with Children and Adults Barred Lists check. Our whistleblowing and recruitment of ex-offenders policies can be found here. Please review our Privacy Notice detailing how your personal data will be processed during the recruitment process. Applications are evaluated and shortlisted against the essential criteria contained in the role description.