Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Merton

The Bishop of Southwark wishes to appoint a Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Merton

St Mary’s is the parish church of Merton Park, a leafy suburb close to Wimbledon with excellent transport links into central London. With a congregation drawn from a wide range of Christian backgrounds, our shared ethos is inclusive and liberal catholic, the Eucharist and our strong musical tradition being central to our worship. The church is very much at the heart of the Merton Park community.

As we look forward to the next stage of our parish life, we have begun a consultative process, ‘St Mary’s 2030’, which aims to review our ambitions and purpose for the next five years and beyond. We seek a parish priest who will lead us in taking this work forward to completion and who has:

• an approach to Christian faith which is open-minded, non-judgemental and grounded in the sacramental life of the Church;
• a pastoral heart for people of all ages and a particular ability to relate to children and young families;
• an ability to communicate the faith with confidence in a way that applies to people’s lives;
• an understanding and appreciation of the Anglican choral tradition in worship;
• an imaginative and visionary outlook, open to new ideas and approaches;
• an ability to foster links both with the wider community served by St Mary’s and with surrounding parishes.

We offer:

• a beautiful medieval church and a more modern parish hall, both in good repair and located in a setting with a semi-rural feel;
• a six-bedroom vicarage adjacent to the church, with a large and attractive garden;
• sound finances;
• support from a part-time associate priest, a part-time administrator, and a committed and capable team of lay volunteers;
• strong relationships with the local community

For an informal conversation about this post, please contact the PA to the Archdeacon of Lambeth, Charlie Watkins: [email protected]

Closing date: Sunday 9 November 2025

Parish Visit: Saturday 22 November 2025

Interview: Thursday 27 November 2025

See our parish profile and to apply here

We have a policy in Southwark Diocese that to be appointed to an incumbent status post, 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 people of UKME heritage.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.