Dean of Gloucester

Overview

From The Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester

“We begin this process of appointing the next Dean from a strong starting place. Under the leadership of the previous Dean (Stephen Lake) the Cathedral has become a place of welcome and hospitality and good relationship. Project Pilgrim, in conjunction with all the work around visitor welcome and  ‘entry by donation’, has been very successful; and through the pandemic I do believe that the Cathedral has been a Beacon of Hope.  

Whilst I do not discern the need for radical change in the Cathedral, I do want someone who will take time to look and listen with fresh eyes and ears, and to be both curious and prophetic, living relationship well, as they seek to encourage and challenge within the Church’s call to witness to God’s love and to work for the coming of God’s kingdom.  

There is a new season to be shaped and lived within the Cathedral and wider Diocese, and my desire is for the Cathedral to refocus and deepen its identity as being a place of prayer and worship, rooted in its Benedictine heritage, and enabling visitors of all ages to explore becoming pilgrims."

For more information, please go to:  https://jobs.churchofengland.org/deanofgloucester

If you are been stirred by what you read and would like to find out more, you are invited to join a webinar on Wednesday 14th September, where Bishop Rachel will be joined by others from the appointment panel and cathedral community to share information about the role, cathedral and diocese. The webinar will also include information on how to navigate the appointment process. You can sign up for the webinar here. 

Update on Friday 16th September. 
​​​​​​​Here is a link to the webinar that was recorded earlier this week. The password to access it is: P&%zT#^8

Post Introduction

Gloucester Cathedral has been a site of continuous Christian worship for 1,300 years.  

The Cathedral community has developed a ‘Rule of Life’. At the heart of the Rule of Life is the vision to live ‘in tune with heaven and in touch with daily life’, and it takes inspiration from the Cathedral’s roots as a Benedictine abbey.  

Gloucester Cathedral is:  

•  A place for worship 
• A place for everyone 
• A place for mission 
• A place for welcome 
   

Chapter have discerned the following top three priorities for the period 2020-2024: 

• To welcome all visitors with joy, ensuring every visit has meaning
• Deliver our Covid-Recovery Plans and strengthen the Cathedral as a Beacon of Hope across the city, county and diocese 
• Use our assets and partnerships to make a positive contribution to our local community and the planet 

Main Responsibilities

• Leading the Cathedral community in mission to see people encounter Jesus Christ and grow in faith:

  • developing fresh opportunities for the Cathedral congregations to deepen their discipleship  

  • reaching and engaging people not yet part of the Cathedral community through inclusive worship which reflects the diversity of the city and wider diocese 

  • weaving together the Christian Gospel and the Cathedral’s heritage to enable all visitors to become pilgrims on a journey towards faith 

• Helping the Cathedral to fully embrace its role as “the seat of the bishop and a centre of worship and mission” within the city and wider diocese: 

  • exploring how the spiritual resource of the Cathedral’s Benedictine tradition might offer a place of refreshment and renewal for clergy and lay leaders across the Diocese 

  • contributing to the mission and ministry of the local deanery, working collaboratively with the City Deanery Chapter 

• Building a new team through a time of change in key personnel, and continuing to enable Chapter, staff and the wider cathedral community to be nurtured and equipped, ensuring that the Cathedral remains a Beacon of Hope 

• Pro-actively deepening relationships with civic, business, third sector, ecumenical and interfaith partners to ensure the Cathedral continues to make a meaningful contribution across the city, county and the wider diocese 

• Championing the delivery of our £10m ten-year Development Plan, working with the Development Board to inspire support and ensure fundraising targets are met, and ensuring the Cathedral completes the transformational potential of Project Pilgrim by enabling the successful development and implementation of Phase 2.0.  

• Driving financial stability through wise stewardship, sustainable commercial and visitor income and ensuring our property portfolio is fit for the future, profitable and meeting our strategic priorities  

The Ideal Candidate

Deep Spiritualty Grounded in Reality: a person whose life is rooted in the love of God and shaped by their faith in Christ. You will sense - and be able to articulate - a call to this role, in this place, at this time. Committed to the pattern of daily corporate prayer and choral traditions underpinning Cathedral life and to nurturing faithful and diverse worshipping communities, you will hold the balance between being in tune with Heaven and in touch with daily life; holiness and humanity; reverence and fun. You will be committed to joining in with the God’s kingdom work of transformation, growing both within the Church community and beyond in the wider community.   

Skilled, Collaborative and Inclusive Leader: a confident, caring, and enabling leader who is both trusted and trusting, you bring out the best in your team and other partners with whom you work – both in the Church and the wider community. You will have strong emotional intelligence and self-awareness, confident in your vulnerabilities as well as your strengths. Modelling diversity and inclusion in all you do, you will be equally at ease hosting a formal reception as you are cooking a fry-up for the city’s homeless.  

Strategic Mindset: you fully appreciate that all business is God’s business whether it’s being missional or making money. You stay focused on the vision, bringing clarity and direction and setting clear priorities. You will hold yourself and others to the bigger picture without getting bogged down in too much detail.  

Great Governance know-how: you understand the importance of effective governance practices and know how to embed them. You can build on these strong foundations to establish a healthy and resilient future for the Cathedral and ensure that it is a safe place for all – especially children and adults who may be vulnerable. Chapter meetings you chair won’t be a talking shop; they’re where important collegiate decisions are made by the charity’s trustees following robust and energising discussion.  

Exceptional Communicator: a lively and inspirational preacher, you enjoy engaging with individuals and groups, regardless of background or situation. You’d be as comfortable preaching the Gospel at community events in the city as you would be in the Cathedral pulpit.  

 Partnership Builder: skilled in building meaningful relationships, you have a heart for the vulnerable, a passion for ensuring under-represented groups and communities have a seat at the table, and a gift for creating connections that matter. You’re confident stepping up as a convenor when appropriate in both positive and challenging situations, and in pro-actively deepening relationships with civic, business, third sector, ecumenical and interfaith partners. You won’t limit the partnerships you build to help to grow God’s Kingdom.   

About Us

The Cathedral, as mother church of the Diocese of Gloucester, serves the geographical area of the diocese which includes the County of Gloucestershire and part of South Gloucestershire. The Diocese has a rich mix of urban and rural, with areas of affluence and of deprivation. There are nearly 300 parishes (with around 400  church buildings) divided into 2 Archdeaconries, 9 deaneries and 91 benefices together with a mix of chaplaincies, fresh expressions and pioneer ministry, and over 100 church schools. There are approximately 150  licensed clergy alongside a significant number of clergy with Permission To Officiate, and lay leaders, including Readers. Gloucester itself is a diverse city. The ward in which the Cathedral sits is amongst the most socially and economically challenged in the county. 

As a Diocese, we are committed to the wellbeing of all who minister here. We are small enough to know each other well, to care across our traditions and rejoice in each other’s gifts. We are large enough to be well resourced as we live the present and continue to shape the future with imagination. The Bishops place a high value on being known by church and community leaders and engaging across the diocese to build positive networks of relationship.