Faith Rooted Community Organiser Lead

MAKING AN APPLICATION:

As a part of the safer recruitment procedures of the Methodist Church all applications must be received on a Methodist Church application form. We do not view or reply to applications made direct via Indeed so please read below where next steps on how to apply are included.

BACKGROUND TO THE ROLE:

The Methodist Church has been drawing upon community organising practices and frameworks for many years. These practices have evolved into exploring Faith-Rooted Community Organising as a foundation to develop existing churches, establish new Christian communities, and embed principles and practices of A Justice-seeking Church.

In 2022, a pilot project was launched in the Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury and Birmingham Districts. The pilot aimed to help Methodist congregations in the West Midlands to grow and thrive by translating their missional priorities into actionable practices and developing the gifts of the people of God, effectively turning vision into action.

At the Methodist Conference in June 2024, as part of the God for All strategy, a commitment was made to extend the work of Faith-Rooted Community Organising over the next seven years. This commitment includes employing a Connexional Faith-Rooted Community Organiser in each Methodist district.

WHAT IS FAITH ROOTED COMMUNITY ORGANISING?

Community organising is about bringing people together to take action around their common concerns, and to create changes that tackle issues and experiences of injustice.

Community Organising is grounded in communities because that’s where we live and relate to each other. It is focused on organising because it is about deliberately listening to each other, finding out our shared concerns, and then working together for change.

Faith-rooted community organising builds on these practices and roots them in our core beliefs as Christians in God’s promise of justice, peace and transformation.

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

To advocate for and deliver faith-rooted community organising practices in the Methodist Church as routes to justice, congregational transformation and church growth.

The post holder will lead on accompanying and developing an organising culture across the district, providing bespoke support to embed faith-rooted community organising practices to develop teams and effective leaders of change in those congregations and communities.

The role will be key to supporting existing churches and new Christian communities to make connections as part of their discipleship and core mission to be justice-seeking. As a result of this faith-rooted organising practices will have an impact in three distinct ways through the:

• Embedding of principles and practices of A Justice-Seeking Church report in the Methodist Church
• Transformation of existing churches
• Beginning of New Places for New People

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Faith-Rooted Community Organising Lead:

• Work with key district colleagues including the District Leadership Team, New Places for New People Team, Mission Enablers, Learning Network colleagues, Methodist Pioneering Pathway and Social Justice leads to identify congregations and communities where faith-rooted organising practices could help turn vision into action.
• Under the guidance of the Connexional FRCO Organiser provide bespoke support to embed faith-rooted community organising practices aiming to develop teams and effective leaders of change in those congregations and communities.
• Working in consultation and in collaboration with the Connexional FRCO Organiser, the Connexional Church at the Margins Officer, Director of Social Justice, and Social Action, JPIT, Learning Network, CYF Team, key district colleagues and local practitioners, to further develop and deliver Methodist -specific training resources which introduce the practices of FRCO within the district.
• Accompany existing churches and new Christian communities (NPNPs) to integrate FRCO practices as part of their core mission planning, worship and commitment to be justice seeking.
• Seek opportunities for children, young people and adults to participate in Faith-Rooted organising to develop their faith formation, discipleship.
• Act as the lead district contact for the Connexional FRCO network/movement.
• Gather and participate in Connexional evaluations of how FRCO practices are being used to implement change, see transformation and enable flourishing.

Other requirements:

• Be an active and engaged participant in Reflective Supervision.
• Attend meetings and gatherings within the Circuit, District and wider Connexion which are relevant to the role, preparing and presenting reports and updates as necessary.
• Be an active and engaged member of the Connexional network of FRCO district leads.
• As requested by your Line Manager, undertake other reasonable duties that support the evolving mission of the Sheffield Methodist District.

FAITH/OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:

A faith is an essential requirement for this role and in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Equality Act 2010 there is an occupational requirement that the successful applicant is a practising Christian.

SUMMARY OF TERMS:

• Contract type: Full-time, 7 year fixed term contract.
• Working hours: 37 hours per week (1 FTE).
• Work pattern: A flexible working pattern, to include evening and weekend working.
• Rate of pay: £37,000 per annum
• Location: Based from the District Office with some home working available in agreement with the Line Manager, the FRCO will work across the geography of the Sheffield District
• Annual leave: Annual leave for a full-time employee is 33 days inclusive of public holidays.
• Pension: There is a contributory pension scheme to which eligible staff will be auto enrolled. Employees who do not meet the auto enrolment criteria are eligible to join the Scheme, subject to certain provisions.
• Probationary period: Offers of employment are conditional on the satisfactory completion of a 6-month period of probationary service. The Circuit reserve the right to extend this up to a maximum of 12-months.
• Right to work: Any job offer will be conditional on you demonstrating the right to live and work within the United Kingdom as required by the Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. You will be asked to provide evidence of your entitlement should an offer of employment be made.
• DBS disclosure: Offers of employment are conditional on a satisfactory enhanced disclosure from the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS).

NEXT STEPS:

Enquiries and informal conversations about the role are encouraged. Please direct these to Neil Harland, Mission Enabler, by email at mission@sheffieldmethodist.org

As part the District's internal safer recruitment processes all applications must be received on a Methodist Church application form from hr@sheffieldmethodist.org. CVs are not accepted.

IMPORTANT DATES:

• Closing date: 12th September 2025 (Midday)
• Interviews: 22nd September 2025

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: £37,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Sheffield, S1 2JB

Application deadline: 12/09/2025