A PARISH in Chelmsford diocese has adopted a novel method of
finding a new minister: posting a video on YouTube.
The parish of Woodham Ferrers and Bicknacre advertised for a
part-time House-for-Duty Associate Minister on the Chelmsford
diocesan website, in July, but has received no applications. A
churchwarden at St Andrew's, Bicknacre, Nick Kitchen, said that
someone suggested, almost as a joke, posting a video advert on
YouTube to raise the profile of the parish. They then decided to
take the idea more seriously, and recorded a video.
The humorous video, now seen by more than 10,000, depicts a
wedding, baptism, and school assembly with a life-size cardboard
cut-out instead of a priest, and shows scenes from parish life,
such as members of the youth group playing snooker, and
parishioners meeting to study the Bible in a home. "We wanted to
show what the area was like: that we are a young, lively parish,"
Mr Kitchen said.
The post was advertised in last week's Church Times,
for the first time. The paper offers an "Until Filled" offer: on
payment of a premium, the Church Times guarantees to
republish the same advert until the vacancy is filled.
http://tinyurl.com/vicarvacancy