Contact:
Fr Jonathan Bish
Email:
frjonathanbish@gmail.com
Address:
All Saints Church, Stocks Lane
Locality:
Batley
Postcode/Zip:
WF17 8PA
Musical Requirements:
All Saints Church, also known as Batley Parish Church, is a town centre parish church with a small congregation, in the vibrant and diverse town of Batley in West Yorkshire. Worshipping in the central tradition of the Church of England, All Saints celebrates Holy Communion three times a month and Morning Prayer or Cafe Church once a month. All Saints is home to a good electric organ that was introduced in 2010.
We would like the new musician to focus on three areas for development:
1) Renewing the musical life of the congregation through playing a rich range of music for worship in both traditional and contemporary idioms
2) Exploring the feasibility of restoring an adult choir to lead worship at All Saints’.
3) Developing our work with children and young people. One of our ambitions is to recruit a children’s choir to sing in All Saints’, initially on a monthly basis, building on the links we have with families through our Sunday school and our longstanding relationship with Batley Parish CE (VA) School
This role would suit an entrepreneurial musician who is a competent organist, has experience in leading and training choirs, and is willing to try new things. Our goal is to revive the choral tradition in Batley Parish Church, and our new organist would be the key person in making this happen.
The United Benefice of Batley includes three other churches, and the new organist at All Saints’ would also have the opportunity to make use of the Peter Conacher organ at St Thomas’ Batley (rebuilt and electrified by Michael Fletcher in 1987), and the 1916 Abbott & Smith organ at St Paul’s Hanging Heaton. Both are in good repair.
The salary will be £7,000 a year and will be reviewed annually. Paying for weddings and funerals is additionally remunerated, as is playing the organ at services at other churches in our benefice.
Other details:
For a fuller description of the role, please visit: https://batleychurches.wordpress.com/2023/09/12/vacancy-for-organist/