The Cathedral and Church Buildings Division of the Church of England would like to hear from people with the time and skills to serve on its Organs Conservation Committee and its Bells Conservation Committee.
The Church Buildings Council is responsible for enabling our church buildings to serve their congregations and communities. It sets policy and gives advice on the care and development of church buildings and their contents, including organs and bells. Beyond scholarly and/or practical expertise, we are looking for applicants who will bring imagination, insight, and new and diverse perspectives to bear on the significance of Church of England churches and cathedrals and the challenges they face.
The Conservation Committees provide advice to the Church Buildings Council and Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England on conservation and other technical and practical issues and make recommendations on grant awards for the Conservation Grants programmes. The committees meet once or twice per year, usually in person at Church House in London, with other work conducted by email. Site visits will sometimes be undertaken, with an expectation of 1-2 per year per member. The total commitment may be up to 5 days a year per member.
Joining an expert committee offers a unique opportunity to help to ensure the long-term protection and sustainability of churches. Membership provides great prospects for professional development and will allow you to engage with unique situations in special buildings that need bespoke solutions. There is no requirement to be a Christian or of any faith, though members must act in sympathy with the mission of the Church. If you would like an informal discussion about these roles please contact David Knight ([email protected]).
Committee membership is not remunerated, although reasonable out of pocket expenses are paid.
Applications from PGM (People of Global Majority) and female professionals are especially welcomed, to address the exclusive dominance of male white voices among our members. The Council campaigns raise significant funding for church buildings, and awards grants towards the cost of the conservation of historic furnishings, including organs and bells. It gives advice on casework and particular matters of high significance, technical innovation or controversy.
Up to four members are sought for each committee.
Organs Committee
Applicants should have a good understanding of the role of the organ in the musical life of the church, in worship and in wider use. They need to be able to understand the opportunities and challenges of maintaining and using an organ in worship, especially when the organ is of particular historic significance or felt to be incidental to the life of the church. It will be helpful to show your knowledge and interest in:
- the significance of organs
- organ conservation
- the place of organs in the life and work of the church
Bells Committee
Applicants should demonstrate a good understanding of the place of bells within the life of the church and in wider use. They need to be sympathetic to the challenges of maintaining a ring of bells and the particular opportunities and challenges of towers with historic bells or a bell frame of historic significance. It will be helpful to show your knowledge and interest in:
- the significance of bells and bell frames
- bell restoration and repair
- the structural performance of bell towers
To express your interest, please send a CV and covering letter to [email protected]
Applications close on Monday 9th May at 17.00.Informal interviews will be held online on Tuesday 17th May (Bells) and Friday 20th May (Organs).
Wider context
We in the National Church Institutions support the mission and ministries of the Church all over England. We work with parishes, dioceses (regional offices), schools, other ministries and our partners at a national and international level.
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We follow these three values in everything we do, whether we are of Christian faith, another faith or no faith.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively look to attract, recruit and retain those of you who are disabled.
As a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, we welcome applications from those of you who have served in our Armed Forces and their families.
We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to ensuring that everyone, job applicants, customers and other people with whom we deal, are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination. We will do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity. We continuously review our policies and processes to support our aim to create a workforce as diverse as the nation the Church of England serves.