Wanted: High-fiving cool and funky vicar

The new incumbent at Christ Church, Fulwood will have to be “funky” and “cool” - and high-five kids when they leave church.

Those are just some of the requirements being demanded by junior members of the congregation when candidates face interviews for the vacancy.

The youngsters were asked to list what they would like to see in their new vicar. And the sought-after qualities included liking food, sport and children, being modern and funky, funny and loving and kind and cool.

The successful applicant would also need previous experience of working with children, have a liking for animals - especially dogs - and would not like either olives or celery. They would also need to promise “no boring services.”

Archdeacon of Lancaster, the Venerable Michael Everitt, pictured, said: “I am delighted Christ Church has taken this inclusive approach to compiling their parish profile for their new vicar.

“The voice of the young is equally important as the voices of older members of our churches and involving them in this way is empowering for them and exciting for the Diocese to see as well. This is because work with young people is at the heart of our Diocesan Vision 2026.

“I will be praying for a successful recruitment process for Christ Church and look forward to meeting their new, funky, high-fiving vicar in due course.”

The idea came from the church’s PCC chairman and “Vision Champion” Christine Hedley. She said: “We agreed that our youngest church members and our Pathfinders group comprising older children should be consulted for their views on the attributes of our new vicar.”

The closing date for applications was Friday.