The Diocese of Carlisle – who we are

Cumbria is beautiful and broad. Yes, there are hills, lakes and sheep – and also towns, major national industries, rural and urban poverty, post-industrial and coastal deprivation, alongside more affluent areas.

We are an ecumenical county working together through our shared God for All strategy to see a flourishing church in every community. Together we commit to: tread gently, care deeply, speak boldly, and follow daily.

Mission Communities

Our 34 Mission Communities bring churches of several denominations together to collaborate, support one another, and use local gifts in service of their communities.

The Cumbria Way (2025–2030)

In early 2025 we received £6.77m to fund The Cumbria Way over five years, with two projects: Growing in Mission and Growing Younger.

• Developing church planting across the diocese
• Building on our pioneering legacy
• Growing our Network Youth Church and intern scheme
• Learning from innovative rural mission
• Nurturing whole-life discipleship and inclusive vocations
• Developing new leaders for ministries fit for the future

Ministry development: our vision and strategy

Our priority is a praying, serving, worshipping community in as many places as possible — with a strong commitment to the small and local.

We aim to:

• Recognise, encourage and support ordained and lay leaders across a breadth of ministries
• Build a more diverse and creative ministry model in the diocese
• Grow a mixed ecology — new worshipping communities alongside long-established parishes

We are looking for curates who:

• are followers of Jesus and seek to live out his call
• long to share the love of God with others
• are team players enabling others to thrive
• are able to adapt ministry to differing local needs
• are open to lifelong formation and development
• are keen to develop as leaders, including oversight skills
• are willing to learn from failure as well as flourishing

What you can expect from IME2:

• A welcome for all traditions and gifts
• Encouragement for creative practice
• Four full years of IME2 allowing time to secure your next post
• Equal value on stipendiary and self-supporting ministry strong lay leadership partnership
• An emphasis on personal discipleship, spiritual formation, and dependence on God
• Valuing and learning from the expertise you bring
• Equipping for the future: parish revitalisation and church planting within a mixed ecology

Refreshing IME2 for 2026

We are aligning IME2 with the Discernment Framework and embedding Pioneering Parishes — helping parishes become more outward-looking in the cure of souls across their whole communities..

Planting Curacies

The Diocese of Carlisle will train curates through new Planting Curacies from 2026. This offers new clergy an exciting, immersive experience with hands-on involvement in launching and growing a Church Revitalisation, Church Plant or new congregation. Curates will work in rural, market town, ex-industrial and urban settings, mentored and equipped to support mission and growth in parishes. This is for people who want to lead, start new work, and shape the future of the Church on the ground.