A JUNIOR choir has created a musical video to help advertise for the perfect person to be their church’s next vicar.

Members of St Paul’s Junior Choir in Shipley have taken the unusual step of putting their own advert on social media as a more up-to-date way of attracting a vicar to the vacant post at the Kirkgate church.

While a more traditional advert has been placed in the Church Times and on the Diocese of Leeds website, it is the junior choir’s version that has attracted more than 19,000 views within 24 hours of being posted on Facebook.

The lyrics of the 20-strong choir’s song contain their own set of criteria for the qualities they seek in a vicar, along with a list of incentives for whoever is appointed.

It begins with: “If you want this choice position have a cheery disposition. Make us laugh, smile lots, play games, tell jokes.

“You must be kind, you must be fair. Bible stories you will share. Plan parish weekends and retreats, sermons short – and sweet.

“Share God’s love with everyone – be energetic; work hard, have fun. Boy or girl it doesn’t matter – but you must enjoy Harry Potter.”

The incentives include: “If you will sing and worship with us, show us how to pray and Jesus, We won’t talk in your sermons, we’ll be good (you’ll see).

“We’ll do our very best to tidy up the choir vestry. Come to Shipley, many thanks sincerely, St Paul’s Junior Choir.”

Rachel Hesselwood, director of music for children and young people at St Paul’s, came up with the original idea but says the words were largely the work of the young people.

She said: “It was very last minute - two weeks ago at Junior Choir I asked the children to tell me what they thought a vicar should be like.

“All the suggestions are their own words just slightly changed to rhyme/fit the music.

“I then wrote the lyrics and on Thursday the children learnt the song, choreographed it themselves in small groups and recorded it - all in our hour’s rehearsal.”

The closing date for applications is February 27 and the part time post is seen as important for the parish and wider area.

Area Bishop of Bradford Toby Howarth said: “St Paul’s Shipley is a significant church within the Bradford Episcopal Area and Diocese of Leeds.

“We are seeking a person who can develop lay ministry and leadership. This role demands excellent team building skills and the ability to work a ‘mixed economy’ of both new forms of church alongside existing ones.”

The junior choir has developed over the past five years and normally sings at one of the services a month and at special occasions, including Evensongs and concerts.

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