THE AUTHORISATION OF MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Clergy, Readers and accredited lay workers holding authority to minister are defined as those
who are beneficed, licensed or holding Permission to Officiate (PtO) in any Church of England
diocese.
Whilst this Ad Clerum primarily refers to those in holy orders, it is also applicable to licenced
and PtO Readers and Accredited Lay Ministers carrying out non-sacramental duties.
It is the responsibility of the incumbent or equivalent to take steps to ensure that any visiting
minister who officiates at divine worship holds suitable authority to minister, as defined above.
These provisions and requirements are set out fully in Canon C8, ‘Of ministers
exercising their ministry’.
1). Visiting ministers officiating at weddings, funerals, covering for leave etc.
There is provision to allow visiting Anglican clergy to officiate in any specific church with
the incumbent’s permission, as long as the incumbent is ‘satisfied either by actual personal
knowledge or by good and sufficient evidence that s/he is of good life and standing and that
s/he has authority to officiate in accordance with this Canon (whether in that or another
diocese), to minister within their church or chapel for a period of not more than seven days
within three months’.
This places a specific responsibility on the incumbent (or the sequestrator if the benefice is
vacant) to undertake any necessary checks.
In practice, the easiest and most secure method of doing this is to approach the Diocesan
Bishop’s office and to request that such checks are undertaken centrally. The Bishop’s office,
normally in the person of the Bishop’s chaplain, details below, will make discreet enquiries
of the sending diocese as to the individual’s authorisation, DBS clearance and safeguarding
training. This can usually be completed quickly via email.
The importance of such checks should not be underestimated. In following the above process,
which is now reciprocally adopted in the English dioceses, the duty of care with regard to
safeguarding is fulfilled and the burden on the incumbent to pursue checks independently is
eased.
It will be noted in the above extract from Canon C8 that there is a clear limit, namely ‘seven
days within three months’ in which a visiting minister can officiate on the basis of the above
cross-diocesan checks. Where a minister from a neighbouring diocese is likely to undertake
regular cover or ongoing duties above and beyond this limit, they must seek PtO from the
Bishop.
Visiting clergy undertaking duties as above must sign the register for the occasion.
It should be noted that the above provisions are distinct from the permitted occasional
practice of inviting a clergyperson, a lay person, or a minister of another denomination to
speak or preach on a specific occasion, in the presence of the incumbent.
2). Authorisation and robing.
The amendments to Canon C8 made in April 2016 now specifically prohibit any clergy who
do not hold a licence or PtO, or who are suspended, from robing and processing at divine
service.
It is the responsibility of the incumbent or equivalent in the parish to ensure that this
restriction is complied with.
3). Overseas Clergy.
Clergy visiting from overseas are permitted to carry out duties as described under 1)., above, but
in order to do so they must hold both the Archbishop’s Permission to Officiate under The
Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967, and also the Diocesan
Bishop’s PtO.
The former is required before the latter can be provided.
Overseas clergy PtO is arranged via the Provincial Registrar’s office. In the Province of
Canterbury, contact should be made with the Joint Provincial Registrar, Stephen Slack,
legal@churchofengland.org. His office will supply the required application form. It is usually
necessary for the application to be supported by a letter of commendation from the Bishop in the
Diocese in which local PtO is proposed.
4). Safeguarding training and Disclosure and Barring Service checks (DBS).
It is a requirement under the amended Canon that ministers who are authorised by the Bishop
in the ways described above should participate in the arrangements approved by the Bishop
for training in matters relating to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
Ministers must hold a current DBS check before authorisation to minister will be considered
(or renewed) by the Bishop. Prior to issuing any authorisation to minister, it is now
permissible for the Bishop to require a risk assessment to be undertaken if there are
reasonable grounds for doing so.
Contact for authorisation enquiries .
The Bishop’s Chaplain. chaplain@stalbans.anglican.org.
01727 853305
Issued February 2018
ASSISTANT MINISTERS IN THE VACANCY OF A TEAM OR GROUP
MINISTRY
This paper should be read in conjunction with Ad Clerum 3e.2: Assistant Ministers in a Vacancy of
the Benefice.
A. Team Ministries
1. When a vacancy occurs in a team ministry, the team rector will convene a meeting as in Ad
Clerum 3e.2, the team rector will assume responsibility and become the named priest for the
purposes of pastoral care (see Ad Clerum 3e.2, paragraph 2); when the team rector’s post is
vacant, the rural dean will convene the meeting.
2. When the vacancy is that of the team rectorship, the bishop will appoint a team vicar as
acting team rector. The churchwardens are normally in charge of the parish, assisted by the
acting team rector and, if necessary, the rural dean.
3. The churchwardens should ensure that everything will be done in partnership between
themselves, the team rector, team vicars and the team ministry as a whole.
B. Group Ministries
1. When an incumbent leaves, the churchwardens are normally in charge of the parish, assisted
by the rural dean (Ad Clerum 3e.2, paragraph 1).
2. When a vacancy occurs in a group ministry, the group leader will automatically become the
named priest unless he or she has forwarded an alternative name to the bishop, and the group
leader will make all necessary arrangements for the conduct of the vacancy with the
assistant(s) and churchwardens.
3. When the vacancy in the group leadership arises, a new leader should be appointed as soon
as possible and following consultation with the group chairman and other members of the
group. Where this cannot be done before the group leader actually leaves, the rural dean
will need to liaise with the other members of the group to determine pastoral responsibility.
The new leader would carry out the functions as in Ad Clerum 3e.2, paragraph 4.
4. The churchwardens should ensure that any action or decisions taken during the vacancy
should reflect the partnership that exists between themselves, the group leader and the
chairman of the Group Council.
[Reissued January 2008]
1. When an incumbent leaves, the churchwardens are normally in charge of the parish, assisted
by the rural dean. It is the churchwardens’ responsibility to arrange for services to be taken
and generally supervise the running of the parish. Where there are assistant ministers the
bulk of the day-to-day ministerial work will be done by them, where possible. However,
assistant ministers must take care to refer policy decisions to the churchwardens, and, where
necessary, the rural dean. It is a wise rule that major innovations to the pattern or nature of
services should not be made during a vacancy.
2. During the vacancy the Parochial Church Council is chaired by the lay vice-chairman.
Different procedures apply in a team ministry where the Teams and Groups Measure allows
for the appointment of an acting team rector. When there is a vacancy in a district or area of
a team ministry, it is the team rector who is responsible for – and shares with colleagues –
arrangements for a vacancy in such a district or area of a team ministry.
3. Before the vacancy begins, the rural dean will convene a meeting with the churchwardens
and any assistant ministers, to make arrangements for the day to day ministerial work during
the vacancy. The outgoing incumbent should be invited to the meeting, if appropriate.
Where there is an assistant curate in title post and/or SSM(s), the DDO/ADDO, NSM Officer
and/or deanery Reader Adviser will be invited to the meeting, as appropriate. The
arrangements agreed at the meeting are to be recorded in writing, and copies circulated to all
parties and, in the case of ministers in title post, to the CME Officer. Where there is a
formally constituted team ministry, the team rector or acting team rector convenes the
meeting, which should include the churchwardens or district warden(s), other team clergy and
ministers, and the rural dean. However, where the team rector’s post is the subject of the
vacancy, the rural dean convenes the meeting.
4. Where an assistant is in his/her first post, the bishop will appoint a neighbouring incumbent
to take responsibility for his/her supervision and support and to whom the assistant can refer
in case of need. This will be especially important if the assistant is in the first year of
ministry when the vacancy occurs; there will be particular elements of education and training
to be undertaken, not least in relation to marriages and eucharistic presidency for deacons
about to be priested, but assistants throughout their first four years should receive regular
supervision.
5. Where there is more than one assistant minister, difficult questions of seniority can
sometimes arise, especially where there is a mix of men and women, stipendiaries and nonstipendiaries and Readers. The order of seniority needs to be worked out with regard to the
particular circumstances of each parish; this should normally be done before the vacancy
begins, at the meeting referred to in paragraph 3 above. The agreed arrangements should be
included in the paper referred to in paragraph 3. In a team ministry, where there is an
understanding of collaboration and working together, the acting team rector (see paragraph 2
above) is responsible for leadership and co-ordination.
6. In all cases other than those covered in paragraph 4, the rural dean will arrange to see the
assistant minister(s) periodically throughout the vacancy. In a team ministry this
responsibility can normally be undertaken by one of the other members of the team.
7. Where the parish has a person in training for ministry (on a theological training course, or on
the Readers’ course) decisions about appropriate arrangements for support and any necessary
supervision will need to be made, in consultation with the course principal or the tutor for
Readers. It should not be assumed that any responsibility devolves upon the assistant. This
point should also be covered at the meeting convened in accordance with paragraph 3 above.
8. Similar principles will apply during the prolonged absence of the incumbent through special
factors such as sabbatical leave, maternity leave or incapacity.
The New Appointment
9. Under the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986, the PCC is required to appoint two lay
members (who may or may not be the churchwardens) to act as its representatives in the
appointment of the new incumbent. It is the bishop’s wish that, together with the patron, they
should arrange for any prospective incumbent to have a properly arranged and adequately
timed meeting with all assistant ministers, including licensed readers. Following the meeting,
the bishop or archdeacon will seek feedback from assistant ministers. Where the appointment
lies with the Patronage Board of a Team Ministry, or with some other group as, for example,
in the case of a part-time diocesan officer, it will be for that group to ensure that this
consultation is properly arranged. Where the appointment is of a priest-in-charge, it is the
practice in this diocese for the bishop to work with the churchwardens. However, the same
process of consultation with assistant ministers will apply.
l0. Once a new incumbent is appointed, it is for the assistant staff to do everything they can to
make the appointment a success and to ensure that their joint ministry is fruitful, whether or
not they approved of the appointment or find him/her personally or doctrinally congenial.
The early stages are especially important, i.e. when the new incumbent moves into the parish,
is instituted and begins work.
ll. Assistant ministers hold the bishop’s licence, which cannot be revoked by the new
incumbent/priest-in-charge. The bishop and the assistant minister may terminate the licence
by giving three months’ notice, but the incumbent/priest-in-charge may do so only with the
prior written consent of the bishop and with six months’ notice. (It must be noted that this is
the legal position, and does not express the spirit in which we hope ministry will be shared by
incumbents and their colleagues.)
Copies of this Ad Clerum will be available for churchwardens, assistant ministers and licensed
readers whenever a vacancy occurs.
Ad Clerum 3e.1b
The Authorisation of local Ministry Development teams. (LMDTs)
As part of the Diocesan commitment to encourage every baptised disciple of Christ
to discern and exercise their God-given gifts, the diocesan Local Ministry Scheme
makes provision for the mandating of Local Ministry Development Teams (LMDTs).
The original Local Ministry Scheme defined such teams as “a group of people who
are recognised by the congregation as people with talents to work collaboratively
with the clergy to develop the vision of the parish and meet the need for ministry in
the parish. Each member of the team has different gifts, hence a different ministry,
but together they will enable more people in the congregation to develop their
discipleship and offer their talents to ministry.”
A LMDT’s purpose is to be a catalyst for ministry and mission in the local area, being
a think-tank, helping to shape the vision of the parish and playing a part in
implementing its Mission Action Plan. Crucially their role is to encourage others to
exercise their gifts, as well as being a sign of the shared ministry of lay and ordained
people. An LMDT may be in a single parish or in a multi-parish benefice, and may be
ecumenical.
Once PCC approval has been given, members undertake some initial training, after
which the Team receives the Bishop’s Mandate to exercise its ministry. A LMDT also
receives the support of a consultant, and commits to on-going training. It may renew
its mandate after the initial four-year period.
To enquire about the LMDT scheme, please contact the Revd Jeanette Gosney,
01727 818141, jgosney@stalbans.anglican.org
Issued April 2015.
Ad Clerum 3e.1
THE AUTHORISATION OF MINISTRY IN THE LOCAL CONGREGATION
Background
Over the past hundred years or so there has been an increasing emphasis in the Church on the value
of lay ministry. This has been partly out of necessity, with the decline in the number of stipendiary
clergy posts, but also largely – and thankfully – out of a renewed understanding of what is sometimes
called ‘all member ministry.’
In addition, there has been recognition of the diversity of Christian vocation. So the Church has
trained and authorised the ministries of Church Army Officers, Readers and Accredited and
Diocesan Lay Ministers several of whom trained with ordinands on our diocesan Ministerial
Training Scheme.
In more recent years parishes (and deaneries?) have appointed other ‘ministers’ including youth
workers, administrators and parish assistants. These may be paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time
and should have been given training prior to authorisation and as the particular ministry develops.
Since the approval of the diocesan Local Ministry Scheme in 1999, we have also encouraged the
development of this formal expression of ministry as an example of the way God’s mission and
ministry should be shared by all who are baptised.
The present position
The question is often asked about the authorisation of those exercising God’s ministry and mission
approved by the PCC or other equivalent body. Could they not all have the bishop’s authorisation?
Such a question is welcomed, as it expresses a desire not just to ‘go it alone’ but to have the full
support of the bishop and the diocese.
The difficulty lies in where to draw the line. If the bishop authorises youth workers and lay
assistants, should he not also do the same for leaders of children’s church or house-group leaders? It
is clearly impractical for the bishop to authorise all forms of ministry exercised across the diocese.
So, there need to be principles for determining when episcopal authorisation is necessary or helpful.
The way forward
We believe that ministry should be rooted locally, within, or better, across parishes and
denominations. It is also best practised within a ministry team than by individuals. In most cases,
therefore, it is for the parish priest, with the PCC (or equivalent) to approve lay ministries within
Sunday worship where the local congregation(s) can be present to pray for and support those being
authorised and to be reminded that God calls us all to share His ministry and mission. Local
churches can then develop their own way of providing shared ministry, depending on the local needs
and gifts available.
By way of support, we would suggest the following guidelines where this local and ‘informal’
ministry is shared:
• Training prior to authorisation should be given as appropriate
• Ongoing support should be provided
• There should be a time limit for any authorisation
• A job description may be helpful, which could be reviewed if and when the period of
authorisation is extended
• Authorisation should not continue beyond the ago of 70, which is the age when clergy and
Readers cease to be licensed
• Safe-guards, including child protection and protection when working with others who are
vulnerable, need to be in place
• Authorisation would clearly not be transferable to another parish.
As well as the informal ministries referred to above, there are some formal ministries which do
require authorisation and/or permission from the bishop.
These include the distribution of the elements during Holy Communion and the taking of Holy
Communion to the sick – using the prescribed order of service. In addition, formal Local Ministry
Teams receive the Bishop’s Mandate and, most recently, the Bishop’s Permission is to be sought
before Holy Communion by Extension is administered.
In all such cases, training is given – either ‘in house’ or provided with the support of the appropriate
Diocesan Officers – and there is a time limit attached to the authorisation.
Finally as one of the aims of Vision for Action says, we want to: ‘encourage, support and develop the
ministry of each person’ and we welcome initiatives which put this into practise. We pray for the day
when this vision is clearly put into action in all our parishes.
[Reissued January 2008]
The service of Public Worship with Communion by Extension is authorised by the House of Bishops for use in exceptional circumstances with the explicit authority of the Bishop.
Please remember that there only needs to be one communion service in a benefice and that even if a service on a particular Sunday would normally be a communion service it would be worth considering it becoming a Service of the Word for the particular Sunday in question.
Situations under which permission might be granted are as follows:
Emergency or illness
There may be circumstances where in emergency or because of illness or
accident, for instance, permission for a single exercise of this ministry is sought
at short notice. Discretion in giving permission for this rests with the bishops (or, if they are unavailable, the archdeacons) who should be contacted by telephone or email.
For holiday cover
It is important that clergy are able to take annual leave. Therefore, if it has not proved possible to provide clergy cover to enable annual leave to be taken, permission can be given for Communion by Extension. Discretion in giving permission for this rests with the bishops (please contact either the Bishop of Hertford or Bishop of Bedford).
When a parish is in vacancy
Recognising that it can sometimes be difficult to find cover for every Sunday during a vacancy, permission on an occasional basis, for Communion by Extension during a vacancy can be given. Discretion in giving permission for this rests with the bishops (please contact either the Bishop of Hertford or Bishop of Bedford).
For specific pastoral need
Where the parish priest and PCC, after consideration, believe the use of Communion by Extension may be appropriate, on a single, or very exceptionally, on a regular basis formal permission must be sought in writing from the Bishop. Permission will only be granted for a limited authorised period.
Directions for use
The service should be conducted by a Reader or Distinctive Deacon who has attended the appropriate training run by the Diocese, and whose safeguarding training is up to date. A list is maintained of people who have this permission, so that they may be called on in emergency.
The ‘Notes’ printed (on page v) near the beginning of the rite and the ‘Guidelines’ issued by the House of Bishops (on pages 32 and 33) must always be followed.
Ad Clerum 3c.3
ADMISSION TO HOLY COMMUNION OF MEMBERS OF OTHER
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
The primary teaching of the Church of England on this matter is presented by Canon B 15A, which
provides that ‘There shall be admitted to Holy Communion…baptised persons who are communicant
members of other Churches which subscribe to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and who are in good
standing in their own Church.’
The Eucharist: Sacrament of Unity (House of Bishops, 2001) re-affirmed this practice of extending
an invitation to share in eucharistic fellowship to baptised communicants of other Christian churches
as a ‘proper pastoral anticipation of the eschatological summons to the marriage supper of the Lamb
and as a foretaste of full visible unity’ (para. 14). The eucharist is celebrated as one of God’s greatest
gifts to the Church for building up the Body of Christ (para. 35).
Our celebration of eucharistic worship in the parishes of the diocese should reflect this theological
emphasis on the offering of eucharistic hospitality to the communicant members of other Christian
Churches. In some areas the only surviving Church is the parish church, and people who are
members of other Churches regularly worship there. The aim will be to make them feel at home in
their local Anglican church, and to feel that they belong to the Christian community.
Sometimes it will be appropriate to act upon a further paragraph of Canon B 15A, which states that
‘If any person…regularly receives communion over a long period which appears likely to continue
indefinitely, the minister shall set before him the normal requirements of the Church of England for
communicant status in that Church.’ On other occasions this should be avoided, as it may be heard
as insensitive and even damaging to ecumenical relationships.
It may be right for an Anglican Church which is the only Church in a locality to make ‘A Declaration
of Ecumenical Welcome and Commitment’. Such a Declaration recognises a continuing presence of
communicant and non-communicant members of other Christian Churches and provides a means for
including their insights and gifts in the worship, mission and decision-making of the local Church.
Advice about this should be sought from the Ecumenical Officers.
We are in a covenant relationship with the Methodist Church and the fourth commitment of the
Anglican-Methodist Covenant is: ‘We commit ourselves to encourage forms of eucharistic sharing,
including eucharistic hospitality, in accordance with the rules of our respective churches.’ We,
therefore, encourage clergy and Parochial Church Councils to build upon our new covenanted
relationship with the Methodist Church and, where it is possible and appropriate, to use the
provisions of Canon B 43 in developing occasional or regular patterns of local eucharistic
fellowship.
[Reissued January 2008
Lay Administration of the elements of Holy Communion.
The administration of Holy Communion by lay people is an important ministry. For most this will happen within church services, but some will take the sacrament to the house-bound and sick people in their homes during the service or afterwards,
Under the ‘Administration of Holy Communion Regulations 2015‘ the Bishop of St Albans has given general authority to Incumbents and Priests-in-Charge (and in vacancies Rural/Area Deans) to authorise people to distribute the Holy Sacrament in their respective parishes.
Such authorisation should only be made when the following conditions are met:
The person entitled to give the authorisation is satisfied that the person is a regular communicant of the Church of England.
The person entitled to give the authorisation has obtained the consent of the parochial church council.
A child may not be so authorised unless the child has been admitted to Holy Communion in accordance with the Admission of Baptized Children to Holy Communion Regulations 2006.
A pupil of a church school may not be so authorised to distribute the Holy Sacrament at services in the school unless the person entitled to give the authorisation has obtained the consent of the head teacher (or acting head teacher) of the school.
The incumbent or priest-in-charge of a parish must keep under review the authorisations given in the parish and a record must be maintained.
Furthermore:
All those being authorised for the distribution of the Sacraments at Holy Communion should undergo relevant preparation.
It is assumed that those authorised for the distribution of the Sacraments to the house-bound and sick will already be assisting with the administration of the Holy Communion in church, and that a parish will nominate only a few adults (not children) to help with this wider ministry.
If there is a wish to authorise an adult to distribute the sacrament at home Communions or in institutions, before authorisation the House of Bishops’ practice guidance on Safer Recruitment must be complied with. Authorised adults who are visiting vulnerable adults should be aware of relevant safeguarding policies and have undergone appropriate safeguarding training before acting on the authorisation.
The agreement of the housebound or sick person himself/herself must be sought by the parish priest before a lay person takes him/her the sacrament.
Services of Home Communion that are advertised and open to all residents and staff of a residential care facility should be led by a person who holds the Bishop’s licence or permission to officiate.
Care is needed for the sake of reverence and to guard against casualness. If there is an aumbry for the reservation of the sacrament, there should be a strict check on the distribution of keys. Consecrated wafers should be reserved in a ciborium or other appropriate vessel. Consecrated wine should be stored in a sealed glass vessel. The consecrated elements should be changed weekly. There must be no unseemly keeping of the sacrament in people’s homes.
It is the incumbent’s responsibility to make sure that adequate preparation and training are given to those involved in this ministry to the house-bound and sick.
Permission to exercise this ministry is automatically extended to those who are accredited lay ministers or licensed readers in the diocese.
GENDER RECOGNITION ACT
The Gender Recognition Act 2004 (‘the Act’) received the Royal Assent on 1 July 2004. The Act
allows transsexual persons full legal recognition of their acquired gender once they have obtained a
full gender recognition certificate (‘a Certificate’) issued by a Gender Recognition Panel. The Act
sets out the processes by which applications for a certificate can be made and the consequences for a
person of an acquired gender once a full certificate has been issued.
The Act raises a number of significant theological and pastoral issues for clergy and the Church as a
whole to grapple with, not least because of the rights given to persons of an acquired gender once
they are in receipt of a Certificate.
The primary impact area is that of marriage. Once a person has received a Certificate, they are,
generally speaking, entitled to the same rights and benefits as a person of that gender by birth. One
of these rights is the right to marry in the parish church. The Act amends the Marriage Act 1949 so
that a person of an acquired gender can lawfully marry someone of the same birth gender but who is
now in law, as a result of the issue of the Certificate, a member of the opposite gender.
Some clergy may struggle with this and so the Act allows a clergy member who reasonably believes
that an individual has an acquired gender under the Act to decline to solemnise that person’s
marriage.
There is, though, no obligation on a person who has an acquired gender to disclose this information
voluntarily, nor is there an obligation to answer truthfully or at all if asked a direct question. All the
clergy need is to have a reasonable belief (which will always be a subjective point of view) and they
can decline to solemnise a marriage.
The Act also protects the privacy of any person applying for a Certificate or, for those who have
been successful, their gender history (‘Protected Information’) by making any such disclosure, which
is not authorised by the holder of the Certificate or otherwise permitted under the Act, a criminal
offence.
So far as the clergy are concerned, this could present problems. For example, if one member of the
clergy team with a parish or benefice discovers during a marriage preparation course that someone
has an acquired gender but that person’s marriage is going to be carried out by a colleague, that
clergy member cannot disclose the information to the colleague without committing a criminal
offence. A further exception has, however, been built into the legislation. In certain circumstances
disclosure for ‘religious purposes’ will not be an offence. The exception applies where one person
who has acquired Protected Information in an official capacity (for example as a member of the
clergy) discloses that information to any other person acting in a similar capacity. In addition,
certain conditions set out in the Act have to be met. Even if the conditions have been met, the
Protected Information can only be shared to enable a person to make a decision over certain specified
issues. One of these issues is to do with marriage and whether that clergy person would want to
officiate or permit the marriage of someone with an acquired gender.
The legislation, therefore, allows clergy to exercise their consciences and to share Protected
Information in limited situations without fear of prosecution. It is important to remember, however,
that even if a member of the clergy declines to solemnise a marriage because one of the couple has a
full gender recognition certificate, it may not prevent the use of the church building for such
marriages.
The above is only a very general note and clergy are asked, before agreeing to solemnise a marriage,
when they are aware that one of the couple has an acquired gender, to seek legal advice from the
Diocesan Registrar and pastoral advice either from the Bishop of St Albans or the Bishops of
Bedford and Hertford. Clergy should remember, however, that save in the pastoral discussions with
the diocesan and suffragan bishops, the identities of the persons concerned should not be revealed.
Issued January 2008
SERVICES OF PRAYER AND DEDICATION AFTER CIVIL MARRIAGE
The old diocesan Orders of Service of Prayer and Dedication following a Civil Marriage have been
superseded by the order authorised by the House of Bishops, which is now included as part of
Common Worship. The authorised order of service can be found on pages 173 – 182 of Common
Worship Pastoral Services (ISBN 0 7151 2007 7) published by Church House Publishing. The
service order is also available as a separate publication. Both of these are available from Church
House Bookshop, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3NZ or from the Diocesan Resources Centre.
This service should normally be used for these occasions.
The bishops wish to draw your attention to the notes on page 183 (page iv of the separate booklet)
and in particular to the directions about the nature of the service, the entrance of the couple and the
rings.
The service is one of prayer for the couple and of dedication of the marriage which has already taken
place; it is also an opportunity for the couple to celebrate before God with their family and friends. It
is, therefore, appropriate (if the couple so wish) to have music, hymns, a choir, flowers and bells. It
helps to set the context of the service if, at the beginning, the minister informally welcomes the
couple and the guests and explains the nature of the service so that there is no misunderstanding
about what is being done. Any invitations sent out by the couple should also make it clear that it is
for a Service of Prayer and Dedication.
The service should normally take place in the parish church of the parish where one of the parties
lives or worships. It would be wise to make careful and sensitive enquiry of the couple in order that
they may be clear that the service is a real opportunity for a new beginning under God; it may be
appropriate to offer an occasion for the use of prayers of penitence as part of their preparation for the
service itself. In general they should as far as possible receive the same preparation and instruction
as those coming for marriage. It is good if the couple can be encouraged to share in the planning of
the service by their choice of hymns, readings and prayers.
There is no statutory fee payable for these services, and the incumbent may not charge one.
However, the Parochial Church Council is entitled to make charges for special services; we suggest
that a charge is made equivalent to the full wedding fee, and that the whole sum (including what
would be the incumbent’s fee in the case of a wedding) is paid to the PCC. Charges for special
heating, organist, choir, bell ringers, flowers, etc, should be treated in exactly the same way as for a
wedding. Your attention is drawn to the guidance offered in the section on ‘Extras’ in A Guide to
Church of England Fees published by the Church Commissioners.
If you need further advice please refer to your suffragan bishop.
[Reissued January 2008]
THE CONDUCT OF MARRIAGES BY THOSE IN DEACON’S ORDERS
Although under secular law the right of a deacon to solemnize a marriage has never been in doubt,
the Church has not generally encouraged this practice. An integral part of the marriage rite is the
blessing of the bride and bridegroom, and it has been normative in the Church that pronouncing
God’s blessing belongs to the order of priesthood, together with presiding at the celebration of Holy
Communion and pronouncing absolution.
It is important that the distinctive functions of the priest should be safeguarded in the Church of
England. Therefore it follows that a marriage service should normally be conducted by a priest.
The Church of England does however follow the principle that, in some circumstances, a deacon may
fulfil certain functions in the absence of a priest, just as a priest does in the absence of the bishop. In
relation to marriages there may be times when an incumbent (who is the person with full
responsibility for solemnising the marriages that take place in the parish church) will delegate this
duty to a colleague, and there may be special reasons why it is appropriate for a particular person to
conduct the service. Such decisions should be taken on pastoral grounds and with the full knowledge
and understanding of the couple who are being married.
Where it has been agreed that the wedding should be taken by a deacon, the bishops have stated that
it is right, as an exception to general practice, for the deacon having solemnised the marriage, to
pronounce the nuptial blessing in the authorised form: ‘God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy
Spirit, bless, preserve and keep you, etc.’ The general benediction at the close of the service should
not however be given by a deacon. If a priest is not present, the deacon conducting the service
should follow the normal practice of using the ‘us’, rather than the ‘you’, form.
The conduct of a marriage ceremony, involving as it does the preparation of the couple for marriage,
is a major responsibility and should only be entrusted to those who have some experience in pastoral
ministry. This is a further reason why it is rarely appropriate for those in their first year of public
ministry to solemnise marriages.
[Reissued January 2008]
Ad Clerum 3b.2
REMARRIAGE IN CHURCH OF DIVORCED PERSONS WITH A PARTNER
STILL LIVING
In July 2002, the General Synod passed the following motion by 269 votes to 83:
‘That this Synod
a) Affirm in accordance with the doctrine of the Church of England as set out in Canon B301
, that
marriage should always be undertaken as a ‘solemn, public and life-long covenant between a man and
a woman’;
b) Recognise –
i) That some marriages regrettably do fail and that the Church’s care for couples in that
situation should be of paramount importance; and
ii) That there are exceptional circumstances in which a divorced person may be married in
church during the lifetime of a former spouse;
c) Recognise that the decision as to whether or not to solemnise such a marriage in church after divorce
rests with the minister (or officiating cleric if the minister is prepared to allow his/her church or
chapel to be used for the marriage) and;
d) Invite the House of Bishops to issue the advice contained in Annex 1 of GS 1449.’
The following advice to clergy is that referred to in paragraph (d) and is issued in the name of the House of
Bishops following the General Synod’s decision in November 2002 to rescind the marriage resolutions of the
Canterbury and York Convocations (which had exhorted clergy not to use the marriage service in the case of
anyone who had a former partner still living). The decision to rescind the resolutions was carried in all three
Houses of the General Synod as follows: bishops 27-1; clergy 143-44; laity 138-65.
ADVICE TO CLERGY
1.1 Marriage is created by God to be a lifelong relationship between a man and woman. The church
expects all couples seeking marriage to intend to live together ‘for better for worse … till death us do
part.’ It is not, then, a light matter to solemnise a marriage in which one partner has a previous
partner still living. It is important that the decision you take as to whether to solemnise such a
marriage should be on the basis of clear principles that are consistent with the church’s teaching.
This advice has been issued by the House of Bishops to assist you as a member of the clergy, since it
remains your decision under the Civil Law relating to marriage whether such a couple may be
married in church. (It is also intended for use by the bishop and/or his adviser when cases of
difficulty are referred to him for advice).
1
Canon B30 states as follows:
1. The Church of England affirms, according to our Lord’s teaching, that marriage is in its nature a union
permanent and lifelong, for better or worse, till death do us part, of one man with one woman, to the
exclusion of all others on either side, for the procreation and nurture of children, for the hallowing and
right direction of the natural instincts and affections, and for the mutual society, help and comfort which
one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.
2. The teaching of our Lord affirmed by the Church of England is expressed and maintained in the Form
of Solemnisation of Matrimony contained in The Book of Common Prayer.
3. It shall be the duty of the minister, when application is made to him for matrimony to be solemnised in
the church of which he is minister, to explain to the two persons who desire to be married in the
Church’s doctrine of marriage as herein set forth, and the need of God’s grace in order that they may
discharge aright their obligations as married persons.’
2
2. Principles
The Responsibility of the Parish Clergy2
2.1 The responsibility for deciding whether or not to conduct a further marriage rests with you, both for
pastoral and legal reasons. Experience suggests, however, that clergy may welcome some support in
making this decision and the following advice is accordingly intended to assist you in this difficult
and sensitive task.
2.2 Under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1965 you are not compelled to officiate at such further marriages,
nor to make your church available for them3. If you are unwilling to officiate at further marriages or
to make your church available for such services, you should make this clear to enquiring couples at
an early stage.
2.3 If, as a ‘minister’ of a church, you are unwilling to conduct such a wedding yourself you may invite a
colleague to do so; but other clergy in the area cannot be required to conduct further marriages
against their conscience. The decision as to whether or not to conduct the marriage will become theirs
alone; and the issues discussed below will accordingly be as relevant to their decision as to your own.
3. Issues and questions you may wish to consider in the light of the Church’s doctrine of marriage
3.1 It is your responsibility to form your own judgment as to whether to proceed with the proposed
further marriage, in the light of the Church’s teaching on marriage4
and of the General Synod’s
Resolution of July 2002 set out above. You may find it helpful to that end, in the course of your
interview with the couple, to satisfy yourself in relation to the following questions, which are
intended to draw out issues relevant to the Church’s teaching:
(a) Do the applicants have a clear understanding of the meaning and purpose of marriage?
o Do the couple understand that divorce is a breach of God’s will for marriage?
Have they a determination for the new marriage to be a life-long faithful partnership?
(b) Do the applicants have a mature view of the circumstances of the breakdown of the
previous marriage and are they ready to enter wholeheartedly and responsibly into a
new relationship?
o Did the divorced person appear to be relatively free of self-deception and selfjustification about the past?
o Did the divorced person take the first marriage seriously and has he/she learnt from
mistakes?
o Is the other party aware of the possible cause(s) of the breakdown of their future
partner’s previous marriage?
Is there an attitude of repentance, forgiveness and generosity of spirit so that the
applicants are free to build a new relationship?
(c) Has there been sufficient healing of the personal and social wounds of marriage
breakdown?
o Has there been enough time and distance for the parties concerned to recover
emotional stability and good judgment?
o Are there any extant court proceedings relating to the former marriage?
o Are responsibilities to the children of any previous marriage being recognised and
honoured?
2
This advice also applies to non-parochial clergy who have pastoral charge.
3
S.8.2 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1965 states: ‘No clergyman of the Church of England or the Church in Wales shall be
compelled a) to solemnise the marriage of any person whose former marriage has been dissolved and whose spouse is still
living; or
b) to permit the marriage of such a person to be solemnised in the church or chapel of which he is the minister.’
4See Canon B30 and the House of Bishop’ Teaching Document Marriage, Church House Publishing (CHP) 1999.
3
(d) Would the effects of the proposed marriage on individuals, the wider community and
the Church be such as to undermine the credibility of the Church’s witness to
marriage?
o Would the new marriage be likely to be a cause of hostile public comment or
scandal?
(e) Would permitting the new marriage be tantamount to consecrating an old infidelity?
o While it would be unreasonable to expect that the couple should not even have
known each other during the former marriage(s), was the relationship between the
applicants – so far as you can tell from the information made available to you – a
direct cause of the breakdown of the former marriage?
(f) Has either of the parties been divorced more than once?
o In the case of multiple divorces, the sheer complexity of relationships that may have
developed will inevitably make any assessment by you more difficult. However, the
Church witnesses to lifelong marriage, and should not find itself being, a party to
‘serial monogamy’, hence neither of the parties should normally have been married
and divorced more than once.
(g) Do the applicants display a readiness to explore the significance of the Christian faith
for their lives so that their further marriage is not an isolated contact with the Church?
Given that the provision of careful marriage preparation should be the norm for all
couples seeking marriage in church, do the applicants possess an understanding of
the need of God’s grace in relationships and show a willingness to be open to
Christian teaching?
4. Recommended Procedures
Dialogue with the Parish
4.1 As further marriage is likely to be a matter of concern within the parish, you will no doubt wish to
inform your Parochial Church Council (PCC) of the general principles by which you intend to
exercise your discretion. As part of the process of informing your own judgment in how to proceed
in this sensitive area, you may wish to seek the PCC’s views on your proposed approach. But, if so, it
is important for the PCC to understand that it has no power to direct you in this matter, and should
not seek to do so.
Relationships with fellow clergy
4.2 It will be helpful if there are occasional discussions at Deanery Chapter meetings on the issues raised,
so that clergy are aware of the views of their colleagues, recognise each other’s position, and respect
the position of those parishes where such marriages are not allowed.
Local Ecumenical Partnership
4.3 Special consideration will need to be given to consultation with ecumenical partners in parishes
where a Local Ecumenical Partnership is in operation.
Documentation
4.4 The House of Bishops provides a leaflet on Marriage in Church after Divorce for all enquirers5
. It
includes both an explanatory statement and an application form to be completed by the couple
together with any other relevant material about the process to be followed.
Interviews
4.5 If the couple’s request is to be taken further, the background of their case needs to be explored very
carefully. When you come to consider the circumstances of the couple, the cause for the breakdown
of the previous marriage may not be clear, so you will wish to handle each case with a great deal of
5
Copies of this leaflet should be available from Church House Bookshop (tel: 020 7898 1302) or via the link to the bookshop
from the CofE website – www.cofe.anglican.org
4
sensitivity. It is recommended that this is done by at least two confidential interviews, using the
application form as background material. It is desirable that the couple should understand the
purpose of the interviews and that attending the interviews cannot imply an agreement to conduct a
marriage. It is also desirable that both partners should attend the interviews, having been made aware
in advance of the searching and personal nature of the issues to be discussed.
4.6 The interviews cannot have a standard form but the questions which are set out in Section 3 above may
be of assistance in enabling you to decide whether the proposed further marriage would be consistent
with the Church’s teaching on marriage.
Reference to the Bishop
4.7 Although the decision whether to conduct a further marriage rests with you, you may wish to seek the
advice of your Diocesan Bishop6
. In these instances you should send the Bishop the couple’s
application form with a statement that you have drawn up based on the interviews including any
provisional conclusions that you have reached. You will need to bear in mind that the couple will be
entitled to see what you have written (under the Data Protection Act).
The Decision
4.8 In deciding your response to the application (see 2.1 above), you need to ensure the maximum degree
of consistency in your approach (as applicants are entitled to have their cases dealt with by you
consistently) as well as bearing in mind the consequences of setting a precedent which it will be hard
not to follow.
4.9 It will be best if you convey your decision to the couple in person. If you are declining to conduct the
marriage, you may feel it appropriate to convey your reasons in writing and to copy this letter to the
bishop if you have consulted him.
4.10 In cases where you agree to the couple’s request, you will need to explain the need for marriage
preparation (as for any marriage).
5. Services of Prayer and Dedication
5.1 There may he some cases when a marriage in church is deemed inappropriate, yet you will wish to
offer the couple the possibility of beginning their life after a civil marriage in the context of Christian
worship. Here a Service of Prayer and Dedication after a Civil Marriage could be appropriate,
although it is not intended to be used as a substitute for the marriage service. However, the reasons
for considering a further marriage inappropriate may also apply to this option.
5.2 In 1985 the House of Bishops approved and commended for use Services of Prayer and Dedication
after Civil Marriage. The vows taken in a civil marriage are just as binding as those taken in church
but the Service gives the couple an opportunity to express their commitment before God. The Church
witnesses publicly to the permanence of their marriage, while also expressing in a more personal way
the love and forgiveness of God.
5.3 You must of course be satisfied before conducting the Service that the civil marriage has been
contracted.
6. Legal Formalities7
Divorce Documents
6.1 Clergy conducting the marriage must see and check the relevant divorce documents before arranging
the marriage preliminaries. Particular note should be taken that a decree absolute has been obtained,
not merely a decree nisi. The advice of the Diocesan Registrar and/or the civil registrars should be
sought if there are any doubts about the document(s) presented.
6
See para. 6.4 in the Report Marriage in Church after Divorce (GS 1361). It should be noted that bishops cannot give
permission for couples to be married in church and that applicants should not approach the bishop direct.
7
Subject to changes in the light of the General Synod’s consideration of proposed changes to Marriage Law in the
Report The Challenge to Change (GS 1448).
5
6.2 The Church recognises a declaration of nullity made by the civil courts in the United Kingdom; that
is, a declaration that there is no valid marriage in existence. A cleric has the same obligation to marry
a parishioner whose marriage has been annulled in this way as would exist if the parishioner had
never gone through a form of marriage. If in doubt, seek advice from the Registrar.
6.3 Marriage preliminaries are the responsibility of the priest and couple concerned. They follow the
pattern applicable in all other marriages, and if there is any doubt the priest should contact the
Diocesan Registrar or the Archdeacon.
Data Protection
6.4 The Data Protection Act 1998 introduced a category of ‘sensitive personal data’, which includes
information about a person’s religious beliefs, sexual life (including marital status), physical and
mental health and criminal record. With limited exceptions, the Act does not permit sensitive
personal data to be collected or used without the explicit consent of the person concerned.
6.5 You may wish to record sensitive personal data which is relevant to your decision whether or not to
conduct the marriage in your notes, recommendation or correspondence about an application. If you
do, and such data relates to the couple making the application, you should obtain their consent by
asking them to sign the appropriate section of the application form. This explains how personal data
about the couple will be used and with whom it will be shared.
6.6 You may need to record sensitive personal data about a third party – for example, a former spouse or
the children of a former marriage. It may not always be possible to obtain explicit consent from these
people. In such cases, the Information Commissioner has confirmed that you should be able to take
advantage of a statutory exception which permits such data to be processed without explicit consent,
where such processing is necessary in the context of confidential counselling and advice.
6.7 Whether or not personal data is sensitive personal data, it must only be processed in accordance with
the data protection principles. They require amongst other things, that
• personal data is kept secure; and
• personal data should be kept no longer than necessary. Where you agree to conduct a
marriage, we suggest that the relevant documents, interview notes, etc, should be destroyed
as soon as possible after the marriage takes place. Where you decline to conduct a marriage,
it may be appropriate to retain the data in case a further application is made by the couple to
you or to another priest in the diocese. How long the data should be kept in each case is a
matter of judgment. We suggest that you agree a policy with your bishop and ensure that his
records and yours are destroyed at the same time.
6.8 You should remember that the couple are entitled to see personal data that you hold about them and
so you should write your notes, your recommendation and your correspondence with the bishop in a
way that can readily be shared with the couple.
7. Statistics
7.1 So that accurate records can be kept of how this procedure works out, a quarterly return should be
made to the diocesan bishop indicating the number of further marriages conducted and the number of
applications refused.
Reissued January 2008
6
Appendix
The leaflet Marriage in church after divorce (referred to in section 4.4) is a form and explanatory statement
for enquiring couples which costs £1 and is obtainable from Church House Publishing. The text is as
follows:
Marriage in church after divorce
The Church of England teaches that marriage is for life. It also recognises that some marriages sadly do fail
and, if this should happen, it seeks to be available for all involved. The Church accepts that, in exceptional
circumstances, a divorced person may marry again in church during the lifetime of a former spouse.
If you are thinking about asking to be married in church, you should discuss this with your local parish priest.
Please do this well before choosing a date for your wedding.
Some priests may be willing to take such a marriage, others may not be prepared to do so, on grounds of
conscience, and may not allow the use of their church either. The law of the land permits them this choice.
If your parish priest is willing to discuss the possibility of conducting your marriage, he/she will want to talk
to you frankly about the past, your hopes for the future and your understanding of marriage. You and your
intended spouse should therefore be prepared to consider some questions. You are advised to reflect
beforehand on the issues they raise – and should be prepared to answer them honestly.
• What does marriage mean to you?
• What have you learned from your previous marriage?
• Has there been healing of past hurts?
• If you have children, how are they being looked after?
• What do others think of your marriage plans?
• When did your new relationship begin?
• Have either of you been divorced more than once?
• Are you wanting to grow in the Christian faith?
If you wish to proceed with your enquiry, both of you should complete the attached application form and
hand it to your parish priest. You will also need to bring with you written legal proof that any divorce decree
is absolute. (A decree nisi will not be sufficient.)
It is likely that your priest may ask for more than one confidential interview with you and your intended
spouse together. Your priest may also feel the need to consult with the bishop or his adviser, before making a
decision, although the decision remains with the parish priest. This process could easily take some time, and
you should discuss how long it might take with your parish priest at your initial meeting.
If it is not possible for your proposed marriage to take place in church, your priest may consider other
alternatives with you. If your priest agrees to conduct a marriage service, you may be invited to take part,
possibly with other couples, in marriage preparation.
* * * * *
The process this leaflet describes reflects the Church’s commitment both to lifelong marriage, and to taking
seriously your wish to marry in church. You may be certain that your application will be received and
considered with dignity, care and loving concern. Whether or not you proceed to marriage in church, your
priest and your local church are available to offer you guidance and support as you proceed on life’s journey.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.
Please see the full document for the application form.
Where a candidate for confirmation asks to add to or change their Christian name(s), the parish priest
should first ensure that the change is being made after careful consideration and, in the case of a
minor, with the parents’ consent. The request for this change to be made at confirmation should then
be sent in writing to the officiating bishop before the day of the service.
The Legal Advisory Commission has given the following opinion in respect of Canon Law: see
Canon B 27 para 6 and B 39 para 2.
1. A bishop may at confirmation for good reason add to or alter the Christian name of a person
who is to be confirmed. The candidate is confirmed under the new name which is then
deemed to be his or her lawful Christian name.
2. A record of the change of name must be made in the register book of confirmations, and the
register should clearly show the change made e.g. ‘Jane Mary (previously Joanna Mary)’ or
‘Peter David (previously Peter)’. If the confirmation takes place in the same parish church as
the earlier baptism, it is desirable to record the change of name in the margin by the original
entry in the Register of Baptisms as well.
3. The confirmation certificate or card should also record the change of name at confirmation.
4. The candidate should be advised to record this change either by statutory declaration or deed
poll. The birth certificate must not be altered. The Diocesan Registrar advises: ‘It sometimes
causes confusion when a person is known by one name or set of names, e.g. because of a
change introduced at confirmation, and then still has to produce a birth certificate showing the
original name. It is therefore desirable for some other legal record to be drawn up to record
the change of name. The best record is a Deed Poll which is good for all time. A Statutory
Declaration is sometimes used in evidence of the change of name pending the completion of a
formal Deed Poll when the declarant attains the age of 18 years.’
5. At the confirmation the bishop should confirm the candidate using the full Christian name or
names as altered.
[Reissued January 2008]
THE PREPARATION AT SCHOOL OF CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION
The nurturing of children and young people in the Christian faith is a high priority in the mission and
ministry of the Church. We value the important work being done by clergy and lay people in
parishes and schools. It is vital that we meet the challenge of teaching and supporting these young
people whatever their church-going background. We urge that there is no sense of competition, but
rather of collaboration, in rejoicing whenever young people are involved in Christian learning and
participate in worship.
Sometimes we receive representations, particularly from parish clergy, about candidates prepared for
confirmation at school without any contact with the parish priest. Most schools with full-time or
part-time chaplains preparing candidates for confirmation take great care to link the young people
with the parish priests in their home parishes.
To help school chaplains we have prepared the following guidelines as a code of good practice in this
matter, and would ask you to follow it as far as possible.
1. At the point when a boy or girl is either asking to prepare for confirmation or is actually
beginning classes, the chaplain or school should write to the parish priest or minister of the
boy or girl’s home parish, or the church they attend, to inform the priest or minister of this
intention and asking for any comment or commendation from the parish priest concerned.
2. Some chaplains also like to write at this time to the parents. That is valuable in itself but it
does not appear to be adequate to leave the parents to inform the parish priest, and the direct
letter suggested in paragraph 1 is necessary.
3. It is increasingly common practice, and much to be commended, that each candidate should
undertake some simple project on their home parish during a school holiday as an essential
part of their confirmation preparation.
4. At an appropriate time later in the confirmation preparation a note should be sent to the parish
priest giving the date, time and place of the confirmation, with, if practical, an invitation to
attend, and in any case asking for the prayers of the parish concerned for the candidate.
We recognise that there are particular difficulties in cases where the candidate’s parents live abroad,
or when the candidate for other reasons has no settled address – e.g. when parents are divorced – but
whenever possible the candidate should be linked with a parish priest, even if the contact will only be
occasional.
The other side to this matter is the responsibility of the parish clergy to respond to school chaplains.
A number of chaplains have reported the frustrating experience of getting negligible response from
the parish clergy to whom they write. We would therefore urge parish clergy always to follow up
commendations and reply to school chaplains giving what information they can about the candidate
and his or her family.
Similarly when preparing confirmation candidates in a parish who attend a school which has a
resident or part-time chaplain, it is an equal courtesy and helpful to the chaplain if the parish priest
writes to the chaplain commending the boy or girl and saying that they are being prepared for
confirmation in the parish and inviting the school chaplain to attend the confirmation in due course.
This is likely to be most applicable in schools with day pupils as well as boarders that have a
chaplain and opportunities for worship in school.
We commend these guidelines to the attention of school chaplains and parish clergy, and we hope
you will let us know if you experience any difficulty in this matter. We share with you our concern
for the best possible pastoral care of these young people preparing for confirmation.
[Reissued January 2008]
RECEPTION OF ROMAN CATHOLICS INTO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND
Those who have been baptised and confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church may be received into
the Church of England by the parish priest after due instruction, at any public service in the Church.
Reception during the main act of worship on a Sunday has much to commend it, but it may not
necessarily be appropriate for everyone. It could, for example, take place at a mid-week communion
service with a small number of church members and friends present.
There is a form of ‘Reception into the Communion of the Church of England’ in Common Worship
Initiation Services and it is also available on the Common Worship website
www.commonworship.co.uk
If you wish to receive someone from the Roman Catholic Church into the Church of England at a
confirmation service (perhaps because they have shared in the same course as those to be confirmed)
then please contact the bishop who is officiating beforehand about this. An alternative would be for
the parish priest to receive them on a previous occasion, and for the bishop to offer a blessing or the
right hand of fellowship at the end of the administration of confirmation.
Reception does not require the consent of the diocesan bishop, but Abbey Gate House should be
informed of the names and addresses of all such persons received. A record should also be made in
the Confirmation Register of the parish.
[Reissued January 2008]
From time to time bishops become involved in disputes between clergy and their parishioners over
the administration of infant baptism.
We are therefore issuing this Ad Clerum to ensure that all clergy in the diocese are aware of the
Canon Law which governs infant baptism, and which is reproduced below:
B 21 OF HOLY BAPTISM
It is desirable that every minister having a cure of souls shall normally administer the sacrament of Holy Baptism on
Sundays at public worship when the most number of people come together, that the congregation there present may
witness the receiving of them that be newly baptised into Christ’s Church, and be put in remembrance of their own
profession made to God in their baptism.
B 22 OF THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS
1. Due notice, normally of at least a week, shall be given before a child is brought to the church to be baptised.
2. If the minister shall refuse or unduly delay to baptise any such infant, the parents or guardians may apply to the
bishop of the diocese, who shall, after consultation with the minister, give such directions as he thinks fit.
3. The minister shall instruct the parents or guardians of an infant to be admitted to Holy Baptism that the same
responsibilities rest on them as are in the service of Holy Baptism required of the godparents.
4. No minister shall refuse or, save for the purpose of preparing or instructing the parents or guardians or
godparents, delay to baptise any infant within his cure that is brought to the church to be baptised, provided that
due notice has been given and the provisions relating to godparents in these Canons are observed.
5. A minister who intends to baptise any infant whose parents are residing outside the boundaries of his cure,
unless the names of such persons or of one of them be on the church electoral roll of the same, shall not proceed
to the baptism without having sought the good will of the minister of the parish in which such parents reside.
6. No minister being informed of the weakness or danger of death of any infant within his cure and therefore
desired to go to baptise the same shall either refuse or delay to do so.
7. A minister so baptising a child in a hospital or nursing home, the parents of the child not being resident in his
cure, nor their names on the church electoral roll of the same, shall send their names and address to the minister
of the parish in which they reside.
8. If any infant which is privately baptised do afterwards live, it shall be brought to the church and there, by the
minister, received into the congregation of Christ’s flock according to the form and manner prescribed in and by
the office for Private Baptism authorised by Canon B 1.
9. The minister of every parish shall warn the people that without grave cause and necessity they should not have
their children baptised privately in their houses.
B 23 OF GODPARENTS AND SPONSORS
1. For every child to be baptised there shall be not fewer than three godparents, of whom at least two shall be of
the same sex as the child and of whom at least one shall be of the opposite sex; save that, when three cannot be
conveniently had, one godfather and godmother shall suffice. Parents may be godparents for their own children
provided that the child have at least one other godparent.
2. The godparents shall be persons who will faithfully fulfil their responsibilities both by their care for the children
committed to their charge and by the example of their own godly living.
3. When one who is of riper years is to be baptised he shall choose three, or at least two, to be his sponsors, who
shall be ready to present him at the font and afterwards put him in mind of his Christian profession and duties.
4. No person shall be admitted to be a sponsor or godparent who has not been baptised and confirmed.
Nevertheless the minister shall have power to dispense with the requirement of confirmation in any case in
which in his judgment need so requires.
Notes:-
(i) It is important to note that, provided due notice has been given (Canon B 22.1) and the
provisions relating to godparents have been met (Canon B 23), baptism cannot be refused. It
may be delayed only for the purpose of preparing or instructing the parents or guardians or
godparents (Canon B 22.4). If parents or guardians believe the baptism of their child is being
refused or delayed unduly, they must be told that they have the right to appeal to the diocesan
bishop (Canon B 22.2).
(ii) In an episcopally ordered church, the bishop is the chief minister of the process of Christian
initiation and, after he has consulted the priest involved in the dispute, the final decision in
these cases rests with him. While as bishops in this diocese we would not want to see anyone
compelled to administer the sacrament of baptism in a case that was contrary to their own
individual conscience, there may be cases where a priest would be required by the bishop to
ensure provision for the baptism to be administered by another priest.
(iii) We would also like to take this opportunity to alert clergy in the matter of making
arrangements for the baptism of children whose parents are divorced or separated. In these
cases it is important to distinguish between ‘care and control’ and ‘custody’ of such children.
It may be that one parent has ‘care and control’ of the children while ‘custody’ lies with both
parents. Decisions of a permanent nature, such as the matter of whether a child should be
baptised, relate to the right of custody, not to that of care and control. Therefore where one
separated or divorced parent requests baptism for their child, the priest should, before
baptising the child, obtain the written consent of the other parent if that parent also has
custody. If it is known that the other parent objects to the baptism, the priest should not
baptise the child until he/she has been shown a Court Order overruling the objection.
[Reissued January 2008]
PASTORAL CARE OF RETIRED CLERGY
The retired clergy of our diocese are a rich source for the life of the Church. Many take services on a
regular basis, provide a listening ear to people in distress and make themselves available on a wide
variety of occasions.
We have retirement officers in each Archdeaconry in the diocese (see the diocesan Directory under
‘Diocesan Officials’) and they make links with those who are retired. However, in spite of all our
best efforts, we sometimes receive complaints that ‘the diocese’ (by which is usually meant ‘the
bishop’) does not seem to care. It goes without saying that that criticism is not always justified; but it
may also be based on a misconception – that the diocese is the primary pastoral caregiver. The fact
is, in the Church of England, the primary source of care is the local Church: clergy and people
together exercising the compassion of Christ in their local neighbourhood.
We would urge, please, that if there are retired clergy in your parish, they should not only be valued
as fellow clergy but should also receive such pastoral care from the parish as is appropriate. If there
are specific matters which should be brought to the attention of the retirement officers or the bishops,
please do not hesitate to be in contact with us.
Those who have borne the burden and heat of the day, as our predecessors have, deserve not only our
appreciation but should also be accorded that sense of dignity and worth which is due to all who are
retired after years of long service in ministry.
Reissued January 2008
It is in the nature of terrorism to be random and unpredictable. It follows that trying to make any
predictive suggestions about how to react, should any terrorist incident occur, is very difficult.
However, there are a number of actions that should be taken, related to terrorist incidents:
1. Obviously, if you have any suspicion that individuals you know might be involved in terrorist
activity, you should inform the police immediately – but do keep your archdeacon and bishop
well informed and seek their advice.
2. If you are parish are caught up in the aftermath of a terrorist incident, you will need:
a) To ensure that pastoral, practical and spiritual care are offered to all victims and to the
emergency services (though be aware that the latter also have their own chaplains).
b) To contact immediately the relevant clergy Major Incident Co-ordinator for your area:
Herts: The Revd John Williams
The Vicarage, 69 Havers Lane, Bishop’s Stortford, CM23 3PA
tel: 01279 656546
Beds: The Revd Sheila Morton
The New Rectory, High Street, Wilden, Bedford, MK44 2PB
tel: 01234 772895
c) To contact immediately one of the bishops and archdeacons, and your rural dean.
d) To contact immediately the diocesan communications officer, Arun Kataria
(tel: 01727 818110), and seek advice about how best to handle and deal with media
interest.
e) If the terrorist incident is related to religious beliefs and practice, please also seek
immediate help from the diocesan interfaith adviser, the Revd Jay MacLeod
(tel: 01234 266945).
It only remains to say that these kinds of incidents are bound, by their nature, to be very confusing in
the initial stages – but to remain steady, pastorally astute and to keep everyone informed who needs
to be informed, is of the essence.
The wisdom to know how to react will be being created as you pray, as you offer pastoral care and as
you go about your daily vocation of helping create community in everyday parish ministry in Christ’s
name. It is in the ordinary that we are made ready, should it be necessary, for the extraordinary.
[Reissued January 2008]
Healing and Deliverance Ministry Ad Clerum
Ministry to the sick and troubled is an essential part of the Church’s ministry. This ministry is one of
prayer and sacrament, word and care.
The Bishop, by his consecration, is called to be principal shepherd in a diocese, which includes a call to
‘hold up the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken’ (Prayer Book Consecration Service). This is a
ministry he shares with his priests. It is symbolised in the blessing of oil for anointing the sick during
Holy Week. The sacramental anointing of the sick is administered by a priest, using the oil blessed by
the bishop, or if necessary, by the priest. Under certain circumstances, the priest may delegate the
ministry of anointing to other ordained or authorized ministers. (Canon B 37)
Attention is drawn to the forms of prayer and guidelines found in the Common Worship Pastoral
Services, in the section called Wholeness and Healing. These, (together with the form in Common
Worship itself, called Thanksgiving for the Healing Ministry of the Church), suggest that laity may be
invited to share in prayer ministry and laying on of hands.
The Diocesan Group for the Ministry of Healing provides support and advice relating to Christ’s
reconciling ministry of healing and deliverance. The Group recommends and endorses the code of
conduct found in A Time to Heal Handbook (House of Bishops 2000).
Deliverance Team
The Bishop of St. Albans authorises a team of ministers and consultants to support parish clergy in their
work of pastoral care and support. This team is overseen by the Bishop’s Adviser for Healing and
Deliverance Ministry and is called the Deliverance Team. Members work within the professional
boundaries of the Church of England, Diocesan policies and relevant legislation. This is to ensure those
seeking ministry will be treated with respect, in a professional and non judgemental manner, including
strict confidentiality1
. A confidential report on meetings with a Deliverance Adviser may be sent to the
Bishop’s Adviser and Bishop.
Deliverance Ministry should be seen as part of the wider healing and pastoral ministry of the church.
To help discern what sort of ministry is needed, and to avoid the problems of misdiagnosis and
inappropriate ministry the advice of the Bishop’s Adviser for Healing and Deliverance Ministry should be
sought.
In particular, no ministry should be attempted which is, or might be perceived to be, exorcism of a
person or place, without consulting the Bishop’s Advisor.
The Diocesan Deliverance Team organises opportunities for those who are seeking freedom to have
prayer ministry.
All such ministry should be done with regard to the House of Bishops’ safeguarding policies and best
practice for children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Any complaints about personal conduct and/or lack of attention to safeguarding should be taken
seriously and referred to the Diocesan Safeguarding Officer for investigation.
The Diocesan Deliverance Team aims to provide timely information, advice and support to Clergy. They
1 The Team does not give any information to anyone outside the team without the person’s permission, unless they
or someone else is at risk of harm, or we are requested to do so by a competent authority. In these cases the
Healing & Deliverance Adviser will try wherever possible to involve them in making decisions about any action.
work in partnership with Clergy to offer Healing and Deliverance ministry to people in need.
This includes responding to Clergy enquiries about persons suffering from spiritual oppression,
poltergeists and apparitions, previous spiritually abusive ministries, involvement with the occult, or
reports of paranormal activity.
The Team works to the House of Bishops Guidelines for Deliverance Ministry – all support should be
offered:
1. in collaboration with the resources of medicine, using a multidisciplinary approach,
2. in the context of prayer and sacrament,
3. with the minimum of publicity,
4. by experienced persons authorised by the Diocesan Bishop,
5. with continuing pastoral care offered as follow up, and
6. should include the practice of keeping careful and confidential records, within the constraints of
the Data Protection Act
How to access Support
Details of the Bishop’s Adviser and the Deliverance Team are held by the Bishops’ offices and are not
made available to the public. The approach to the Team should therefore be made by the local
minister who is in pastoral contact, not by the person seeking help.
Process
The Adviser will consider urgency and risk and may give information and advice over the phone,
accompany the minister on a home visit or agree to assess whether the Deliverance Team is able to
offer ministry which matches the person’s needs – or if there are other agencies who might help them.
The Bishop’s Adviser may allocate a Deliverance Adviser to work with clergy, but will always maintain
an overview of the Team’s work, reporting as appropriate to the Bishop. For this reason, any enquiry
made to a member of the team directly will be shared with the Bishop’s Adviser.
Emergencies:
In crisis or emergency, for example where there is a concern over the possibility of suicide or self harm
etc. then the person’s GP, or NHS direct 111 or Accident and Emergency Department or Mental Health
Team becomes the appropriate, and immediate, first point of contact.
Revised April 2015
There can be few privileges greater than being a spiritual director/soul friend. It is, however, a
privilege which carries with it great responsibilities.
It requires the spiritual director to:
• be very self-aware and to recognise that the gift someone is sharing, that is, their own deepest
inner nature, is to be treated with the utmost trust, humility and respect;
• discern when the person receiving direction needs further counsel, perhaps from a suitably
qualified therapeutic counsellor;
• behave at all times in an entirely professional manner.
The role of spiritual director has a long and impressive history in the Church. It has often been
parish based, with the parish priest offering a ministry to his flock that encouraged growth in prayer,
discipleship and ministry. There have also been those who have offered this ministry more widely
and in a capacity that is distinct from parish structures.
Until recently, the ministry of spiritual direction has been seen largely as the preserve of the ordained
or the Religious. It was regarded as a ministry which was entered informally, on the basis of
ordination training, or an aptitude discovered or revealed by practice, and the living out of the
Christian faith. In the last twenty years, however, the Church has recognised that this ministry can
be enhanced by training and there are now several ways in which this can undertaken, including the
Diocesan Initiatives in Spirituality (DIS) course: Sharing the Journey.
It is the case that if anyone seeks to become a spiritual director through the DIS, there will need to be
a careful monitoring and assessment process. We would wish to encourage and support all who are
involved in this ministry and to ensure that it is offered to the highest possible standard. To this end,
we have asked DIS, which currently runs our training, to produce a scheme for maintaining standards
and for brokering between spiritual guides and directees.
We have also been in touch with our insurers who assure us that, provided we use people who are
adequately trained, the diocesan policies provide appropriate cover through the diocesan scheme (a
necessary requirement in these litigious times). Where the ministry is offered within parishes and
outside the diocesan scheme, please note the following: if the parish uses EIG insurance, it is vital
that the ‘Parish Guard’ element is included; if another insurer is used, it should include the equivalent
of ‘Parish Guard’. If individuals are offering this ministry independently, they should ensure that
they have in place public liability/professional indemnity insurance to cover themselves. As far as
EIG is concerned, its cover is conditional on the person ministering within the diocesan Code of
Practice for spiritual direction and it specifically excludes the provision of professional counselling
services.
There are great advantages to those offering spiritual direction to come within the diocesan scheme:
• a full training course Sharing the Journey for those wishing to become involved in this
ministry
• a broker service to help link spiritual directors and directees
• a Code of Practice to guide all involved in this ministry
• membership of a supervision group (costs of supervision being covered)
• an annual ‘in-service’ training day for the development of ministerial skills
• a short course for those currently ministering on the basis of their life and faith journeys but
who have had no formal training for spiritual direction.
Whilst all spiritual direction should be professional, it would be a great loss to the Church if spiritual
direction became a kind of profession and it would also be a loss if that profound spiritual
pilgrimage, on which all of us are engaged, became overregulated.
In brief, we want to cherish that deep and indefinable gift which spiritual direction can offer and yet,
at the same time, have processes in place to ensure that no vulnerable directee becomes embroiled in
a manipulative relationship and no spiritual director abuses their position of trust.
It goes without saying that at the heart of spiritual direction there must be absolute confidentiality,
but those coming for spiritual direction must also be made aware that should anything emerge which
could affect the safety or wellbeing of any person, especially children or vulnerable adults, the
spiritual director will need to seek advice immediately from the archdeacon or one of the bishops.
Should other matters be raised which might require a priestly confession, then the spiritual director
should seek the advice of the chair of the Diocesan Initiatives in Spirituality, of one of the
archdeacons, or of one of the bishops. It is worth remembering the great gift that sacramental
confession offers, and also the wisdom of the Church of England which has said of sacramental
confession: ‘All may, some should, none must.’
For further information about spiritual direction, please see the diocesan webpage:
www.stalbans.anglican.org
[Issued December 2008]
1. Under the Clergy (Ordination) Measure 1990 it is possible for diocesan bishops at their
discretion to make application to the archbishop of the province for an Archbishops’ Faculty
under Canon C4 (paragraph 3A). The granting of a faculty will allow for the removal of the
impediment imposed by canon law to the admission into holy orders of a person who has remarried and has a former spouse still living, or who is married to a person who has been
previously married and whose former spouse is still living.
2. The general principle of canon law remains that the ordination of such persons is contrary to
the teaching and practice of the Church. The intention of the Measure and of paragraph 3A of
Canon C4 is to deal with the occasional exceptional case where the impediment imposed by
canon law makes neither logical nor pastoral sense. The obvious example is of the person
whose previous marriage ended in divorce even though there were grounds for a legal
annulment, but at the time this route was not chosen.
3. The archbishops have made it clear that the cases for which they would consider a faculty
application must clearly be exceptional, and one of the criteria which would be applied to any
submission would be that of ‘distance’. By this they mean that the new marriage must be
evidently ‘distant’ from a former marriage in terms of relationships, time and place. It will
involve detailed investigation of the circumstances surrounding the break-up of the earlier
marriage and an enquiry into the fulfilment of responsibilities to the former spouse and any
children of the marriage.
4. The decision which has to be taken by the diocesan bishop in submitting the faculty
application and by the archbishop in assessing the application is not related to the
“worthiness” of the applicant or of his or her capacity for valued Christian ministry, but has to
do with whether the application is genuinely exceptional and justifies a divergence from the
accepted criteria of canon law.
5. The procedure for making application is as follows. The DDO has copies of a form which
asks for full details of the previous marriage, as well as of the second marriage, and the
history of the marriages. The names of referees are required, including someone who knew
the circumstances surrounding the break-up of the first marriage and someone who knows
about the character and quality of the second marriage. The forms are then submitted to the
diocesan bishop, who will ask a designated bishop’s representative to investigate.
6. The representative will study the references and will be expected to interview the referees
personally, as well as the applicant and his or her spouse, and the former spouse of the first
marriage. Permission may also be sought from the applicant to interview others who have
any knowledge of either or both marriages. The representative sends a written report to the
diocesan bishop (no application may be processed during a vacancy-in-See), with
recommendations as to the bishop’s response to the application. Following this the bishop
will interview the applicant and his or her spouse and will decide whether to make application
to the archbishop for a faculty. The diocesan bishop will then inform the applicant of his
decision.
7. If the bishop decides to make an application, he submits it to the archbishop in accordance
with a set form, giving his reasons and the results of his investigations. The archbishop may
make further inquiries and will eventually notify the bishop whether or not he is prepared to
issue a faculty. The bishop then notifies the applicant. Only after this may the applicant who
is a candidate for ordination begin the process of seeking sponsorship and having his or her
call tested through a Bishops’ Selection Conference.
8. It will be seen that the process is long and thorough. Applicants must be prepared for the fact
that it may be painful, as old wounds are reopened and memories revived which can bring
distress to both sides of the previous marriage as well as to the present spouse. An
application should not therefore be made lightly or without due thought about its possible
consequences. Further advice can be given by the DDO.
[Reissued January 2008]
RECRUITMENT OF PAID YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S AND FAMILIES WORKERS
Within the Diocese of St Albans we are gifted with many people who give their time on both a paid and a voluntary basis to reach out to and to nurture the children and young people of our communities.
Most of those who are working with these age groups on a paid basis will be recruited and paid by the local PCC.
Whilst the Diocese does not get directly involved with local appointments we would encourage PCCs to follow correct HR processes and support from Redway HR is available to parishes needing HR advice (Employment and Human Resources – The Diocese of St Albans).We also require PCCs to follow correct processes regarding safer recruitment.
Safer Recruitment of Paid Youth and Children’s and Families Workers
When a PCC is employing a Children’s, Families or Youth worker they must be safely recruited according to current guidance.
From January 2026 please make sure that St Albans Diocese Safeguarding Team have been informed that all paid staff in these roles have been safely recruited and of any such paid staff changes.This is a change to previous arrangements and may require PCCs to retrospectively inform the Diocesan Safeguarding Team of those already in post.
This information will be corroborated through the annual Archdeacon’s Questionnaires, with a check of the names of paid youth and children’s and families workers, that the safer recruitment checklist has been completed, and the Diocesan Safeguarding Team have been informed.
We are grateful for your cooperation in this matter as we seek to be a safer church for all.
DEPLOYMENT OF SELF-SUPPORTING MINISTERS (SSMs) AFTER ORDINATION
NB: SSMs were formerly known as ‘Non-stipendiary Ministers – NSMs. The new
terminology of SSM is used throughout this paper).
Introduction:
It is important in a Church (or denomination) which is not congregationalist but claims itself
to be ‘part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church’ that SSMs should be seen as having
been called by God to serve Him and His world as representative figures of that Church. For
SSMs, as for stipendiaries, ordination is to the service of God and the world, and not simply
to a particular parish. The minister, through ordination, explicitly makes himself or herself
available to the Church to serve where the needs are greatest.
Deployment:
Careful consideration needs to be given to the most appropriate situation in which a title post
should be served.
1. It is recognised that for SSMs deployability will be limited. If it is appropriate that the
title should be served in a parish other than the individual’s ‘home parish’, the following
considerations will need to be weighed:
a) The parish should normally be within a maximum radius of ten miles from the
individual’s home.
b) The incumbent must be not only willing to take on the training role required but
be seen to possess the skills required.
c) There must be sufficient opportunities available to provide a suitable range of
experience.
d) The PCC must be willing to welcome an SSM, to recognise the constraints on
their availability, and to ensure that all reasonable expenses of office are paid.
2. In some instances it may be appropriate that an individual be deployed to the home
parish. The following may constitute circumstances indicating the propriety of such a
deployment:
a) The candidate comes from a Church where there are significant numbers of
people from minority ethnic groups, where the new SSM may be seen as having
a key role in enabling members of those groups to discover their own capacity
to exercise ministry.
b) The candidate may have particular experience and local knowledge, or an
existing role in the locality, which indicates that it would be important that they
continue to be part of the Church’s presence and mission there.
2
c) The candidate may already be using existing skills in some crucial aspects of
the Church’s mission in the locality where it would be deemed significantly more
helpful if they remain.
d) The candidate’s personal and family circumstances indicate that at the present
moment it would be inappropriate for them to be deployed elsewhere.
3. Where deployment to the home parish is proposed, it follows that the incumbent must
be willing to take on the training role, that there are sufficient opportunities to provide
a range of experience or there is clear understanding that these can be offered in other
settings, and that the PCC is willing to take on its responsibilities.
Conclusion:
It will be seen that this policy is designed to emphasise the importance of our understanding
of the Church and of ordination and also to establish that SSM ministry, whether that be
focussed in a parish or a workplace, is an expression of a mission of the whole Church. There
is no doubt that SSM ministry can be very demanding. It is earnestly hoped that these
arrangements will further strengthen and support individual priests and ministers in the life of
the Church as a whole.
Revised April 2015
The bishops consider the deanery chapter to have a vital pastoral and educational role to play in the
care of the church’s ministers, even though it has no statutory existence in the synodical government
of the church.
Membership of the chapter includes all stipendiary and non-stipendiary clergy, men and women,
accredited lay ministers and retired clergy. By agreement it may include Readers. Alternatively
occasional meetings may include Readers, diocesan lay ministers and other key lay people, such as
the lay chairman of the deanery. Please remember to include those who are outside parochial
ministry such as hospital, school and other chaplains, and those with permission to officiate.
In order to facilitate this wider fellowship, meetings should be arranged at a variety of times during
the day and in the evening so that all members can attend on at least some occasions in the year.
Chapters should normally meet monthly or bi-monthly. In areas where there are strong ecumenical
ministerial gatherings, or group or team meetings, thought needs to be given to the care of those less
involved: while it may be wise to hold the chapter less frequently to avoid proliferating meetings, it
may be that alternative arrangements should be made for those who minister on their own. In other
areas a monthly meeting should be the norm. Dates should be fixed a year ahead and circulated in
writing to all members.
It is our wish that all members of the chapter should give a high priority to attendance, and should not
normally accept funerals or other engagements at the time of chapter meetings. The bishops regard
attendance as vital for the mutual support and benefit of ministers, to maintain good communication
and to combat isolation.
The programme of the chapter needs to be planned well in advance, preferably a year ahead, and
should include opportunities for study, prayer and the sharing of experiences, opportunities and
problems. Many deaneries value an annual Quiet Day and some arrange an occasional social event
(to which the bishops and archdeacons are always glad to be invited). Many chapters appoint a clerk
from among their number to help the rural dean organise the chapter programme.
Chapter meetings can play an important role in the continuing education of the Church’s ministers. It
is for each chapter to decide their own approach: some chapters have a regular programme of biblical
or theological study, while others arrange for visiting speakers or for discussions led by the member
who is hosting the meeting. The Ministerial Development Officer is always willing to advise on this
aspect of the chapter’s life. The organisation of chapter studies should not necessarily fall on the
rural dean.
The chapter is an important channel of communication between the diocese and the clergy, and there
will usually be matters of business which the rural dean has to report, as well as concerns which the
clergy may wish the rural dean to convey back to the diocese. The arrangement of cover for services
in holidays and vacancies should be made well in advance. The suffragan bishop and archdeacon
welcome invitations to meet with the chapter from time to time.
The chapter must recognise the limits of its authority, and in exchanging information and expressing
opinions, members must be careful not to make or pre-empt decisions which belong to the Deanery
Synod.
[Reissued January 2008
The guidance below reflects that to be found in the Clergy Handbook which can viewed on the diocesan website.
Rest Periods
Clergy have great flexibility to determine how and when they work. This Diocese works on the basis of trust that our clergy work hard and give of their best. It trusts them to find the best ways of doing so, and of balancing their ministry with the need for rest, leisure, time with family and friends, and the demands of everyday life.
Within that broad freedom, there are certain norms which in all usual circumstances should be observed. Clergy are entitled to an uninterrupted rest period of at least 24hours in each period of seven days. Unless specific permission has been granted by the Bishop, the weekly rest period may not be taken on a Sunday or on any of the principal feast days of the Church of England as set out in Canon B6(2) nor on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday or the parish’s patronal festival.
This 24-hour rest period is a recommended minimum. The pressure of working 6 days a week is recognised. Therefore, clergy are encouraged to build in an additional period on a weekly or monthly basis which provides for a slower pace or additional rest. How this looks will vary according to context but some examples are taking an additional day of rest once a month allowing for a 48-hour rest period, sitting light to the work of ministry on a Saturday, only attending to those commitments necessary (e.g. weddings) but not attending to administrative tasks. Remembering that a working day doesn’t mean that you have to work every hour of it is also helpful.
Many clergy try to keep the evening before their rest day clear. Whilst recognising that this might not always be possible, this is a practice to be encouraged where practicable.
We appreciate that people have different practices about managing email. As a Diocese, however, we have no expectation that people will be reading or answering emails late at night or during rest periods.
Annual Leave
The full-time paid leave entitlement is 36 days per year or as stated in your Statement of Particulars. If you are part-time, your leave will be calculated based on the number of days you work; for example if you work 3 days per week your leave entitlement will be 18 days. In addition to the above you are entitled to the following public holidays if they fall on a day you normally work: New Years Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Easter Monday, August Bank Holiday, May Bank Holiday, Boxing Day. You are also entitled to days off in lieu of the Good Friday and Christmas Day Bank Holidays. Unless specific permission has been granted by the Bishop, your days of annual leave may not be taken on more than six Sundays a year, on any of the principal feast days of the Church of England as set out in Canon B6(2), or Ash Wednesday, Good Friday or the parish’s patronal festival.
Special Leave
The Bishop may grant an additional period of special leave in particular circumstances. Applications should be made directly to the Bishop or Archdeacon.
Retreat time
In addition to these holidays, and a weekly day off, clergy are strongly encouraged to make an annual retreat of four or five days duration or, if being away overnight is difficult, to take several individual days away from the parish during the year for prayer and reflection. This could be in the form of a traditional retreat but can also be flexible to suit an individual’s preferred way of ‘retreating’.
Extended Study Leave
Licensed clergy are able to take an Extended Study Leave (ESL) every ten years, provided that:
they have been ordained for more than ten years
they have been in their present post for at least three years
they are not within five years of retirement
they have the pastoral agreement of their suffragan Bishop and Archdeacon
their plan for ESL has been approved by the Mission and Ministry Department and the dates agreed with the Rural/Area Dean.
Moving between jobs
When moving between jobs clergy should, in addition to any annual holiday that is due, take a one-month period of ‘service leave’ to move, settle into a new home, and prepare to engage with their future ministry.
Ad Clerum 1.4
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
INTRODUCTION
The Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 (‘the Measure’) and its associated Code of Practice (‘the Code’)
and the Clergy Discipline Rules 2005 (‘the Rules’) are now in force and operate a procedure for
dealing with complaints against Clergy for matters relating to conduct and behaviour. The Measure
applies equally to all those in Holy Orders within the Church of England notwithstanding their
position within the hierarchy of the Church.
Complaints to do with issues of rituals, doctrine or ceremony are still dealt with under the provisions
of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963.
Overview
The attached flowchart shows how the Measure works.
Preliminary stages
To start the formal procedure under the Measure, there needs to be a full written complaint made
within one year of the alleged incident and made against a clerk in Holy Orders. The complaint must
fall generally within one of four grounds of misconduct:
• there has been a breach of ecclesiastical law
• there has been a failure to do something which ought to have been done under ecclesiastical law
• the clergy person has neglected to perform, or been inefficient in performing, duties of his or her
office
• the clergy person has engaged in conduct that is unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and
work of the clergy, but no complaint may be made about the lawful political opinions or
activities of a respondent (such as taking part in peaceful public marches or protests).
Upon receipt of a complaint from a PCC, churchwarden or another person with a proper interest the
Diocesan Bishop has to refer the complaint to the Diocesan Registrar to perform a preliminary
scrutiny of the complaint. This scrutiny is designed to ascertain whether the person complaining has
the standing to do so and if the complaint has sufficient substance in it to justify proceeding. Further,
the scrutiny is not intended to be an ‘in depth’ enquiry and is likely to be desk and telephone based.
The Diocesan Registrar must complete his work within 28 days of receiving the complaint from the
Diocesan Bishop and must forward to the Bishop a copy of the conclusions.
Second stage
The Bishop then has four choices as indicated in the flowchart. Three out of the four choices leads to
the dismissal of the complaint. The fourth is where the Bishop considers the complaint alleges
conduct that could constitute an ecclesiastical offence.
2
Once the Bishop considers that the allegation may have sufficient foundation, he can at that stage
decide to suspend the clergy person for up to three months from any aspect or the entirety of his or
her ministry. This decision will only be taken after careful consideration and after the Bishop has
consulted the clergy person unless the matter is particularly urgent. Consequently, without the
Bishop’s permission, a suspended priest would not normally be able to attend any church functions or
PCC meetings, vote in any elections to the diocesan synod, exercise powers of patronage, or perform
any deanery duties if appointed as a rural dean or area dean. Suspension does not, however, affect
the right to housing or receipt of a stipend.
At the same time as considering whether to suspend, the Bishop will ask the clergy person to provide
a written response to the complaint. There is a set form for this reply.
Third stage
Upon receipt of the clergy person’s response, the Bishop then has to decide which of the five
available courses to take. Naturally the option to be taken will depend on the particular
circumstances of each matter but the penalties or other courses of action available to a bishop reflect
the differing seriousness of allegations.
The Measure presents the Bishop with novel options together with courses of action previously
available under the old regime. The novel courses of action are conditional deferments and
conciliation. In the case of the former, if a complaint is admitted or shown to be proved, the Bishop
can decide not to impose a more serious penalty at that stage but the complaint will remain on the
cleric’s personal record file for a further period of up to five years. If a subsequent allegation is
made, the one on the record can then fall to be considered as well and may well affect any
subsequent penalty. Conditional deferment can only be imposed with the consent of the clergy
person concerned.
Conciliation reflects a practice that may already happen in some situations. Here the parties consent
to discussing the complaint with the aid of a qualified conciliator to try and work out a middle path
through the difficulties. It is therefore only appropriate in some situations where there does appear
an opportunity for reconciliation. If it is not possible to agree a conciliation, the Bishop is able to
impose any of the other penalties listed in the flowchart.
Where the Bishop considers it appropriate, especially if the complaint relates to a serious offence
which is denied, he may refer the complaint to the Designated Officer for formal investigation. This
is a precursor to a full trial of the complaint before a Disciplinary Tribunal.
The Designated Officer will make enquiries and may interview witnesses. Both the clergy person
and the complainant have a duty to co-operate with the investigation.
Once the Designated Officer’s report has been completed, it will be sent to the President of the
Tribunal who will decide if the complaint has substance. If that is the case, all the parties will be
notified. The matter will then proceed to a full hearing before a Tribunal made up of persons
appointed by the President.
The complainant’s case will be put forward by the Designated Officer, although he will be
independent from the complainant and not be representing them. The clergy person is entitled to
separate legal representation and legal aid is available for this.
The hearing will be conducted in accordance with principles of fairness and justice both to the
complainant and the clergy person.
3
The Tribunal may reach a decision by a majority vote and it has the power to impose various
penalties ranging from a rebuke to prohibition for life (it prevents the clergy person without limit of
time from exercising any functions as a member of the clergy).
A clergy person has the right of appeal from a decision of the Tribunal on the penalty imposed or on
a point of law or of fact. The Designated Officer may also appeal but only in relation to a question
of law.
Archbishops’ List
If a penalty is imposed, the clergy person will be placed on the Archbishops’ List which replaces the
informal Lambeth and Bishopthorpe registers that were kept under the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction
Measure 1963. Within 21 days of being included on the List, a clergy person will be informed of
such and can request the President of Tribunals to review their inclusion. The President will inform
the clergy person of his decision whether to keep them on the List or not. There is provision for a
review of the List every five years where clergy have been included under certain categories.
Criminal convictions and matrimonial issues
If a criminal charge results in a conviction and a sentence of imprisonment (including a suspended
sentence) the Bishop may remove that person from office or impose a prohibition order (either for
life or for a limited period) without further proceedings within two years of the sentence of
imprisonment becoming conclusive. There is still a discretion for the Bishop but he has to consult
the President of the Tribunals to ascertain his views about the seriousness of the criminal charge and
the matters relating to it. The Bishop will then make his decision and inform the clergy person. The
clergy person then has a further period in which to make further representations about the proposed
penalty, if applicable.
In the case of an acquittal following criminal proceedings, any complaint under the Measure alleging
exactly the same matters as the criminal charge should not normally be proceeded with.
In cases where there are divorce proceedings or judicial separation and there are findings of adultery,
unreasonable conduct or desertion by the clergy person, then the Bishop has a discretion to remove
the clergy person from office or impose a prohibition order (either for life or for a limited period)
without further proceedings. As with a criminal conviction, the Bishop must consult with the
President of Tribunals to ascertain his views about the seriousness of the matrimonial conduct, as
well as consulting with the former spouse. The Bishop will then make his decision. The clergy
person then has a further period in which to make further representations about the proposed penalty,
if applicable.
Conclusion
This note is only designed to give a very general overview of the procedures under the Measure and
is not intended to be a comprehensive account of what the law is. Copies of the Measure and the
Code of Practice can be obtained from the Office of Public Sector Information website and Church
House Publishing respectively.
4
If a complaint is levelled against a clergy person on or after the 1 January 2006, that person ought, in
the first instance, to speak to their archdeacon who will be able to offer some preliminary guidance.
Due to the need under the Measure to ensure the processes are unbiased, it will not be possible for
the Diocesan Registrar or Diocesan Bishop to offer either formal or informal advice or pastoral care
to a clergy person who is the subject of a complaint. It will, however, be possible for the Registrar to
offer very general advice and point clergy towards other lawyers with expertise in this field. Legal
aid is available for this assistance.
It will take some time for everyone to get used to the new mindset and procedures created by the
Measure. In due course, there will be further publications regarding particular aspects of the
procedure to assist clergy. In the meantime, further advice should be obtained from the Diocesan
Registrar.
[Reissued January 2008]
Ad Clerum 1.3
THE PASTORAL CARE OF THE CHURCH’S MINISTERS
The diocesan bishop has ultimate responsibility for the ministry of all clergy and ministers in his
diocese. They share in the exercise of the ministry which is both his and theirs. While being the
focus of unity, authority and oversight, he has a special concern for the pastoral care of the Church’s
ministers. The bishop recognises that this is a major responsibility, keeping in touch with the life of
23 deaneries, over 330 parishes, 350 stipendiary and non-stipendiary clergy, towards 300 Readers,
25 lay ministers, and some 150 retired clergy and clergy widows.
Clergy and ministers naturally look to the diocesan bishop as their Father-in-God. He is the person
to whom they have made an oath of canonical obedience, to whom they look for pastoral care and
support and to whom they can turn in times of particular stress or difficulty.
As in the parishes we seek shared and collaborative ministry, so the bishop of the diocese shares his
responsibility for the pastoral care of the clergy and ministers and their families with other members
of his staff – the suffragan bishops, the archdeacons, the DDO and the ADDO, and liaises with other
Bishop’s Officers carrying pastoral responsibility (e.g. archdeaconry NSM Officers). The members
of the Bishop’s Staff work closely together, keeping in regular contact with one another.
Every two or three weeks they meet together to share concerns, in particular those relating to pastoral
care. In this way the bishop of the diocese is helped to keep in touch with those matters of pastoral
care which others are looking after on his behalf. A considerable time is given at each staff meeting
to these matters and the staff invariably include a time of prayer (usually the Eucharist) during the
course of the meeting. They also join in praying for the clergy and ministers, and the parishes in turn
using the diocesan calendar of prayer; and are greatly helped in this by the letters from those who
write about themselves, their families, and their parishes. We should add that any personal
confidences shared with a particular member of the Bishop’s Staff are, of course, fully respected.
______________________________
·
______________________________
We also ask that you will pray for us and that all of us should remember that the increasing pressure
upon us as clergy and ministers makes it all the more urgent that we should regularly and faithfully
day by day set aside time to wait upon God in quiet and prayer.
We are all aware that many people both inside and outside the Church are currently giving
considerable attention to understanding what is involved in the proper pastoral care of one person by
another. One outcome of this heightened awareness of the subject is the raising of the expectations
of everyone as to what may be desirable. However, unrealistic expectations do not help the
achievement of the best results; it is helpful for everyone if our expectations of one another are
founded on what is possible. One way forward for us as a diocese is to seek to develop a structure of
pastoral care that takes account of the wealth of resources that are available, some very immediate,
others more distant.
2
The first and most important level of pastoral care is what we consciously and responsibly choose
and arrange for ourselves. This may include a particular friend and confidant with whom we can
share our concerns, a personal spiritual counsellor, director or friend whom we will see at regular
intervals and/or membership of a small cell or fellowship group. We should have at least one of
these provisions of pastoral care. Apart from this very personal pastoral support, for those in the
parochial ministry the most immediate relationships are with churchwardens and parishioners. We
wish to encourage churchwardens to meet regularly with their clergy and ministers and to pray and
think together about the work of God in the parish. A churchwarden can be an invaluable friend and
support, and the parish which values its clergy and ministers, and makes clear to them that their
ministry is appreciated (not waiting until they leave!), is the parish that best enables them to a full
and happy ministry.
At the next level is the deanery chapter. A deanery, or formal or informal group of neighbouring
parishes, can provide valuable mutual fellowship if all will take a personal interest in one another,
offer human friendship and work for each other’s greater good. Isolation is thankfully being replaced
by a new sense of partnership in each deanery and this can be a most valuable resource of pastoral
care for all concerned. Rural Deans have a particular share in the bishop’s oversight and pastoral
care. A rural dean is appointed as someone who has the confidence of the deanery and who can be
looked to for immediate pastoral care, support and encouragement. We hope that you will feel able
to work with your rural dean in this way. In addition to the Anglican chapter, many are able to enjoy
valuable fellowship and support in an informal ecumenical clergy grouping.
At diocesan level the bishop is assisted in his oversight and leadership by a wide variety of specialist
officers and advisers who are available for help in these aspects of ministry. Anxieties often stem
from some particular problem in a parish and it is at this point that one of the bishop’s officers can
often best help and encourage. Rural deans and diocesan officers have the bishop’s full confidence
and share the bishop’s oversight in this way. For more personal advice or spiritual direction you may
wish to seek help from those outside the Bishop’s Staff. We have appended a list at the end of some
of those in the diocese who are willing to be approached and who will gladly give help if asked.
The diocesan bishop, however, particularly shares his responsibilities of pastoral care with his
suffragan bishops and archdeacons. The bishop and archdeacons arrange for the clergy to have an
extended conversation every three years. This Ministerial Review involves preparatory reflection
and the completion of some paperwork as background to the discussion, after which a short summary
is agreed. The members of the Bishop’s Staff themselves participate in the same Review process.
These conversations are an opportunity for you to talk about your work and the life of your parish or
specialist ministry; to discuss opportunities for Continuing Ministerial Education; and generally to
share your interests, strengths and weaknesses, fears and hopes, as we look to the future.
Between such interviews there will be occasions when you may wish to talk with the suffragan
bishop or archdeacon, and you should always feel free to telephone for an appointment. Bishops and
archdeacons spend much time in visiting parishes for a variety of occasions and, although these may
not be an opportunity for any extended personal conversations, they are a point of contact and an
opportunity to raise issues which can be followed up later. Inevitably some parishes seem to have
fewer of these contacts and may need to take the initiative of inviting a member of the Bishop’s Staff
to visit. Always remember that in an emergency or crisis one of the bishops will always make time
to see you immediately. At all these different levels we hope to see a network of pastoral care
provided in such a way that none will feel uncared for or unable to seek the help and encouragement
needed.
______________________________
·
______________________________
3
Ultimately, as bishop of the diocese, I am your chief pastor and, while this is only one aspect of my
total responsibility, it is nevertheless for me a matter of high priority. It is therefore essential that
you should know that in addition to the network of pastoral care which I have described, you have
free and direct access to me, as your Father-in-God, for we share ministry.
I would also wish to make it clear that my concern for you includes your families. I hope that you
will pass this on to your wife or husband so that they too may be aware of the pastoral care which we
are attempting to offer and that we are equally available to them. There are a number of clergy wives
groups in the diocese and we can commend these, while for more specific personal needs the list
included at the end may be helpful.
This letter may not meet all needs but we hope you will find it helpful. We will always welcome
suggestions which assist us in our particular responsibility of being ‘pastor pastorum’.
Names and addresses of those who may be approached for personal help:
Spiritual Direction
Mrs Sally Sanderson, The Jays, Ball Lane, Bedmond, Abbots Langley, Herts, WD5 0QT,
tel: 01923 265963, e-mail: sallysanderson@ukonline.co.uk maintains a list of those willing to offer
spiritual direction. She acts confidentially on behalf of Diocesan Initiatives in Spirituality.
Counselling and Marriage Guidance
Diocesan Clergy Counselling Service:
Suzanne Clackson, Bedford
tel: 01234 356996; e-mail: suzanne.clackson@ntlworld.com
Dianne Harris, Rickmansworth
tel: 01923 282490; e-mail: dianne.harris@dsl.pipex.com
Mary Perren, Welwyn Garden City
tel: 01727 327289; e-mail: mary.perren@ntlworld.com
Finance
Clergy with debt concerns or problems are invited to contact one of the archdeacons confidentially.
The archdeacons cannot themselves provide specific financial advice but they can draw upon groups,
contacts and resources known to them to assist.
[Reissued January 2008]
Ad Clerum 1.2
‘HOW DO I MOVE?’
Clergy and accredited lay ministers are sometimes uncertain how to set about seeking a move from
their present appointment. Many older clergy were taught that it was not appropriate to express an
interest in a particular appointment which might be vacant and that the correct thing was to sit and
wait for the bishop to make an approach.
It may therefore be helpful if we set out the various options open to those who feel it is time to move.
1. Each year the diocesan bishop invites you to write to him about your family, parish and
ministry so that he can pray with more understanding for you on the day when your name
appears in the calendar of prayer. The suffragan bishop concerned appreciates it if you care to
send him a copy of your letter. You may wish to indicate in this letter if you are beginning to
think ahead towards a move. However it is helpful to remember that the bishop will use your
reply primarily to guide his prayers and will only reply to any matters raised if you
specifically request him to do so.
2. The development of your ministry and your future will be a matter of discussion when you
have the opportunity to meet for your Ministerial Review (currently every three years) with
your suffragan bishop or archdeacon. This will clearly be an occasion to consider how long
you should remain in your present appointment and whether considering a move in the next
year or two may be appropriate.
3. It is open to you at any time to ask for an interview with either your suffragan bishop or the
diocesan bishop if you wish to discuss the possibility of a move, or any other matter.
4. As parochial appointments fall vacant in the diocese we give notice of these in the monthly
bundle notices. Clergy should feel free to write to the relevant archdeacon for further details,
to indicate that they would be interested to know more about a particular parish or that they
might like to consider applying for the vacancy. It should be understood that in the current
climate of appointments, it is perfectly acceptable for clergy to be pro-active in expressing an
interest in a vacancy. It has to be remembered however that many appointments are not part
of the bishop’s patronage and in these cases the bishop only forwards names to the patron if
the patron so requests. Where it is a Crown, Lord Chancellor’s or Patronage Trust
appointment, these normally have their own considerable list of candidates. In discussing
your future, the possibility of forwarding your name to the various patronage lists can be
considered. In the case of the bishop’s patronage we would give careful consideration to any
name that is sent to us. Under the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986, of course, any
candidate has to be acceptable to the two lay representatives elected by the PCC before any
appointment can be made.
In general we want clergy to feel that there is greater openness in the process of making appointments
to benefices and greater freedom for the clergy to express an interest without any sense of
embarrassment or unease.
Clearly it is not possible to fulfil everyone’s hopes and expectations. This is particularly so when
there is little movement in the diocese and there are few vacancies. Some who want a move may
well have to look more widely in the Church of England generally. The bishops will help you do this
both by giving your name to another diocesan bishop at your request or asking that your name and
particulars be circulated by the Clergy Appointments Adviser* (CAA). In this case the CAA will
contact you to obtain a detailed curriculum vitae and references, and will probably invite you to a
meeting.
The lists of vacant benefices and posts, and of those looking for a move, are circulated regularly to all
bishops and archdeacons and to patrons who are looking to fill a vacancy. Those who are already in
Crown, Lord Chancellor’s or Patronage Trust benefices can ask the appropriate Ecclesiastical or Trust
Secretary for their name to be placed on a list for a move.
You may be asking yourself how long you should stay in your present post. This Ad Clerum is not
intended to encourage unnecessary moves and if you are happy and fulfilled and feel that the parish is
also happy and that the life of the church in the parish is moving forward, then it is probably right to
stay where you are. Generally speaking, less than six or seven years in a parish is too short a time
and frequent moves are good neither for a person’s ministry nor for the parish. Anyone who has been
in a parish more than ten or twelve years should be asking whether a move is appropriate. At this
point a parish may need new initiatives and a minister may need the fresh motivation of new work. It
is good if you can discuss this openly and honestly with churchwardens and you should certainly do
so with your suffragan bishop and any personal director or friend.
However it is impossible to generalise; while some need to move after a comparatively short time,
for others it is appropriate to stay in the same parish for the greater part of their ministry.
In the case of assistant curates or stipendiary lay ministers, moves will normally be discussed with
the DDO/ADDO, who will bring names to the Bishop’s Staff meeting and the Deployment Group.
However, you are always free to seek an interview with one of the bishops in order to discuss your
future ministry.
When you were instituted or licensed, the bishop shared with you the cure of souls ‘which is both
yours and mine’. We hope you will feel free to share with us any particular concerns, and especially
your hopes for your future ministry, so that together we can seek God’s guidance and purposes for
you.
* Clergy Appointments Adviser
The Wash House
Lambeth Palace
London SE1 7JU
020 7898 1898
Admin.caa@c-of-e.org.uk
www.cofe.anglican.org/info/caa
[Reissued January 2008]
Ad Clerum 1.1
EPISCOPAL PARTNERSHIP
The bishop of the diocese has ultimate responsibility in the exercise of episcopal authority and
pastoral care throughout the diocese. However, as diocesan bishop, I would be in an impossible
position if I were not able to share my responsibilities with others and particularly with the two
suffragan bishops, the archdeacons and other members of the Bishop’s Staff. It may be helpful to the
clergy to set out how we try to share out the episcopal duties between myself and the Bishops of
Bedford and Hertford.
For the exercise of pastoral care of clergy and parishes the suffragan bishops work mainly in their
respective archdeaconries; that is, the Bishop of Bedford with the Archdeaconry of Bedford, and the
Bishop of Hertford with the Archdeaconries of Hertford and St Albans. The clergy turn most
naturally to their own suffragan bishop for most day to day matters in connection with their own
ministry. This will not only be a response to a request at a particular point of need, but also will
enable me as diocesan bishop to exercise an essential element of my episcopal office. I particularly
value the opportunity of hearing from you at the time your name comes up on the diocesan calendar
of prayer and feeling in this way a close link in prayer and ministry with all the clergy in the diocese.
It is not possible for any one of us to be in very close touch with everyone all of the time, but we all
want to be easily accessible to you, either for a phone call or an appointment when you need us. We
operate as a close team and, at the Bishop’s Staff meeting, we share information and concerns in the
context of worship and prayer together. Needless to say, the confidential nature of any conversation
is always respected.
In addition to archdeaconry responsibilities the suffragan bishops have responsibility for specific
areas of diocesan life and are involved in the chairmanship of some of the boards and committees.
Confirmations are shared by all three bishops approximately equally. All of us find them immensely
moving and special occasions. I undertake them throughout the diocese; the suffragan bishops take
confirmation services substantially in their own archdeaconries, though to keep the work load
equitable, the Bishop of Bedford does more in Hertfordshire than the Bishop of Hertford does in
Bedfordshire.
For institutions and licensings, the general policy is that I institute or license those coming into the
diocese, while the suffragans will institute or license in the case of internal moves. Clearly there will
be exceptions to this policy from time to time due to pressure on the diary.
While I retain certain legal responsibilities, the practicalities of a vacancy, and of the appointment
process, are left in the hands of the suffragan bishops and the respective archdeacon. They make the
arrangements with the Patron and the parish(es) for interviews etc., and issue the announcements of
vacancy and appointment. All appointments are fully discussed regularly at the Bishop’s Staff
meeting.
We have developed a regular pattern of meetings between the suffragan bishop, the archdeacon and
the rural deans in the three archdeaconries. There is also a meeting annually for me to meet with the
rural deans and the deanery lay chairs. I also ask my senior staff to be present on that occasion.
The suffragan bishops take part with me in the ordination services at the Cathedral.
As we seek to pray for you, may I say how much I am strengthened by the knowledge that I am
regularly prayed for throughout the diocese. I would ask that the suffragan bishops are similarly
remembered and their archdeacons with them.
Below is a list of matters which should normally be referred directly to your suffragan bishop.
Appendix
The suffragan bishops will deal directly with matters of:
Baptismal discipline
Marriage of unbaptised persons
Permission for lay people to administer the bread and wine at Holy Communion
Permission for lay people to take the reserved sacrament to the sick and housebound
Consecration of burial grounds
Requests to receive into communion members of other Churches
Interviews of candidates for selection for ordained or accredited ministry
Interviews of prospective deacons for titles
[Reissued January 2008]
List of Local Designations for Ecumenical Relations under Canon B43
The Bishop of St Albans has designated the following churches for ecumenical relations in the Diocese, in cases where the church is not one which has been nationally designated for the purposes of the Church of England (Ecumenical Relations) Measure 1988.
Church
End date
Canon B43 assent for the Romanian Orthodox Church
3 February 2029
Canon B43 assent for Hope Church South Bedfordshire
25 July 2029
Canon B43 assent for Grace Communion Church
3 February 2029
Canon B43 assent for The Bethesda Romanian Pentecostal Church
