Your answers
Some recent advertisements in the Church Times have run along these lines: “The Diocese of x seeks to appoint an organist & choirmaster to y parish.” I thought that the incumbent and PCC were the joint employer of organists, not the diocese. Since the new Legal Advisory Commission Guidance (C of E website), it seems that the PCC is now the employer; so how does that square with these advertisements? Who, in fact, employs organists?
Although some advertisements might suggest that the appointment would be made by the diocese, in practice it is the parish that makes the appointment.
Recent case law has shown that many parish organists, including those with “self-employed” contracts, are in fact employees, with all the consequences that brings, both to the employee and the employer. As control is one of the principal elements for a contract of employment, the permanent engagement of an organist, if there is a contract, it will almost certainly be that of employment.
The Church of England’s Legal Advisory Commission has recently given some very helpful guidance on this: www.churchofengland.org/media/3956676/organists.pdf, and indicates that the PCC is normally the employer. This is because the PCC is the only ongoing corporate body. Further, in virtually every case, the PCC pays the organist or other musicians. In practice, when a dispute goes to a tribunal, the tribunal joins both the minister and the PCC as the employer and they appear together as joint party opponent.
These advertisements are, in fact, incorrect. All those that I have seen, quite properly, refer the enquirer to someone in the relevant parish, not to the diocesan office. I have written an article about these matters which will appear in the Royal School of Church Music’s magazine, CMQ in September.
A model contract for employed organists is available to download free from the Guild of Church Musicians’ website at: www.churchmusicians.org/node/149.
The Church Times is still one of the best places to advertise vacancies for church organists.
Barry Williams (Special Adviser, The Royal School of Church Music)
Beddington, Surrey
Your questions
Every time a woman is made a bishop, her husband is a vicar. Is this a coincidence? A. E.
Can anyone find a word or several words which describe same-sex unions which will be acceptable to those involved? I think most clergy would happily bless a same-sex union, but obviously cannot call it “marriage”, as marriage, by definition, is the union of a man and a woman. I think all the quarrelling would end if another word or title could be found. A. A.
I wonder whether any readers who, like me, enjoy watching Poldark could enlighten me on certain matters. How were Caroline and Dwight able to get married without anyone knowing about it? Surely banns would have to have been read on three Sundays? The same question could be raised in relation to the marriage of Morwenna to Mr Whitworth, which seemed to take place incredibly quickly. In those pre-Oxford Movement days, would clergy have worn surplice and stole? Would there have been a cross and candles on the holy table? And would a clergyman have been referred to as “Reverend Whitworth” rather than the Revd Mr Whitworth? H. B.
What is the minimum housing that should be offered to a member of the clergy with a growing family? Are standards prescribed by the Church Commissioners? If not, who makes the decision? A. W. M.
Address: Out of the Question, Church Times, 3rd floor, Invicta House, 108-114 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0TG. questions@churchtimes.co.uk
We ask readers not to send us letters for forwarding, and those giving answers to provide full name, address, and, if possible, phone number.