Patronage: new Measure and procedural questions
From the Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and others
Madam, — We are all representatives of bodies that are patrons of parish churches, and write to draw attention to new legislation coming before the General Synod of the Church of England today. At present, patrons can act as a significant protection for a local church. The new Mission and Pastoral Measure (MPM) would appear to enable dioceses to set up a patronage board without the consent of a patron. And once a patronage board has been established, the patron could be represented, but their consent would no longer be required. We have three concerns.
First, we believe that these changes should not be made without serious consultation with patrons, and we know of no such consultation having taken place since 2021, when comment was invited on a range of options. We urge that time be taken to invite comment on the specific recommendations included in the new MPM. Good consultation would minimise the risk of unintended consequences.
Second, we are concerned that the Synod may not be fully aware of the nature of the change proposed. The documentation presented to the Synod states that the relevant regulation simply restates the current law, whereas the current law requires the consent of the patron in situations where the new legislation would not.
Third, we are concerned at changes that reduce necessary checks and balances in the system, which this legislation would appear to do.
We do not believe that the Synod should pass this Measure until a significant consultation has taken place, and a way forward has been found that addresses the “issues around fairness” which the draft legislation is attempting to redress, without removing the protection that patrons are able to offer otherwise potentially vulnerable local churches.
Michael Lloyd (Wycliffe Hall, Oxford OX2 6PW), Andrew Allen (Exeter College, Oxford), Matt Bullimore (Corpus Christi College, Cambridge), Jeremy Caddick (Emmanuel College, Cambridge), Stephen Cherry (King’s College, Cambridge), James Crockford (Jesus College, Cambridge), the Benefices Committee (Jesus College, Oxford), Peter Groves (Worcester College, Oxford), Cally Hammond (Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge), Elizabeth Macfarlane (St John’s College, Oxford), Arabella Milbank Robinson (Selwyn College, Cambridge), Peter Moger (Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford), Helen Orchard (Christ’s College, Cambridge), Mark Smith (Clare College, Cambridge), Robert Wainwright (Advowsons Secretary, Oriel College, Oxford), Justin White (Merton College, Oxford)
From Mrs Margery Roberts
Madam, — Simon Walsh’s article (Features, 7 February) includes worthwhile information about the part played by patrons in vacancies.
The charitable body of which I am the secretary has only a modest amount of patronage, but we take seriously what we have. Just over a year ago, in January 2024, a rural benefice of which we are a joint patron in a Midlands diocese fell vacant. I will not name the diocese, to spare their blushes, although I’m not sure that they deserve it.
Our first intimation of the vacancy was a notice from the diocese in February that they proposed to sell the parsonage house. Our response was that they had not served notice of the vacancy under the terms of the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986. I was eventually assured in a telephone call that they had everything in hand.
The next event was a very proper notice from the Church Commissioners about the proposed sale of the parsonage, enclosing copies of objections from some of the PCCs. It appeared that the house had been placed on the market and potential buyers shown round before any notice of the proposal (let alone of the vacancy) had been served on the interested parties. Shortly afterwards, the diocese served notice of the Bishop’s intention to suspend presentation. I requested a meeting under the terms of the Measure, but had to repeat my request when I found that the Archdeacon had not thought it was “that sort” of meeting.
When I turned up for the meeting, I found a room full of people: not only the Archdeacon and the Diocesan Secretary, but also representatives from all the parishes. Did I find that the latter had straws in their hair? Not a bit of it. I have yet to meet a more delightful group of committed, intelligent, and articulate laypeople. They cared passionately about the future of their parishes.
Their main problem was that they had been repeatedly fobbed off and misled by the diocese, who, it was apparent, only wanted to flog the house, suspend the patrons’ right of presentation, unite the benefice with another one, already identified, and install a priest-in-charge with as little consultation as possible. Since the meeting, I have been able to advise some of the churchwardens about legislation and even sent them an excellent guide to coping with a vacancy, prepared by another diocese.
The Revd Marcus Walker said during last year’s Liddon Lecture that no organisation treats its volunteers with such contempt as does the Church of England. I am inclined to agree with him. The Church would be in an even worse state than it currently is were it not for the thousands of dedicated volunteers, many of them quite elderly, who willingly donate their time, energies, skills, and money out of a steadfast faith and an unwavering sense of duty. And yet, they are so often overlooked or even treated with disdain by diocesan hierarchies and committees.
This, sadly, can also extend to private patrons and other interested parties. The legislation relating to vacancies contains plenty of provision for “consultation”, but this is a slippery term, which can conveniently be viewed as a mere formality, handled subtly and deviously in some instances, and with blundering incompetence in others.
And, incidentally, the charity has still not received a formal notice of the vacancy of the above-mentioned benefice.
MARGERY ROBERTS
Secretary
The Society of the Faith
Faith House
7 Tufton Street
London SW1P 3QB
From the Very Revd George Nairn-Briggs
Madam, — May I add one further ingredient to the excellent article on the length of interregna, “Why Are We Waiting?” by Simon Walsh in last week’s edition?
That is the role of retired clergy. Between one quarter and one third of Sunday services are taken by retired clergy. Many of those are at churches in interregnum.
Since I retired, I have covered Sunday and weekday services in at least three parishes where the vacancies have lasted more than two years. It is a joy and a privilege to give sacramental continuity and pastoral care to the regular worshippers, especially as the vacancy has grown in length.
This experience has given me useful insights into the life and needs of the people and parish. Sadly, I have never been asked for my thoughts and observations by those responsible for filling any of the vacancies. I know that this experience is shared by other retired clergy.
We do not wish to push ourselves forward, but would just like to add to the discussion about the future of people we have grown to love and know.
GEORGE NAIRN-BRIGGS
Abbey House, 2 St James Court
Park Avenue
Wakefield WF2 8DN
Responses to Fr Walker’s article on the parishes
From the Chair of the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board
Madam, — I agree with the Revd Marcus Walker (Comment, 31 January) that funding distributed to parishes and dioceses should be paid with particular regard to additional provision for the cure of souls in parishes where such assistance is most required. The national funding managed by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB), which I chair, is intended to deliver this purpose.
The picture on the ground is in fact rather brighter than the one painted in Fr Walker’s article, in which he makes a series of errors.
Money has not been redirected away from funding parochial ministry on a sustainable basis towards making short-term grants for new church projects. Nor have hundreds of millions of pounds been withdrawn from funding parochial ministry, with all the consequences that we can see today. In fact, the overall envelope of funding has increased in real terms, and we are proud that it is estimated that funding overseen by SMIIB is supporting parishes that collectively represent one third of England’s population.
While Fr Walker may not be a supporter of Strategic Development Funding, it is delivering real impact on the ground. Latest figures suggest 37,000 new disciples to date from programmes funded in the last triennium, with many still running until 2028. This is alongside 6000 new church leaders and 1300 new worshipping communities in funded dioceses across a range of contexts and traditions and across the country.
For Lowest Income Communities Funding, 61 per cent is the proportion that, we can confirm, went to the most deprived 25 per cent of parishes in 2022. In 2023, this rose to 66 per cent, a total increase from £12.5 million in 2017 to £22.1 million in 2023. In total, we can confirm that 88 per cent goes to parishes across all levels of deprivation, with 2000 parishes in total supported. I have been advocating during this week’s Synod sessions for a greater focus on the most deprived parishes.
CARL HUGHES
Church House
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3NZ
From Mr James Ginns
Madam, — The General Synod had the opportunity this week to seize the chance highlighted by the Revd Marcus Walker when it voted on amendments to the National Church Governance Measure.
My elderly father lives in the so-called Launde Minster Community, in Leicester diocese. His is one of 35 churches overseen by one stipendiary ordained minister. Ministry to the elderly and young families in his village has ceased, and provision of services relies entirely on retired clergy. It is feared that when they hang up their cassocks, the church will close.
It’s time the Church prioritised and funded local parish ministry before it’s too late.
JAMES GINNS
23 King George Square
Richmond TW10 6LF
Synod’s latest decision on future of safeguarding
Madam, — What a distressing and awful result from the safeguarding debate! What will inevitably happen is that there will be suspicion, defensiveness, and the erection of barriers between diocesan teams and the independent oversight process, and a huge reluctance to pass cases — or information — up for review. One of the difficulties with the current processes is (as I know from experience) that it is very difficult to get a second opinion on any judgements made by an individual diocesan safeguarding officer (DSO): the diocese is unwilling to question the judgement of a professional, and there is nowhere to go. Inevitably, in the proposed structure, diocesan safeguarding teams will regard the oversight team as a kind of “Ofsted” trying to catch them out, and will be even more reluctant to allow their judgement to be scrutinised. Some dioceses will do all that they can to keep things away from independent scrutiny. The fact that many DSOs didn’t want a fully independent structure tells me that the current arrangements are far too cosy. What is needed is a seamless, internally supportive and rigorous, open and transparent structure. This is not it. A very bad day for safeguarding in the Church.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
Holding on in the Church of England
From the Revd Patrick Morrow
Madam, — Thanks are due to the Very Revd Dr Frances Ward for making the case for remaining in the C of E, even now (Comment, 7 February). May I add some wisdom from another tradition? The Jewish scholar Rabbi Irving Greenberg once said: “It doesn’t matter what denomination you belong to, as long as you are ashamed of it.” I cannot tell you the original context; I am convinced it worthy of sustained reflection, in and out of season. PATRICK MORROW Address supplied
Bibles printed in China, and the Church there
From Canon John Austen
Madam, — Friends of the Church in China (FCC) invites Stephen Collier (Letter, 7 February) to thank God that by April 2024 more than 260 million Bibles had been printed by the Amity Press in Nanjing: 94 million for the Church in China, and 166 million for export in 229 languages. Much of the high-quality “Bible paper” is funded by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
The Church in China has grown in the 75 years since the founding of the People’s Republic (PRC): some of today’s elderly worshippers persevered through the state’s opposition in the 1960s and 1970s. We pray for the 24 Protestant seminaries preparing students to teach the Bible in China. Some studied in the UK for postgraduate degrees before returning to China.
Your readers, including Mr Collier, inspired by the provenance of Bibles printed in China, may also pray for Chinese church leaders to navigate the path of faithfulness to God’s kingdom while being citizens of the PRC, as exhorted by Jeremiah: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
JOHN AUSTEN
Chair, FCC
12 William Lucy Way
Oxford OX2 6EQ
Call for a Lead Bishop for Justice for Women
From the Revd Martine Oborne
Madam, — In the light of recent stories about sexual harassment and assault of women, people are asking whether women are safe in the Church of England. The answer is “Yes,” because women are not generally vulnerable in the same sense as children and some adults may be. We are perfectly capable of reporting assaults and misconduct to the appropriate authorities. But the answer is also an emphatic “No,” because women find that reporting so difficult in the Church.
This is partly due to inadequacies and failures in process, but is mostly attributable to a dangerous culture of deference. To be ordained, women are required to accept discrimination and to work within it. Anyone who has the temerity to challenge these arrangements — for example, by saying they would like to see full equality for women in the Church — is likely to be marginalised and gaslit by being labelled “troublesome” or “too prophetic”.
Against this background, there is a wider culture that puts pressure on women to be nice, keep smiling, and not make a fuss. Allegations are often dismissed by describing them as banter or “unboundaried behaviour”.
The great majority of women in the Church have experienced instances of sexism, discrimination, and harassment. Women simply choose to keep quiet about their experiences. If we want to make the Church of England safer for women, we should appoint a Lead Bishop for Justice for Women. This should be a person who has both the courage and conviction to speak truth to power and to be an advocate for women in the Church.
There is much evidence that understandings of male privilege and that women are lesser than men are drivers of abuse and violence against women and girls. Globally, many women and girls still face discrimination and experience domestic and sexual violence, lower pay, lack of access to education, and inadequate healthcare.
It is hard for the Church to speak out about this if we are not able to support women in our own Church who report abuse.
MARTINE OBORNE
Chair, Women and the Church (WATCH)
Address supplied
Positive experience of pastoral supervision
From the Revd Tim Haggis
Madam, — Inevitably, there is much talk at the moment of safeguarding procedures and training for the clergy, and clearly that is right and proper. I do wonder, though, whether enough attention is being given to procedures and training that would prevent many of these safeguarding issues from arising in the first place.
In an excellent article a couple of months ago (Comment, 13 December), Dr Ruth Layzell made the case for a much more widespread use of pastoral supervision. I can vouch personally for the value of this. A number of years ago, during my years in parish ministry, I was buckling psychologically and emotionally under the load. My wife, who worked at that time as a psychotherapist, and who, therefore, had supervision every month, found a supervisor for me.
She, too, was trained both as a psychotherapist and a supervisor, and, once a month, I spent an hour with her, being given space and freedom to talk about the issues I faced, being listened to, being given some very helpful insights into how people work and how that might be affecting my ministry in the parish.
I used to come out of those sessions with clearer vision, with restored belief that the job was manageable after all, with a realisation that not everything was my fault, with more hope and energy for what lay ahead, and — I hope — with some potential disasters averted.
In her article, Dr Layzell wrote that “a safer Church needs safer clergy.” I couldn’t agree more. Prevention is always better than cure.
TIM HAGGIS
68 Longmoor Lane
Breaston DE72 3BB
Taking bearings for the Church of England reset
From Canon Christopher Irvine
Madam, — Last Sunday, I sat in the nave of Salisbury Cathedral and heard our former Archbishop Lord Williams preach at the memorial service for Robert Willis, with whom I worked for nearly 11 years at Canterbury Cathedral. Lord Williams honoured Robert Willis in what he said about his ministry, and then spoke about what the Church is called to be and what it isn’t. These reflections were profound, and I’m grateful that Salisbury Cathedral has posted the sermon on their YouTube channel.
Various voices have recently called for a reset of the Church of England, and I think some good bearings for doing this are to be found in that sermon.
The Church has agreed its strategic aims, but alongside being simpler, humbler, and bolder, shouldn’t we also seek to go deeper? In part, this can only happen, as suggested in the excellent article by Professors MacCulloch and Wright (Comment, 7 February), when we value and use our church buildings as places of prayer: places where things human and things divine are woven into a single fabric.
CHRISTOPHER IRVINE
35 George Roche Road
Canterbury CT1 3FF
The young should see Europe, but not by air
From Mrs Margery Toller
Madam, — I couldn’t agree more with the Bishop of St Albans that young people should be given opportunities to travel in Europe (News, 7 February) (I met my German husband in Taizé in 1973, having gone there after being intrigued by an article in my granny’s copy of the Church Times about a community who, when more people said they wanted to come and stay than would fit in the church, instead of saying they were full, decided instead to knock down the back wall of the church and erect a circus tent to extend it!).
But I do not agree with whoever chose an airport photo to accompany the article online — as if young people should be encouraged to take short-haul, very environmentally polluting, flights. Instead, I highly recommend Eurostar trains (good value if booked long enough in advance) and a European young person’s Interrail card, also very good value.
MARGERY TOLLER
1 Bransghyll Terrace
Horton-in-Ribblesdale
Settle BD24 0HG