Carlisle Diocese: Rural Deans job description 1 The appointment of Rural Deans Rural Deans are appointed by the Bishop. The Bishop will usually consult the clergy of the Deanery for suggestions, and will discuss the appointment with the Bishop s Staff Team. In the past, people have sometimes seen Rural Deans either as shop stewards or as foremen. It may be helpful to unlearn this sort of language and think about Rural Deans as challenging friends, as people with oversight, as pastors. Rural Deans certainly are key leaders in mission in their deaneries; they are part of the leadership of the Diocese. In some cases, it may be appropriate to appoint the Rural Dean from outside the Deanery, for example combining the post of Rural Dean with an appointment to a vacant benefice, and advertising the two together. In some cases, it may be appropriate to appoint a retired priest/bishop as Rural Dean. The appointment is usually initially for a maximum of five years. This may be extended in some situations. It carries a separate Statement of Particulars under Common Tenure. It is recognised that the role of Rural Dean is a significant extra responsibility. (Estimates vary but certainly the extra work would take one day a week.) The Bishops, Archdeacons, and Diocese, will do their best to support Rural Deans in carrying this extra responsibility, to provide appropriate resources for Rural Deans, and to keep workloads etc under review. Some Rural Deans will share the extra work with an Assistant see below. Rural Deans are currently paid an extra 4% a year to reflect the extra responsibility carried. Expenses incurred as Rural Dean are paid by the Diocese but Deaneries are expected to provide appropriate support too. 2 The tasks of a Rural Dean: The role of Rural Dean is defined by Canon C23 (see below) In the Diocese of Carlisle the particular expectations of Rural Deans are as follows: NB this list of tasks is more of a rule of thumb than a rigid prescription though of course Rural Deans as senior clergy leaders will treat it with appropriate seriousness. NB It will be good practice for the Archdeacon to talk to the parish or PCC of a new Rural Dean to share this document with them and talk about the new expectations of their incumbent; also with the Deanery Standing Committee.
Task Sub tasks Notes Work with Bishops Keep the Bishops informed about developments in the Deanery Communicate things referred by the Bishops/Diocesan Synod to Deanery Chapter and Synod Once / twice a year meetings with Bishops and Bishop s Staff (some with Lay Chairs) Work with Archdeacon Care for the clergy Lead Clergy in Chapter Keep the Archdeacon informed about developments in the Deanery Regular meetings with Archdeacon, some with Lay Chairs Visit the clergy and their families at least once a year, and keep in regular touch; especially keep an eye on clergy who may be falling through the cracks Let the Archdeacon & Bishops know about any (major) problems Where and when necessary, support the Archdeaconry and Diocesan Officers for Retired Clergy and Clergy Widows etc When clergy are unwell, with Churchwardens, make sure that cover is provided Be one of the commentators for 180 Appraisal for the clergy (about one third of deanery clergy in any year) Make sure there is an appropriate program probably of about ten chapter meetings a year and encourage attendance. Chair Chapter Meetings. Responsibility for clergy and their families is shared between Parish, Deanery and Diocese A key point for Rural Deans to make contact is when new clergy move in Rural Deans do not have primary responsibility for retired clergy but they do have some oversight Rural Deans need to be kept informed by the Bishop s Office about the status of retired clergy eg whether they have a PTO, whether they are in good standing, etc In some situations, support from the clergy of a neighbouring Deanery will be vital The value of Chapter lies in praying together, in some social time together, in the building of trusting supportive relationships Some chapters have speakers but not every time; local speakers (eg a local registrar) can
Lead Deanery Synod Make sure Diocesan policies are known and understood by Chapter; as far as possible make sure they are followed! Lead by example demonstrate best practice Especially lead on Growing Disciples, Giving for Life, and MAPing Lead by relationship and encouragement and challenge - mentor clergy Use resources of Chapter to help make sure that clergy can find cover for holidays Facilitate good communication between Chapter and Bishops and Archdeacon Work with Lay Chair and Deanery Standing Cttee Make sure Synod meetings are well organised, with an appropriate program, and opportunity to discuss national and Diocesan church matters, parish offer, deployment, etc; encourage attendance; Lead Standing Committee, in conversation with Archdeacon, to create a Deanery Deployment Plan which will lead to growth but is realistic Parish Offer: responsibility shared with Lay Chair, Archdeacon, Diocesan Secretary; five areas of responsibility: a) manage administrative side of the process of making parish offers be very engaging; planning the chapter programme collaboratively with the other clergy can work well; some chapters have residentials; looking at timing can help (eg a breakfast meeting); some chapters meet occasionally with neighbouring chapters; praying in twos and threes has been found helpful in some places The relationship with the Lay Chair will need to be renegotiated each time there is a change of Rural Dean or Lay Chair different deaneries and different parishes will need different messages in order to be realistic and generous some deaneries have been able to
b) encourage the deanery to consider and set realistic and generous targets/aspirations for its overall offer/contribution (related to deployment plan) c) encourage individual parishes to make generous and realistic offers d) monitor progress and issues and encourage full payment by parishes e) encourage generous response by parishes within deanery to issues faced in individual parishes set in place clear strategies eg Brampton Deanery s Bridging the gap some deaneries and some parishes may need to be challenged / encouraged to pay more than their costs in order to support work elsewhere in the Diocese, including new work key words / themes: generous, realistic, mutual accountability Share chairing with Lay Chair With Lay Chair, especially lead on Growing Disciples, Giving for Life, and MAPing Facilitate communication between Diocesan Synod, Deanery Synod, parishes Support Deanery reps on Diocesan Synod Archdeaconry Pastoral / Parsonage Committee Involvement in appointing and managing Deanery Network Youth Church projects and personnel Encourage clergy to tell the Communications Officer about good news stories Make sure the WAY is distributed from central points to the parishes, and encourage clergy to hand out the WAY at the door as congregations leave Vacancies Support churchwardens and other church officers in vacant benefices Responsibility for Churchyards in vacant benefices Make sure that worship and pastoral care is provided eg by overseeing the drawing up of rotas for cover Make sure that benefices are properly administered during vacancy Involvement in appointments Lead the organisation of the service for a new ministry including holding a rehearsal
Self Look after yourself! It is likely that a Rural Dean s job could only be done by a driver. 3 Assistant Rural Deans In some deaneries the Rural Dean will, with the blessing of the clergy Chapter, nominate an Assistant Rural Dean for the Bishop to appoint. An Assistant Rural Dean would share the role thus sharing the workload and modelling collaborative working. It would be clearest if agreed tasks from the above list were delegated to an Assistant Rural Dean; some of the tasks in the list should (could) not be delegated to an Assistant. Alternatively, some of these roles could be delegated to a Deputy eg the Chapter Clerk or other member of the Chapter. The distinction would be that a Deputy would only stand in when the Rural Dean was unavailable, whereas an Assistant would be more permanently engaged. Assistant Rural Deans, where appointed, will be paid an extra 2% a year. The Diocese will pay an Assistant s / Deputy s expenses when they stand in for a Rural Dean on the basis that it would have been paying the Rural Dean s expenses. In general the Diocese would be happy paying variable costs (travel and subsistence, entertaining etc) but not a proportion of fixed costs (computer/broadband/phone rental); there may be an element of doubling up but Rural Deans will make sure that this doesn t get out of hand.
4 Canon C23 of Rural Deans 1. Every rural dean shall report to the bishop any matter in any parish within the deanery which it may be necessary or useful for the bishop to know, particularly any case of serious illness or other form of distress amongst the clergy, the vacancy of any cure of souls and the measures taken by the sequestrators to secure the ministration of the word and sacraments and other rites of the Church during the said vacancy, and any case of a minister from another diocese officiating in any place otherwise than as provided in Canon C 8. 2. In the case of any omission in any parish to prepare and maintain a church electoral roll or to form or maintain a parochial church council or to hold the annual parochial church meeting, the rural dean on such omission being brought to his notice shall ascertain and report to the bishop the cause ttthereof. 3. If at any time the rural dean has reason to believe that there is any serious defect in the fabric, ornaments, and furniture of any church or chapel, or that the buildings of any benefice are in a state of disrepair, he shall report the matter to the archdeacon. 4. The rural dean shall be a joint chairman (with a member of the House of Laity) of the deanery synod.