A STATEMENT OF NEEDS PREPARED BY THE VACANCY IN SEE COMMITTEE OF THE DIOCESE OF CARLISLE Section 1a: A Profile of the Diocese Politics, Geography and Population The Diocese of Carlisle is roughly coterminous with the shire county of Cumbria. The county is in the far north west of England, coming into existence as a county in 1974 from the old counties of Cumberland, Westmorland, part of north Lancashire and a small part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Since then a Cumbrian identity has begun to grow although for many the old boundaries remain significant. The County Council has administrative offices in Carlisle and Kendal, and there are six district (or borough) councils - Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden and South Lakeland. Cumbria is bounded to the west by the Irish Sea, to the south by Lancashire, to the southeast by North Yorkshire, and to the east by County Durham and Northumberland. Scotland lies directly to the north. The Diocese itself is bounded by the Dioceses of Glasgow and Galloway, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Durham, Ripon and Leeds, Bradford and Blackburn. A large and, by area at least, substantially rural Diocese, Carlisle s geographical centre is the Lake District National Park, internationally renowned as one of the most beautiful areas of the United Kingdom. The area has provided inspiration for generations of British and foreign artists, writers and musicians. Much of the centre and eastern edge of the Diocese is mountainous, with the highest point of the county (and of England) being Scafell Pike at 978 m (3210 ft). All the land in England that is over 3,000 feet above sea level is in the Diocese. The Diocese also contains many of England s most beautiful lakes, including the deepest Wastwater, and the longest - Windermere. 1
Significant parts of Hadrian's Wall can be found along the northern edges of the Diocese and the west coast from Barrow all the way north to Silloth has a strong maritime history. 2
The county returns six Members of Parliament to the House of Commons, representing the constituencies of Carlisle, Penrith & The Border, Workington, Copeland, Westmorland and Lonsdale and Barrow & Furness. Four of these are currently Labour seats, with one each for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. The population density of the county as a whole is very low, at 0.7 people per hectare. From a total population of 498,800 there are only five settlements with populations of over 20,000. The Diocese s largest settlement and only city, in the north east of the county, is Carlisle, with the largest town, Barrow-in-Furness, being in the opposite corner of the Diocese. The other major settlements are the former industrial towns of Workington and Whitehaven on the west coast and the market town of Kendal in the south east. Smaller towns such as Penrith, Cockermouth, Keswick and Ulverston, enjoy a significance as local service centres that to an outsider may appear disproportionate to their size. The overall population is forecast to grow by 6% over the next 20 years, largely in Eden and South Lakes. The population of rural areas is older than the national average with substantial in-migration on retirement and out-migration by younger people. These population flows are both responsible for and exacerbated by a lack of affordable housing. The Diocese is also one of the country's least ethnically diverse, with 96% of the population categorised as indigenous White British. However the larger towns have an ethnic makeup that is closer to the national average, and the ethnic minority population has been increasing twice as fast as England's average as a result of inward migration, largely from Eastern Europe. The majority religion in the Diocese by far is Christianity and the Church of England is numerically the largest Christian denomination, although in some locations other denominations are more significant. There are good working links with other denominations through Churches Together in Cumbria, currently presided over by a URC minister. Transport The major road connections in Cumbria are the M6 running north-south and bypassing Kendal, Penrith, and Carlisle; and the A66 running east-west, from Brough through Penrith to Workington. The A66 and A69 provide links eastwards to Teesside, Tyneside and the A1; the A65 southeast to Leeds. It can take two hours to travel on clear roads from one side of the Diocese to the other and in the summer tourist traffic can lengthen journeys substantially. The main West Coast rail line runs through Oxenholme, Penrith and Carlisle on its way from London to Glasgow. The other rail lines in the county are the coastal service from Carlisle to Barrow and on again to the mainline; the northern part of the Leeds -Settle- Carlisle railway; a spur running through Kendal to Windermere; and part of the Carlisle to Newcastle line. Carlisle Airport s future is the subject of redevelopment plans and most air travellers use Newcastle or Manchester airports. Bus services in the more rural areas of the county are infrequent or non-existent, but better in or near the main urban 3
areas. Car ownership is high, even among low-income families, as access to a car is a necessity to access employment and services. Broadband is becoming increasingly available, but there remain many rural communities where connection speed makes it an uneconomic option. Mobile phone coverage is also improving but remains non-existent in some rural areas. Socio-economic Issues The economy of Cumbria has been contracting in recent years the only sub-region of the UK where this has been the case. Although farming remains a very visible industry in the Diocese, its significance is now as much cultural as economic. 2001 s foot and mouth disease outbreak affected the Diocese very significantly, depressing the tourist trade and leading many farmers to exit the industry. Upland hill farming remains in crisis and farm restructuring continues apace. The Tourism Industry has a far greater significance for the local economy in Cumbria than any other English county, and other service industries make up an increasing part of the Cumbrian economy, while manufacturing continues to be proportionately more significant in the county than it is nationally. The nuclear site at Sellafield remains a very significant contributor to the local economy and there are plans for the development of a cluster of high-tech energy-related industries on the west coast as Sellafield is decommissioned. BAe Systems (maritime defence engineering) in Barrow and Pirelli in Carlisle (tyres) are other significant plants. Unemployment rates are generally well below the national average but conceal rural under-recording, high levels of seasonal work in agriculture and tourism and pockets of much higher worklessness in all the major urban areas. The Diocese contains several of the most deprived wards in the country. Overall people are less healthy than the national average. House prices are relatively low in the urban areas but high in the countryside - often so high that young people are forced out of rural areas. The Church-related housing association, Mitre Housing is part of a drive to make more affordable housing available in rural areas, but demand is likely to outstrip supply for some time to come. Crime rates are generally lower than nationally, but there are substantial variations between and 4
within individual Districts. Cumbria Constabulary has its HQ at Carleton Hall, on the outskirts of Penrith. Loss of services is a major issue for rural communities. In the next few years, further schools, Post Offices, village shops and bus services are likely to be closed. In the past year a major public campaign has been mounted to try to prevent the loss of Border Television from the county. Recent moves to consolidate acute health care into three major hospitals with the associated closure of local cottage hospitals were rebuffed after local campaigning but there is still a risk that services will be retrenched, in some cases to locations out of the county. Hospices at Carlisle and Ulverston have an important role in the healthcare system. The strong sense of belonging in Cumbria is reinforced by thriving local media outlets. Paid-for weekly or daily local newspapers reach most people. Local radio, both BBC and commercial, attracts a much higher share of listening than the national average. BBC Radio Cumbria serves the whole county while regional TV programmes are divided north and south. Education Outside the urban areas many primary schools are small and there are likely to be further controversial school closures. There are 103 Church primary Schools in the Diocese, of which 5 are Foundation primary; 50 voluntary aided primary; and 48 voluntary controlled primary. Although most of Cumbria s secondary education system is comprehensive, it has one state grammar school in Penrith. There are two voluntary aided Church secondary schools in the Diocese (Trinity School in Carlisle and Cartmel Priory). School educational attainment compares well with the national average but varies widely from school to school and district to district. Entry to Higher Education meanwhile is below the national average but likely to increase following the opening in 2007 of the new 5
University of Cumbria, a multi-campus institution, which has subsumed a number of other HE outposts and has an Anglican foundation. Church Organisation The Church in Cumbria, like the county as a whole, can be seen as reserved and cautious about the need for rapid change while being tolerant and inclusive of different views. Parish electoral rolls in the Diocese totalled 19,000 in 2007, down from 25,300 in 1993. Statistically, Usual Sunday Attendance fell by 22% between 1993 and 2004, but has been broadly stable since then, giving cause for optimism that the decline may now be bottoming out. There are 334 listed places of worship in the Diocese, with 275 parishes grouped into 115 benefices and 11 deaneries, under the care of 138 stipendiary parochial clergy, 52 NSMs, 11 of whom are in house for duty posts, and 128 Readers. The parish churches in the diocese make up a very high proportion of the built heritage of Cumbria, with over 70% of the churches being listed. The 12 th century Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is located in Carlisle. There are relatively few fresh expressions of church in the Diocese. Rose Castle, a substantial country house, has been the seat of Bishops since the 12 th century, and is located 7 miles south west of Carlisle. The current Suffragan Bishop of Penrith lives in Kendal. Three Archdeacons, two of whom have very recently been appointed, are responsible for oversight of the clergy within defined areas of the Diocese. The Diocese owns and operates Rydal Hall, a residential conference centre and retreat house in the heart of the Lake District. Substantially refurbished in 2005/6, the Hall and its historic gardens are now financially self-sufficient, and support the mission of the Church by providing the venue for Diocesan training and events as well as serving visitors from other dioceses and denominations and the secular world. 6
Rydal Hall is also the location for one of three residential Diocesan Youth Centres, the others being at Coniston and St John s in the Vale. Partnership and Action Ordination and other initial ministerial training to the Dioceses of Carlisle and Blackburn as well as to the local Methodist circuits is provided through the Lancashire and Cumbria Theological Partnership (LCTP). The Partnership is jointly owned by the Dioceses and the University of Cumbria. Courses are validated by the University and each year there are around 25 ordination trainees from the two Dioceses. The Diocese has active formal partnerships with the Dioceses of Zululand, Stavanger, Northern Argentina and Madras, and Bishops and others make regular visits to and from these places. In 2004 the Diocese raised over 130,000 for its Madras partners in response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster. The Church has also shown itself to be responsive to disasters within its borders. In January 2005 the Carlisle Churches Flood Response Team responded ahead of the secular agencies to provide frontline support to victims of the city s major floods. Four years earlier rural churches across the Diocese were the backbone of support for communities hit by the foot and mouth disaster, providing pastoral care, prayer and access to crisis funding. There is a strong tradition in many parishes of promoting and acting on environmental causes, including giving birth to the sustainable communities movement. An active ecumenical environment group promotes public debate in this area and the Diocese has recently adopted a comprehensive and far-reaching environment policy. 7
Section 1b: Current Diocesan Strategy and Iniatitives Over the last few years a number of major initiatives have been developed to tackle the challenges facing the Diocese and to help the Church grow. The Challenge of Church Growth In 2004 the Diocese launched its strategy Survival to Revival as a response to the longterm and continued decline in Church attendance, membership and perceived relevance to today s society. Under this strategy Bishop Graham developed and publicised a vision for Worship, Ministry, Mission, Discipleship, Young People and Giving in our churches. A process then began in which every parish was asked to undertake a healthy churches review and choose their own aims under these six headings. This deliberately nonprescriptive approach continues, encouraging parishes to take greater control of their future. Around three quarters of parishes have now participated in the process, and in the 2006 Diocesan Clergy Survey 98% of clergy reported understanding the strategy and 92% reported that they supported it. In supporting parishes in implementing their aims a number of areas have been identified over the last few years for particular encouragement and development. A substantial effort has been put into encouraging parishes to be more outward looking through a series of deanery missions and the three-week long Walk Cumbria mission. Lay ministry development has been strongly encouraged and specific resource has been put into the Called to Serve course and commissioned lay ministry. A personal priority for the current Diocesan Bishop has been the development of the healing ministry; this is now supported by archdeaconry and deanery structures for further training and resourcing. Spiritual development has been encouraged and resourced through the year-long Spiritual Companionship Course and ongoing Resource Days. Both of these aspects of ministry attract ecumenical participation. Three new priorities have been agreed for 2009-2011, as set out in Section 2. These are: implementing a Young Diocese project; putting in place a comprehensive strategy for Ministry; and publishing a Rural Manifesto. 8
The Challenge of Resourcing Growth In order to support and encourage growth the Diocese has agreed a resourcing strategy Resourcing Revival. Under the strategy the Diocesan Board of Finance maximises the amount of resource going into local ministry meaning that the existing level of ministry will be maintained (though not necessarily in its current configuration) for as long as the parishes provide the necessary finance. The DBF also applies growth and value for money tests to central expenditure and has tied increases in the contributions requested from parishes to the annual increase in the costs of local ministry. A Diocesan Growth Fund has been established which will support its first projects in 2009. This fund will enable new work to achieve church growth and will be slanted towards projects which are aligned with Diocesan priorities. Since this strategy was agreed the Diocese has achieved financial stability, making a surplus in 2007 and 2008 on a turnover of around 7m and setting balanced budgets each year. Following a detailed review of the previous unloved Parish Share, a new Parish Offer system has been introduced in 2008. Under this new system parishes are asked to make informed, realistic and generous offers towards the costs of their ministry. The new system is as much about encouraging dialogue between parishes, benefices and deaneries about the ministry they want to see and how it can be funded as it is about raising the necessary finance. Although the offers made for 2009 are adequate to fund ministry across the Diocese, there remains much to be done to embed the spirit of generosity among the parishes that will be necessary for its long-term success. The Challenge of Devolution to Encourage Growth Alongside the new Parish Offer system, greater responsibility has been devolved to Deaneries to develop growth-based deployment plans setting out what ministry is required, how it will be deployed and make the link to how it will be funded. Over time we hope that these plans will become more adventurous, providing the basis for new expressions of church to develop. The Diocesan Board of Finance and English Heritage have recently jointly funded an audit of church buildings to address issues of their current and potential use for mission as well architectural significance and condition. The resulting report is written with a view to encouraging deaneries and parishes to take a more strategic view of their built resources and to consider them alongside their deployment plans. 9
Section 2: The Future Given the progress made under the initiatives set out in Section 1b, consolidating existing initiatives is currently a first priority. 1. Mission And Church Growth There is a need for a sustained strategy for mission and ministry and its implementation to continue to tackle the issue of declining numbers. Survival to Revival has generated significant new life in many parishes and, following a stock take of progress, three new priorities have now been set for the three-year period from 2009, as follows: Young Diocese The Young Diocese project responds to the dramatic fall in the number of children and young people in church and the evidence from research that work with young people is the area in which our clergy feel least equipped. The project aims to deliver a significant cultural shift so that, Within 3 years the diocese of Carlisle will be known as a place where young people are actively engaged in work and worship across our church communities. Additional support and resources for churches wanting to develop their work with children and young people need to be provided; work is needed on piloting different approaches in order to learn which are most effective; and a new generation of young church leaders needs to be identified and developed. Ministry The quality of local ministry is the most significant single factor determining whether churches grow. Lay ministry development has been resourced substantially through the Called to Serve course and Commissioned Lay Ministry. Over the next three years the diocese needs to continue this through a comprehensive strategy for both clergy and lay ministry covering selection, training and development, deployment, support, and resourcing, and through the continuation of healing ministry and spiritual companionship initiatives. The Rural Manifesto The development of a Rural Manifesto aims to tackle concerns that Survival to Revival has thus far been less relevant to rural churches. In a varied secular culture with strong residual loyalty to the Church in many areas, the Manifesto will address the lack of compelling models for the 21 st century rural church and identify ways in which rural churches and their congregations can be helped to develop. 10
2. Engaging with the diverse life of the County Creatively expanding our engagement with wider society in all its aspects is a high priority. Recognising the diversity of our county and its particular challenges, we need, together with our ecumenical partners, to be seen to be a caring, serving and outward looking Church, exercising a prophetic ministry and advocacy for the marginalised. We have a key role to play in reconciling and providing pastoral support within the many diverse strands that make up the life of Cumbria. There are some good established networks, but more needs to be done to build up our credibility as a serious partner in the life of local society. This should include delivering support through local projects, often in partnership with other agencies. Major areas where we should contribute are: The rural economy and agriculture The farming community, especially upland farmers, feel marginalized. Working long hours for minimal profit, they feel that their specific problems are not understood nationally. Most farms are family run units, handed down through generations but maintained with increasing difficulty. In future farming s cultural importance is likely to outweigh its economic importance, and pastoral care and support will be needed in managing this change of emphasis. Tourism, urban regeneration and the environment Tourism is highly significant for the local economy as, increasingly, are other service industries. Employment at Sellafield and in energy-related industries on the west coast are also significant factors. Concern for the environment and working towards sustainability in our use of resources continues to be a major focus of concern and action. Education Increasing the impact of the Church s involvement at all levels of Primary, Secondary and Higher Education. Housing The lack of affordable housing in many areas is a concern. Local action is needed in the creation of sustainable communities by the provision and maintenance of affordable housing and welfare. 3. Resourcing the diocese Financial stability and the priority to resourcing local ministry must be maintained. The new culture of voluntary giving will need further encouragement. Improved communication between the Diocesan Board of Finance and the parishes must be maintained. Clergy need to be equipped for changing times, especially in work with young people. There is still some way to go to build up the confidence of Deaneries to take responsibility for deciding on the ministry they want and how it is to be paid for. 11
Deaneries also need to play a key role in planning for a mission shaped church. Priorities in this respect are: ` The Parish Offering Scheme To develop a true understanding of Christian giving and the spirit of generosity inspired by the Scheme; Devolution to Deaneries To give more responsibility to Deaneries and encourage effective leadership at this level, especially in sharing resources for mission and work with children and young people. Use of Church Buildings To develop a strategy for better and wider use of Church buildings through use of the Church Buildings Audit. 12
Section 3: The Qualities sought in our new Bishop We would expect our new Bishop to pay due regard to the priorities outlined above in assessing his own priorities. As well as being a good listener, he will in particular need to have or to be: 1. A clear commitment to Mission and Growth Our new Bishop should be a man whose life of prayer will equip him to discern and develop God s vision for the Church in Cumbria, building on existing initiatives and identified priorities for growth. He will encourage all those who work with young people and see the vital role that Church schools have to play in mission. Visionary, inspired leadership Fully committed to Church growth in its various forms, and offering fresh insights to help us to build on existing initiatives Holding to a broad based understanding of mission, that includes social justice Enthusiastically supporting work with young people through the Young Diocese project Encouraging outreach in all schools, but especially our Church schools 2. A good communicator of the Gospel He will have a confident faith that he can communicate well with others both within and outside the Church. He will be a theologically adept and clear teacher, with a relaxed and engaging manner that will have wide appeal. A theologically adept teacher The ability to communicate in a compelling way with the committed and the noncommitted alike. A clear thinker, with a warm and engaging delivery 3. A relevant background and appreciation of the importance of the local context He should have the relevant experience to equip him to work in a predominantly rural county with significant urban areas. He will probably have had parochial experience and gained some appreciation of the cultural differences between the north and south of England. He should be sensitive to, and willing to learn from the various local contexts of a diverse county, with a natural gift for relating to a wide cross-section of people and a common touch. 13
A broad understanding of rural life, with an appreciation of the complexities of the local context, urban and rural A keenness to engage with varied economic/commercial interests, including rural and urban regeneration, farming, tourism and the nuclear industry A clear readiness to promote the Church s active concern for the environment as expressed in recent diocesan and ecumenical policy statements A man of humility, having a natural gift for relating to a wide cross-section of people, with a relaxed, easy manner 4. A Pastor to Clergy and Laity The new Bishop will hold to a generous orthodoxy, and be able to relate across a broad spectrum. He will be fully open to the ministry of women whilst respecting and seeking to hold together those of differing views. He will affirm and build up confidence and selfesteem in others. He will be a gifted pastor to the clergy, and a real enthusiast for lay ministry in all its forms, including an existing and active ministry of healing in many parishes. Possessing a generous orthodoxy and ability to relate across a broad spectrum A gifted pastor to the clergy Enthusiastic about all forms of lay ministry A full openness to the ministry of women Ready to encourage a strong interest in the ministry of healing, and the development of personal spirituality 5. Ecumenically minded He will be thoroughly committed ecumenically, ready to share fully with other churches and their leaders. He will have a lively interest in the wider Church, nationally and internationally, including our Partners in Mission. Happy to give a high priority to ecumenical partnerships and working, building fruitful relationships with Cumbrian Church Leaders Concern for a broader ecumenism, including the world-wide Church and our partnerships in mission 14
Ensuring appropriate consultation and collaboration with other churches as we develop our mission 6. A Manager of Change As a delegator and team player, he will see the wider picture in his responsibility for managing change and necessary re-structuring. He will be unafraid to tackle tough issues and will have the courage to think ahead creatively. He will be fully supportive of new Parish Offering Scheme, and the principle of devolving responsibility to deaneries Confident as a delegator and team player, able to see the wider picture A good manager, positive about change and the need to restructure Genuinely committed to devolution, particularly through Deaneries exercising their devolved responsibilities Financially prudent, but prepared to take calculated risks to invest in the Church s future Finally, our new Bishop and his family will be comfortable living in the relative isolation of Rose Castle, and pleased to develop it as a resource for a ministry of hospitality. He should enjoy travelling and being seen around the county, and have regard to distances and travelling time in managing his national commitments. 15