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Clergy Terms of Service/Common Tenure

Introducing Clergy Terms of Service in the Diocese of Gloucester

It is very unlikely that the parish clergy and their congregations will notice any change of culture when Clergy Terms of Service are introduced in the latter part of 2010. The life of the local church will not be disturbed; the work of mission and ministry will not change.

What will change are some of the principle and assumptions that govern the way we work. There will be more clarity about what we expect of one another, more process and less 'feeling our way'. So, for example, Statements of Particulars will spell out, more clearly than ever before, the responsibilities of a parish priest. We will have guidelines telling us what will happen when we need to deal with sickness or with a grievance. In the longer term, we may begin to notice more subtle changes associated with a more attentive ministerial review process (which is increasingly being called MDR - Ministerial Development Review) and more focussed CME (which is increasingly being called CMD - Continuing Ministerial Development). We will have more explicit aims and objectives.

To get us ready for all this Judith Knight, our HR Officer, has been drafting the guidelines we will work with. We are fortunate to have her skills and more fortunate that she is now involved in a national panel working on Clergy Terms of Service. There is a working party (which I chair) that reviews the material that Judith prepares and plans the diocesan strategy that will allow us to meet the demands of Clergy Terms of Service. Its members are:

• The Archdeacon of Cheltenham
  
• The Archdeacon of Gloucester
  
• The Diocesan Secretary
  
• Jane Kenchington
  
• John Witcombe
  
• Aidan Platten
  
• Lucy Taylor (Communications)
  
• Tim Ditchburn (IT)
  
• Judith Knight (HR)
  
• Charlie Kawczynski (Secretary)

It is still difficult to be as precise as we would like to be about the timetable for introducing Clergy Terms of Service as much depends on how heavily General Synod reviews and amends the material currently being drafted. Our own diocesan guidelines are already nearly complete. We expect it to roll out like this:

2009

September:
Work begins on a new database
November:
An introduction & review at the Bishop's Formation and Training Day
December:
Workshops on the implications of Clergy Terms of Service for clergy and others will be ready

2010

January:
Letters will be drafted for clergy explaining Common Tenure Arrangements
Statements of Particulars are drafted
February:
We will begin to test the new database
Workshops arranged as needed
April:
Bishop's Staff agree all the draft letters on Common Tenure arrangements.
By end of 2010:
Letters and Statements go out

The Diocese of Gloucester is committed to supporting all its clergy through the transition into life under the new Measure. There will be training events provided and more information available at regular intervals. We also recognise that there is a need to reflect theologically on these practical matters and we will provide material exploring the theology and practice of ministry.

Please follow this link to the Church of England Common Tenure information page, for the latest national news and updates:

http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/ministry/workofmindiv/dracsc/rctshomepage/

Canon David Hoyle
Director of Ministry
Tel: 01452 410022 ext 231
Email: dhoyle@glosdioc.org.uk

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