Interregnum news: 2 October 2022

The following Interregnum newsletter was printed and handed out at both churches in the Parish on 2 October:

This is a reminder about the Parish open meeting the PCC has arranged at 5:00pm on
8 October 2022 in St Mary & St Giles church when you can learn more about the respective perspectives of Forward in Faith and The Society as well as Anglo-Catholic priests who are in favour of the ordination of women. If you need a lift to the meeting, please speak to any PCC member. You can ask questions, hear comments from others and reflect on your perspective before telling the PCC your views via a questionnaire which will be handed out at the end of the meeting for return by 16 October 2022. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you will be able to obtain a copy of the questionnaire on 9 October in both churches or by contacting Anna Page annacpage.parish@gmail.com 07944 192921.

Please read the information the PCC has been gathering which is now available in both churches. We have also provided all the information in a document hosted on the Parish website for you to read online or download and print https://parishstonystratfordcalverton.com/2022/09/24/background-information-for-the-parish-questionnaire/

The questionnaire is also designed to gather your views on how we worship God in our churches; this will inform what we write in the Parish Profile document which introduces our Parish to priests who might apply to be our Rector.

Timetable for the interregnum

8 October 2022 at 5pm open meeting and questionnaires handed out.

By 16 October 2022 all completed questionnaires to be returned to Anna Page who will analyse them and prepare a report for the PCC.

15 November 2022 date allocated for an interim PCC meeting to discuss the report findings if required.

29 November 2022 is the PCC meeting in which there will be a PCC vote on the Resolution under the House of Bishops Declaration relating to the ordination of women priests and the consecration of women bishops.

We don’t have exact dates yet for the next part of the timetable.

Once the PCC has voted on whether to retain or rescind the Resolution, the following documents, currently in draft, can be updated and finalised to reflect the findings of the questionnaire about the style of worship and type of Priest this Parish prefers:

  • Parish profile document (which tells candidates all about our parish)
  • Person specification for the parish priest
  • Job advertisement for the parish priest

This will be done in conjunction with guidance from the Diocese.

Once these documents are finalised, the job will be advertised, with the Parish profile and person specification providing helpful information to prospective candidates. The documents will also be published on the Parish website.

Parish Representatives on the Interview panel

The panel which will be responsible for short-listing and interviewing candidates will consist of the same balance of people regardless of whether the PCC votes to retain or rescind the Resolution. We have been advised by the Diocese that it is usual for the Parish representatives to be people who are in agreement with the decision of the PCC relating to the resolution.

The PCC will need to appoint two Parish representatives to serve on the short-listing and interviewing panel. Their duties will include:

  • reading all the applications
  • attending a short-listing meeting to discuss the applications and decide which prospective candidates to interview
  • possibly visiting the parishes where the selected candidates are currently based, to see the priests taking a service
  • interviewing the candidates with the panel, this includes asking some of the interview questions (provided by the Diocese)
  • participating in the discussion afterwards about each candidate and deciding who to appoint as the Parish priest

The two parish representatives do not need to be members of the PCC, so if you would like to be considered for this role, please speak to the PCC Secretary Susi Crompton.

The short-listing and interview panel is likely to consist of the following people:

  1. Archdeacon of Buckingham The Venerable Guy Elsmore, patron appointed by the Diocese
  2. Another patron appointed by the Diocese
  3. Rev Tim Norwood, MK Area Dean
  4. David Thom, Lay Chair of MK Deanery Synod
  5. Parish of Stony Stratford with Calverton representative
  6. Parish of Stony Stratford with Calverton representative

We understand the interview process usually includes an opportunity for members of the parish congregations to meet the prospective candidates the day before the interviews take place and feedback their impressions to the Parish representatives on the interview panel, however more details about the interview process will be shared once the PCC has received further guidance from the Diocese.