Summary update
Firstly, as your current Parochial Church Council, we would like to apologise for the delay in voting on the resolution and finding a new parish priest.
Since the APCM in April 2023, there have been various issues with PCC membership and eligibility of some PCC members to vote in PCC meetings. We have been advised by Archdeacon Guy Elsmore to ensure that we rectify these errors before proceeding further with the vote on the resolution and appointing a new priest. The PCC was due to vote on the Resolution on 20 June, postponed to
18 July when a vote did not take place.
We need to do the following:
- correct an oversight made by the Diocese regarding the number of Deanery Synod representatives we are allowed to have (3 rather than 4)
- correct some procedural errors regarding the election of Deanery Synod representatives
- potentially elect some PCC members as there have been four resignations from the PCC since the APCM, so we have a number of vacancies to fill
There was a delay in the Diocese notifying us about number of Deanery Synod representatives we are now allowed. As a result at the APCM in April, we apparently unfortunately did not follow the correct procedure for electing the Deanery Synod representatives because we appointed four (Bob Scarff, Anne de Broise, Jane Hardy and Mike Parsons) not knowing we could only elect three. This meant that at subsequent PCC meetings some members of the PCC could not vote. There has also been a change in the Vice Chair since the APCM.
Deanery Synod Representatives attend all PCC meetings and 3 Deanery Synod Meetings a year,
PCC members only attend the PCC meetings. You are welcome to talk to any member of the PCC to find out more of what is involved in being a Deanery Synod rep or an ordinary PCC member.
Once the PCC membership has been properly confirmed, we can take advice from the Diocese about facts and the implications of our decisions before voting on the resolution. After that vote takes place, we will finalise the draft Parish Profile and person specification so we can start the appointment process for a new Parish priest. See the background information on the journey so far if you wish to read the detail.
The following Interregnum newsletter was printed and handed out in the Parish Hall on 25 April at the APCM and is available in both churches:
PCC progress on finding a middle way for parish unity
The PCC has been taking action as promised in the Interregnum News on 22 January as follows:
- * Welcomed the new Bishop of Oswestry to the parish in early February when the PCC had a long discussion with him. Bishop Paul advised us to leave The Society and Forward in Faith, plus revise our new draft Resolution and Statement of Need.
- * Established there is no need for a 4 week notice period of a PCC decision to leave the Society and Forward in Faith (as these are membership subscription organisations which we can leave at any time), while there is a need for a 4 week notice period for the PCC to vote on adopting the revised Resolution and Statement of Need for arrangements set out in the House of Bishops Declaration.
- * Updated the revised Resolution and Statement of Need to add further clarity, with some wording from the Bishops. Adding such detail in the Resolution and Statement of Need means prospective applicants know exactly where we are coming from and what has been done to try and create unity in the parish.
- * Asked the Bishop of Oxford to approve oversight by the Bishop of Buckingham and a relationship with the Bishop of Oswestry, which he has done.
What this means for our parish
Once we leave The Society and Forward in Faith, we can seek interregnum cover from any male Anglo-Catholic priest, not just those who are Society/FiF priests. It also means the advertisement for the new Rector can go to a wider pool of male priests in the Anglo-Catholic tradition rather than being restricted to FiF/Society members only.
As explained in the January 2023 Interregnum news, legally, the parish cannot limit applications only to male priests without having a Resolution and Statement of Need under the arrangements set out in the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests; it means we are asking for our parish to have a male priest. While our parish has a resolution in place we can:
- * appoint a male priest as Rector to provide sacramental, pastoral and teaching ministry
- * invite any female priest to provide pastoral and teaching ministry
The questionnaire responses showed that even among the majority who are in favour of the ordination of women and would be happy to have a female priest as Rector of this parish; many thought this parish would need to appoint a male priest this time to accommodate the minority (about 17%) who do not accept the sacraments from a woman priest.
Although we could probably argue the new Resolution and Statement of Need falls short of what many of us want, it does mean that as a congregation we can all worship and celebrate Mass together with the same priest.
The alternative would have been to rescind the existing Resolution completely and open applications to everybody regardless of gender then make provision within the parish for those who could not accept the sacraments from a female priest (if one had been appointed). In reality this would mean asking a priest from Forward in Faith/The Society to conduct alternative services, otherwise some of our parish family would go elsewhere to worship, which the PCC do not want. We really want to keep everybody together at All Saints and SMSG if we possibly can.
The Lord will not abandon us in this unique chance to grow as we go through this change.
We have the lovely Fr Tunji, Fr Malcolm plus occasionally Fr Ian and Fr Victor covering for our worship who are making this whole process easier. We have drafted a middle way which we hope is a bridge between our differences; it aims to be as caring and inclusive as possible.
We need to pray for patience as we sort through these thorny issues which many of us are passionate about. We ask our fellow parishioners for your forbearance and prayers while we urgently attend to this and seek a new Rector for our Parish.
New Resolution and Statement of Need
You can find the existing Resolution and Statement of Need, plus the new revised Resolution and Statement of Need within the folders in both churches and online at SMSG PCC subcommittee draft proposed new Resolution and Statement of Need revised April 2023
The following Interregnum newsletter was printed and handed out at both churches in the Parish on 22 January:
PCC progress on finding a middle way for parish unity
The sub-committee[1] of the PCC has been exploring potential ways to resolve the differences expressed at the November 2022 PCC meetings about the future direction of the parish. It has:
** Sought advice from a similar Anglo-Catholic parish
** Drafted a proposal for the PCC
** Drafted a new resolution and Statement of Need
Advice from a similar parish
Initially advice was sought via email from Archdeacon Guy Elsmore. As a result, the sub-committee had a very informative Zoom conversation with Fr Christopher Woods of the Parish of St Barnabas and St Paul, with St Thomas the Martyr in Oxford. This Anglo-Catholic parish was identified by the Archdeacon as one with which we have a lot in common. Their parish has found a ‘middle’ way which, as Fr Christopher says, is unusual and almost unique in the Church of Englandand has been working well for them, though they are now going through a period of discernment though not an interregnum (Fr Christopher is the incumbent vicar). They are an Anglo-Catholic parish with a Resolution and Statement of Need which has enabled them to have oversight from the Diocesan Bishop (Oxford) and a relationship with the Bishop of about their parish and the circumstances leading to their period of discernment via Ebbsfleet (though since he resigned a year ago, their oversight has been from the Bishop of Oxford only). Fr Christopher Woods is not a member of The Society and FiF. You can read more the background document within the folders in both SMSG and All Saints churches.
Subsequently, following thoughtful advice via Zoom and email from Fr Christopher (who read our interregnum news before the Zoom meeting), the sub-committee drafted a Proposal for the PCC plus a new Resolution and Statement of Need based on those of the Parish of St Barnabas and St Paul, with St Thomas the Martyr in Oxford. These documents were sent to the PCC ahead of its 10 January 2023 meeting and were discussed at length during the meeting.
The Sub-Committee Proposal
For the sake of unity of the parish we propose that the existing Resolution and Statement of Need be rescinded and a new Resolution and Statement of Need drafted and voted upon which enables us to recruit from a wider range of Anglo-Catholic priests. This may mean leaving The Society and Forward in Faith.
We propose to ask the Diocesan Bishop and the Bishop of Oswestry to support our parish in this endeavour. The Diocesan Bishop would have oversight, but a full relationship is envisaged with the Bishop of Oswestry.
About the proposal and The House of Bishops’ Declaration
As explained in the 4 December 2022 Interregnum news, when the Church of England decided to introduce women bishops, it also made arrangements to accommodate those who believe that the Bible teaches that while men and women are equal; their roles in the church and the family are different. In our parish, as revealed by the questionnaire, a minority (about 17%) of our congregations hold that view, for various reasons. The questionnaire responses showed that even among the majority who are in favour of the ordination of women and would be happy to have a female priest as Rector of this parish; many thought this parish would need to appoint a male priest this time to accommodate the minority who do not accept the sacraments from a woman priest.
Legally, the parish cannot limit applications to male priests only without having a Resolution and Statement of Need under the arrangements set out in the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests. However, our Resolution and Statement of Need can be rescinded and replaced with revised versions plus the Parish can leave FiF and The Society to enable interregnum cover and recruitment from a wider range of male Anglo-Catholic priests, both non-society and The Society members (this was noted as one of the options available for the PCC in points made by Fr Gary Ecclestone in the Interregnum news of 18 September 2022).
Fr Christopher Woods noted that it is also healthy to periodically review the Resolution and Statement of Need, in consultation with the views of the congregations. He also advised that although the proposed arrangement may look like ‘dual oversight’, this is not legally possible; hence the Diocesan Bishop would have oversight and allow our parish to have a relationship with the Bishop of Oswestry.
PCC action on the proposal
The PCC overwhelmingly decided at the 10 January meeting that the sub-committee should continue its work and carry out the next steps towards investigating how to carry out the proposal in practice, namely:
** Find out if the Diocesan Bishop and the Bishop of Oswestry would work collaboratively to support our parish (the Bishop of Buckingham is soon to retire so oversight might be from the Bishop of Oxford).
** Check the communication and legal implications with the Diocese to ensure the new Statement of Need is coherent, legal and workable.
Once these initial steps have been completed, the PCC would arrange to vote on whether to rescind the existing Resolution and SoN and adopt the new ones, also whether to leave The Society and FiF.
You can find the existing Resolution and Statement of Need, plus the new draft Resolution and Statement of Need within the folders in both churches and attached below.
PCC subcommittee on future direction of parish Background information for Parish
Existing Resolution with Statement of Need
PCC subcommittee draft proposed new Resolution and Statement of Need
[1]Sub-committee members: Peter Eales, Anna Page, Mike Parsons, Gwen Yates
The following Interregnum newsletter was printed and handed out at both churches in the Parish on 4 December:
PCC vote on the resolution
At a meeting on Tuesday 29th November the PCC was due to vote on the following resolution under the House of Bishops Declaration:
For the sake of the unity of our parish, this PCC requests, on the grounds of theological conviction set out in the statement appended to this resolution, that arrangements be made for it in accordance with the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests.
The full statement which was appended to the resolution is available in the folders in each church.
Statement of Needs and Theological Conviction
The finding of the PCC was that to proceed with the Resolution Vote under the current circumstances would be detrimental to the unity of the parish. There was a desire to allow time for further reflection and discernment, possibly including external mediation, to discover the will of God for our parish. It was therefore decided to postpone the vote until the New Year in the hope that the love of Our Lord will guide us in pursuing the right course.
A sub-committee of the PCC has been formed and is at work exploring external mediation between all parties solely for the sake of parish unity. Further updates on what this involves will come soon.
The PCC also plans to continue drafting the Parish Profile and person specification for the new Rector role informed by the many thoughtful comments and preferences the 89 parishioners who completed the questionnaire provided in their responses.
The House of Bishops’ Declaration
When the Church of England decided to introduce women bishops, it also made arrangements to accommodate those who believe that the Bible teaches that while men and women are equal, their roles in the church and the family are different.
The arrangements are set out in the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests. It is important to remember that these arrangements are designed not to separate parishes from their dioceses but to enable them to continue to play a strong part. They are based on five Guiding Principles which stress that the Church of England has reached a clear decision on all orders of ministry being equally open to both sexes, but at the same time recognises and wishes to accommodate those who disagree, because their position is recognisably Anglican. The aim is to enable ‘mutual flourishing’ across the whole Church of England. https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/general-synod/bishops/house-bishops-declaration-ministry-bishops