Pastoral Re-organisation 3

Glossary of words commonly used in Pastoral Reorganisation
A fuller version is available in the Code of Recommended Practice to the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011
https://www.churchofengland.org/more/parish-reorganisation-and-closed-ch...)
Archbishop Senior bishop with authority over a Province - of Canterbury and of York.
Archdeacon An office held by a senior clergyperson appointed by the bishop with an administrative responsibility
over an archdeaconry. Some of his/her duties are laid down by law but in other respects his/her duties
vary according to diocesan practice: they include care for church property.
Archdeaconry Sub-division of the diocese over which an archdeacon has administrative responsibility.
Benefice An ecclesiastical office carrying certain duties. An incumbent's benefice is therefore not a geographical
area (see parish) but the office to which (s)he is appointed and may comprise one or more parishes. A
benefice may be a rectory or vicarage from which the incumbent is called rector or vicar.
Bishop In the Church of England the bishop is the central focus of organisation and ministry within his/her
diocese. He/She is the chief pastor and authority and shares the cure of souls with all the incumbents of
that diocese. He/She is also, in his/her own person, the chief representative of the diocese in the work
of the wider church. He/She may be assisted by suffragan or assistant bishops.
An amendment made in 2018 to the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 to enable fairly minor matters
to be dealt with by the Bishop at the local/diocesan level and for which there are no rights of objection.
e.g. changing the name of a benefice or parish.
Common Tenure
The basis on which all Church of England offices will eventually be held under the Ecclesiastical Offices
(Terms of Service) Measure 2009. Existing holders of freehold offices may decide not to opt-in to
Common Tenure but new office holders will be on Common Tenure. (not going to mention here about
continuing to retain freehold on e.g. a union, but not when named 1st TR or TV of a new TM as likely
Chapel of Ease A consecrated church that it is not a parish church but is within a parish that (normally) does have a
parish church. Originally for the ease of parishioners who could not attend the parish church.
Church Representation
Rules
Schedule 3 to the Synodical Government Measure 1969 but updated as a separate booklet. They contain
the mechanism for the setting up of representative bodies in the Church of England from parochial church
councils to the House of Laity of the General Synod.
Cure of Souls 'Cure' means 'care'. The bishop has the universal cure of souls in a diocese but, subject to this, the
incumbent of a benefice (or team rector and team vicar(s) in a team ministry) has the exclusive cure of
souls within his or her parish or parishes. The expression should not be confused with the more general
phrase 'pastoral care'.
Deanery A sub-division of an archdeaconry usually comprising between 10 and 20 parishes.
Declaration of closure for
regular public worship
The act of closing a church for public worship under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
Diocesan Board of
Finance
A company constituted by the diocesan synod and regulated by the Companies Acts. A board of finance
holds property for Church of England purposes, transacts business in that connection and acts as a
committee of the diocesan synod. It normally also acts as the diocesan trust.
Diocesan Mission and
Pastoral Committee
Statutory Committee established by the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011. Its duty is to review the
arrangement for pastoral supervision in the diocese and, as appropriate, to make recommendations to
the bishop.
Diocese One of 41 main territorial units of the Church of England over which a bishop has responsibility. Divided
into archdeaconries, deaneries and parishes.
District Church Council If a parish comprises two or more places of worship or churches then individual councils can be set up
for the districts in which each place of worship or church is situated to exercise such functions as may
be delegated by the parochial church council.
Glebe Land or buildings vested in the Diocesan Board of Finance that either provides a rental income to
augment the Diocesan Stipends Fund or provides housing for those involved in the cure of souls.
Group Ministry An arrangement, authorised by the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011, whereby the clergy of two or
more separate benefices can assist each other to make the best possible provision for the cure of souls
in the area as a whole.
Glossary of words commonly used in Pastoral Reorganisation
Incumbent Holder of a benefice (which can be either a freehold or a Common Tenure office) and can be either a
rector or a vicar - with responsibility for the cure of souls. May be assisted by curate, deacon, licensed
lay worker, retired priest etc.
Joint Council A provision brought about by the Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019, which may only
be established under the Church Representation Rules, and deals with matters that may be delegated
to it by the PCCs concerned. Please note that it is now no longer possible for any new group councils,
team councils or joint PCCs to be established under the CRRs (or for a time-limited permissive option
under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 process).
Leave to Appeal Any person who makes a representation to the Commissioners against a pastoral scheme has a right to
apply for leave to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council against a decision of the
Commissioners to proceed notwithstanding that representation.
Members ('Other') of a
Team Ministry
May be clerical or lay (see s.34 of Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011). They share the pastoral care of
the area with the team rector and team vicars, but NOT the cure of souls.
Mission and Pastoral
Measure 2011
The Measure of the General Synod which authorises changes in pastoral reorganisation. Designed to
"make better provision for the cure of souls". Part of the law of the land and equivalent to an Act of
Parliament.
Mission, Pastoral and
Church Property
Committee
A Committee of the Commissioners' Board of Governors which makes decisions on representations on
pastoral, church buildings, houses and glebe matters. It is chaired by the Third Church Estates
Commissioner.
Parish Centre of
Worship
Parish
An unconsecrated Place of Worship designated by the bishop under s.43 of the Mission and Pastoral
Measure 2011 whereupon for most purposes (other than marriage) it is regarded as a parish church.
The basic geographical unit over which an incumbent has cure of souls. There may be several parishes
within the area of one benefice.
Parish Church A consecrated building in a parish in which, subject to canon law, the statutory services must be held
unless there are other churches in the benefice where this can happen and/or certain other dispensations
have been provided for under the Canons. Parishioners have a right to be married, baptised etc. in the
parish church. S.41(2) of the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 requires that any new church or existing
building which is to become a parish church must be approved by the bishop, subject to the bishop having
consulted both the Diocesan Pastoral Committee and the Diocesan Advisory Committee.
Parochial Church Council Representative body of parishioners elected from those on the electoral roll in accordance with the
Church Representation Rules. Usually chaired by incumbent.
Parsonage House The official place of residence of an incumbent of a benefice. The house belongs to the incumbent in right
of his or her office.
Pastoral Order A document which effects changes in pastoral reorganisation made under the Mission and Pastoral
Measure 2011. Differs from a pastoral scheme mainly in that it deals with lesser matters.
Pastoral Scheme A document which effects more complex changes in pastoral reorganisation made under the Mission and
Pastoral Measure 2011. A Pastoral Church Buildings Scheme is required where a closure of church
building is being proposed or a Pastoral (Church Buildings Disposal) Scheme if it deals with an already
closed (former) church building
Patron The person or body owning an advowson (i.e. right to present a priest to a benefice) who may be a
private individual or a corporation (ecclesiastical or lay).
Plurality The holding of two or more separate benefices by one incumbent. This can only be authorised by a
Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
Priest in Charge A priest given charge of a suspended benefice by licence of the bishop. (S)he has not been presented
and is not the incumbent but holds office under common tenure.
Representations The Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011 requires that any draft scheme or order be published and made
available to the public. Any person can make written representations to the Commissioners either for
or against what is proposed.
Restriction/Suspension of
presentation
Where a
has begun or the bishop has asked the DMPC to consider it) or suspended (where pastoral
reorganisation or replacement of parsonage house may be considered).
Glossary of words commonly used in Pastoral Reorganisation
Team Ministry A special form of ministry whereby a team of clergy and possibly lay people share the pastoral care of
the area of a benefice. Can only be established by a pastoral scheme.
Team Rector The priest in a team ministry who heads the team and owns the property of the benefice. (S)he shares
the cure of souls with the team vicars.
Team Vicar A priest of incumbent status in a team ministry, other than the team rector. (S)he shares the cure of
souls with the team rector and other team vicars.