The Roles and Duties of a Chaplain are more fully set out in our User Guide on this topic, available at this link[link]. This includes material on the pattern of work and life of a Chaplain. Reference should also be made to the Church of England Document, Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy.

A Chaplain is, in formal terms, a “priest with the cure of souls”, and the role of such ministers is set out in Canons C24-25.

In general, a priest who is a Chaplain in one of our chaplaincies has the duties and rights of the Incumbent in an English parish, but with the adaptations that are appropriate to this diocese and to the particular chaplaincy.

The expectations of a cleric in this diocese remain according to the teaching of the Ordinal Ordinal The suite of services dealing with the ordination of deacons and priests, and the consecration of Bishops. , the Canons of the church, and the elements to which agreement is given at a licensing: the Declaration of Assent and the Oath of Canonical Obedience to the Bishop.  These are expressed as the priest plays a full part in the life and mission of the local church, including the local Synod and clergy Chapter Chapter A group of clergy, a subset of a larger group: eg "the Chapter of the Deanery". , co-operating with the clergy of neighbouring chaplaincies and with other local ministers, and taking part in Continuing Ministerial Development.

Those who come from church backgrounds where the local congregation or regional Council makes all the key decisions may find it helpful to bear in mind that, in the Church of England, it is fundamentally by the authority of the Bishop that ministers exercise their ministry; that ministry remains accountable to the Bishop at all times. 

In some countries where we operate, it is unusual for ministers of the local churches to sit on the board that makes decisions about the strategy of the church. In the case of the Church of England, the Chaplain not only sits on that board (the Chaplaincy Council) but is its chair, in virtue of the Bishop’s appointment of them as Chaplain. When issues affecting the private affairs of the Chaplain are concerned (notably remuneration), the Chaplain is expected to vacate the Chair in favour of the Lay Vice-Chair of the Council. Lay/Vice Chair After every Annual Meeting of a Chaplaincy, the Council should elect a Lay Vice-Chair, to chair meetings when the Chaplain is unavailable, or at the Chaplain's request, or to deal with matters for which the Chaplain should not be present (normally dealing with clergy remuneration.)

3.B.1 For any individual considering their calling, and perhaps asking whether that calling might be to recognised ministry, the first enquiries should be made with the local Chaplain. The following extensive notes of the process may be helpful. It is intended as a helpful guide, but fuller details may be found in the User Guide to the appointment process. .

Helpful material on this topic may be found in Canon C4.

3.B.2  Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO)

The chief guide in the discernment of the church of candidates for ordained ministry is the Diocesan Director of Ordinands – assistance comes from more regionally-based Assistant Directors.  The DDO advises the Diocesan Bishop with respect to candidates for ordination within the Church of England’s processes.

3.B.3 The DDO is the guide for both stipendiary and non-stipendiary ministry (paid and unpaid), full-time and part-time.

3.B.4  Selection and training of candidates

Our diocese has many members coming from non-Anglican backgrounds, and we welcome that richness. But some will be unfamiliar with the idea of a national selection process prior to training, so these guidelines will help.

The following is a summary of the steps of our procedure for selection and training of Church of England candidates for ordained ministry.  This comes in 3 basic phases: Local, Diocesan and National.

LOCAL

1. This begins when a potential candidate (at this stage called an “Enquirer”) begins exploration with the local Chaplain, unless that post is vacant, in which case, exploration is on hold until an appointee is in place. It may become clear at this point that there is not, in fact, a vocation Vocation The individual's calling from God, whether to be a monk or a machinist.  to ordained ministry. It will be important to be able to show evidence of having been confirmed by a Bishop. Enquiries will also be made about whether, if married, the Enquirer has a former spouse still living: if so, and since this is an impediment to ordination in Canon C4 of the Church, the DDO will be asked about whether an exemption (a “Faculty”) might be obtained. Same-sex relationships will be considered in relation to the guidance of the House of Bishops.
   It may be appropriate for the Chaplain to seek assistance from the team of Vocational Advisers, a request for which is managed by the DDO. The link at the head of this section to the full guidance may assist the Chaplain in their enquiries of any potential candidate.
2. Furthermore, the Chaplain will normally advise the Enquirer to seek the support of a Spiritual Director. A list of directors may be obtained from the Co-ordinator of Spiritual Directors (details from the DDO), although no director will be asked to report to the DDO about anyone they accompany.
3. All enquirers must attend the Online Enquirers’ Programme, which operates on a yearly cycle. There is time built in for reflection on the nature of vocation, and the unique challenges of ministry in Europe, but with a base in the history of one particular nation, England. This process also includes parish visits.
4. The DDO will then hold individual conversations with each Enquirer. Options will be explored: priesthood/presbyterate Presbyterate The same as priesthood: the capacity to exercise an ordained ministry of leadership in presiding and blessing.  or distinctive (that is, permanent) diaconate; unpaid or paid (if the latter, this normally leads to a first post in England); the different training options.
5. The home chaplaincy is then asked to sponsor the Enquirer by agreeing to their candidacy, and offering a modest financial contribution. (The Enquirer is expected to be absent from this meeting.) The Chaplain and any Vocations Adviser will by then have had conversations about the Enquirer and be able to offer simple formal advice to the chaplaincy, without the disclosure of personal data. A form of words for the needed resolution can be found at the link above.
6. The Chaplain sends their reference for the Enquirer to the DDO and any Vocations Adviser, together with the Council resolution. If matters move forward, the Enquirer becomes the Candidate in the next phase.

DIOCESAN

7. The Candidate now begins work with a Vocations Adviser to prepare a Portfolio – this happens normally between February and June. This involves an “obituary”, a formal Ministry Enquiry Form and an Essay on the Office (priest/deacon) to which the Candidate may be called. There is also a sermon, and several other short written reflections to be completed by the end of August.
8. The portfolio is considered by the Vocations Adviser (VA), who conducts a formal interview. The VA completes with the Candidate the Booking form for a Stage 1 BAP (Bishops’ Appointment Panel), drafts the Stage 2 BAP Form and sends everything to the DDO.
9. The DDO reviews what has been received, and meets each candidate before mid-September.
10. Before Stage 1 of the BAP, the candidate undertakes a Psychological Assessment, with a report made confidentially to the DDO.
11. The Chaplain submits a formal reference (with the Council recorded vote) in the format of the Ministry Division.
12. The DDO then makes a decision (which is final) as to whether the Candidate should proceed to BAP (Stage 1).

NATIONAL

13. Stage 1 of the national BAP is held:

The candidate has 6 interviews with advisers of the panel, focusing on the “Qualities”, and in a Zoom format. There is also a scenario to be watched and about which questions are asked. The advisers report to the DDO.

14. Those recommended to proceed move from the care of a VA to an Assistant Director of Ordinands (ADO), as arranged by the DDO.
15. After sessions with the ADO, Stage 2 papers (drafted previously at number 11) are finalised.
16. Candidates meet the Bishops and members of the Ministry Team, who make a final decision about whether to proceed. That decision is conveyed to the Candidate by the DDO, and it will include the indication that the Candidate is to attend a residential panel (Stage 2) in England.
17. At a Stage 2 panel, there are more interviews, in greater depth, and with more time for preparation. There is also a group exercise. Such panels give rise to varying outcomes for each candidate: Recommended; Recommended with suggestion; Recommended with condition(s); Not yet ready to proceed; Advice not to proceed. Further details on the implication of these outcomes may be found at the link at the head of this section. Candidates should be aware that, in the event of either of the last two outcomes, the diocese does not have the resources to support the individual from the centre: these difficult outcomes will need consideration locally.

3.B.6 Finances

It is normal and reasonable for potential candidates to have questions about their own personal finances and the contributions made by the diocese. It is very important that these questions are fully faced before embarking upon any training. Training costs, National Health Service charges, removals, language tests – all these need consideration by the candidate, and some need consideration by the local Chaplaincy. More details at the link above.

3.B.7  Continuing Training

Training does not end with the process that leads from the Stage 2 panel to ordination (we call this Initial Ministerial Education 1, or IME1). Learning is life-long and training continues when the Candidate is ordained as an Assistant Curate and passes into the IME2 stage.  

The IME 2 Programme prepares curates to be ready for deployment throughout the Church of England at the completion of their curacy. 

• Curacies in the Diocese in Europe usually last from three to four years.  
• The Diocesan IME 2 Programme complies with the national Church of England guidelines while addressing the particular circumstances of ministry in the Diocese in Europe. 
• Curacy training in the chaplaincy is outlined in a Working Agreement and Training Plan drawn up between training incumbent and curate together with the Diocesan Director of Ministerial Development at the start of the curacy and re-visited regularly. 
• Curacies are completed with a successful End of Curacy Review. 

For full details see the Curacy Handbook

3.C.1 The Canons of the Church of England make clear that a man or a woman may be ordained to the office of priest or deacon (Canon C4.1), and a man or a woman may be consecrated to the office of Bishop (Canon C2.1). The same processes of discernment, selection, training and deployment of candidates for ordination apply to women and men equally. 

3.C.2 Within the Diocese, the ordained ministry of women is supported and advocated for by the Bishops and particularly by the Dean and Assistant Dean of Women’s Ministry - details here.

3.C.3 In May 2014 the House of Bishops made its Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests (GS Misc 1076).
Central to this Declaration are the five guiding principles, which the General Synod welcomed in its resolution of 20 November 2013. These need to be read together rather than being applied separately. Because of their importance they are reproduced here, as follows:

• Now that legislation has been passed to enable women to become bishops the Church of England is fully and unequivocally committed to all orders of ministry being open equally to all, without reference to gender, and holds that those whom it has duly ordained and appointed to office are the true and lawful holders of the office which they occupy and thus deserve due respect and canonical obedience;
• Anyone who ministers within the Church of England must be prepared to acknowledge that the Church of England has reached a clear decision on the matter;
• Since it continues to share the historic episcopate with other Churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and those provinces of the Anglican Communion which continue to ordain only men as priests or bishops, the Church of England acknowledges that its own clear decision on ministry and gender is set within a broader process of discernment within the Anglican Communion and the whole Church of God;
• Since those within the Church of England who, on grounds of theological conviction, are unable to receive the ministry of women bishops or priests continue to be within the spectrum of teaching and tradition of the Anglican Communion, the Church of England remains committed to enabling them to flourish within its life and structures; and
• Pastoral and sacramental provision for the minority within the Church of England will be made without specifying a limit of time and in a way that maintains the highest possible degree of communion and contributes to mutual flourishing across the whole Church of England.

3.C.4 The House’s declaration sets out provisions under which parishes (in our Diocese’s case, chaplaincies) can request, on grounds of theological conviction, that arrangements be made for them by the Bishop, for the exercise in that chaplaincy of priestly and episcopal ministry. 

3.C.5 The responsibility for signalling that a Chaplaincy wishes to take advantage of these arrangements rests with the Chaplaincy Council.

3.C.6  A meeting of a Chaplaincy Council to consider a motion seeking arrangements of this kind must either be the Vacancy Meeting or a meeting for which the Council Secretary has given members at least four weeks’ notice of the place and time of the meeting and the motion to be considered. Given the importance of the issue such a motion must have been passed either (a) by a majority of those present at a meeting at which at least two-thirds of the members of the Council who are entitled to attend are present or (b) by a majority of all the members of the Council.

3.C.7  The recommended form of the resolution to be passed by the Council is as follows:

“This Chaplaincy Council requests, on grounds of theological conviction, that arrangements be made for it in accordance with the House of Bishops’ Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests”. 

A Chaplaincy Council which has passed a resolution should send a copy of it to the diocesan Bishop, lead Bishop (if different), Archdeacon, diocesan Registrar Registrar Legal officer of the bishop. and Patron Patron An individual or agency responsible for conducting an appointment process and nominating candidate to the Bishop in a process called "presentation". (if applicable).

3.C.8 The Bishop will consult with the Chaplaincy to establish the nature of the theological conviction so that the resolution can be implemented effectively. In the Diocese in Europe, it sometimes happens that members of a Chaplaincy wish to appoint a male priest for pragmatic or practical reasons, such as the desire to worship in a building owned by another Church whose officials do not agree with the ordination of women. It must be clearly understood that only the existence of a resolution made according to the process indicated above and passed for genuinely theological reasons is an acceptable reason for an appointment process being limited to men.   

3.C.9 Aside from processes where a resolution has been passed and discussed with the Bishop, all appointment processes must be conducted in a way which is not biased in favour of one or other gender and with all proper care being taken to avoid any suggestion of discrimination on grounds of gender. Lay Representatives of the Chaplaincy involved in a vacancy must show neither bias nor discrimination; the theological issue from section 3.C.8 is the only relevant factor. 

3.C.10 Chaplaincies which have passed a resolution may rescind Recind To annul or set aside a prior decision. it at any time. The same procedures as are set out in paragraphs 3.C.6-8 above apply in relation to a Chaplaincy Council meeting which is to consider a motion rescinding a resolution. Chaplaincies which have passed a resolution must review it from time to time, especially when a vacancy arises.

3.C.11 The choice of a Bishop to undertake ministry in respect of a Chaplaincy which has passed a resolution is for the Diocesan Bishop to make. This decision will be taken with a view to avoiding conflict with the theological conviction underlying the resolution. In each case, the choice will be made from among the male bishops who are bishops or honorary assistant bishops of the Diocese or Bishops of another diocese of the Church of England.

Section 3.E below assumes that those under consideration are coming from holding a post in the Church of England. However, we first consider those coming from outside. If appointed to one of our chaplaincies, there are particular considerations for a potential chaplain.

3.D.1 Those ordained in a Church in Communion with the Church of England (often another province of the Anglican Communion outside the British Isles and Ireland) will need the permission of the Archbishop of Canterbury to minister in this diocese. (Note that ordination in the Provinces of Wales, Scotland and Ireland does not create this requirement.)

3.D.2 It is the responsibility of ministers themselves to make this application; a form to do so may be obtained from the Bishop’s Appointments Secretary in Brussels, who may also advise. This form requires the following documentation:

• Full name and address.
• Date of birth.
• Copies of all Letters of Orders, or other evidence of ordination (usually a signed letter from the relevant diocesan registrar confirming the place and date of ordination and the name of the ordaining bishop[s]).
• A letter of recommendation from the Bishop indicating that they are in good standing.

This is not a fast process, and ministers should ensure that their request is made in good time.

The Bishop's Licence —

• establishes a formal link with the Bishop, so a priest or deacon is not normally licensed to more than one Bishop.
• confers membership of the archdeaconry or deanery synod and rights of election to Diocesan Synod and General Synod.
• is required for membership of the pension scheme of the Church of England Pensions Board, except in the circumstances when the licensing has to be delayed and a temporary Permission to Officiate issued.
• will only be issued by the Bishop when the safeguarding procedure has been completed satisfactorily.  

3.E.1 Licence as Chaplain

The title 'Chaplain' in this Diocese is used in ordinary conversation to cover a wide variety of legal status, from a visiting priest or deacon who undertakes holiday duty through to the full time, stipendiary pastor of a congregation that has been formally designated by the Bishop.  In legal documents it has a more precise meaning.

The Bishop will license a priest with the title 'Chaplain' when all the following criteria have been met:

• the congregation has been formally designated a chaplaincy under §3(a) of the Diocesan Constitution 1995.
• the Chaplaincy Council has undertaken to pay any pension contributions that are required and a full stipend Stipend Payment to ministers for the performance of their duties. at a rate agreed with the Archdeacon.
• the Chaplaincy Council is not receiving an annual grant, approved by the Diocesan Board of Finance, of more than one fifth of the stipend.

3.E.2 Licence as Assistant Curate

Someone who has been ordained and is serving in their first post in the diocese, normally as a deacon in at least the first year, is given a licence as an Assistant Curate, to signify that they “assist” the Chaplain in that place in the cure of souls . There is helpful material about Assistant Curates in the Curacy Handbook.

3.E.3 Licence as Assistant Chaplain

The Bishop may license a deacon or priest as assistant chaplain, whether the appointment is permanent, or time-limited, stipendiary or non-stipendiary. An Assistant Curate who remains in service of a particular Chaplaincy is normally given this role when there is a Chaplain in post.

3.E.4 General Licence

The Bishop may license a deacon or priest for a Diocese-wide or Archdeaconry-wide appointment whether stipendiary or not.

In all other cases a Bishop's Permission to Officiate is issued.

3.E.5 Bishop’s Permission to Officiate

Not all clergy will be licensed. One of the key differences between licensed clergy and those with permission to officiate is that only licensed clergy have a formal role in the governance of a chaplaincy, because they are automatically members of the Chaplaincy Council. 

The Bishop may, at their own discretion, give a deacon or priest a “Permission to Officiate” in the following circumstances:

• retired clergy living in the Diocese or elsewhere and giving occasional assistance.
• seasonal, and holiday locum Locum A person standing in the role of another; normally, a minister in a temporarily assigned duty.  clergy;
• vacancy locum clergy.
• clergy who hold the licence of another bishop.
• clergy who hold the licence of another bishop, whether in mainland Europe or elsewhere, and who regularly assist in the Diocese.
• clergy expected to be licensed, but needing a short-term permission to minister until an institution can be arranged.

The Bishop's Permission to Officiate is normally issued at the request of the Archdeacon and/or the Chaplain, and it is normally the Archdeacon or Chaplain who initiates the request, rather than the individual deacon or priest requesting.  Such a request requires a letter of recommendation from the Bishop from whom the priest / deacon holds a current Bishop's Licence or Permission to Officiate. The Diocesan Bishop will have regard, in considering such a request, to the needs for ministry in a particular chaplaincy, and to the availability of other ministers already exercising ministry in the diocese. An interview must take place if the individual is new to the Diocese, during which an induction into diocesan safeguarding policies and procedures takes place and any training needs are discussed.

All priests or deacons for whom an application is made for the Bishop's Licence or Permission to Officiate are required to comply with the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy.  Vetting will be carried out by the usual procedure.

Further information for locums may be found in the 'Locum guidelines'.

3.F.1 A Chaplain

There is only one Chaplain in a Chaplaincy; others are often Assistant Chaplains, whose appointment is described at the end of this section. Most of this section concerns the appointment of a Chaplain.

Because the issues around appointments are some of our most Frequently-Asked Questions, we have addressed it in a separate User Guide. 

The appointment of clergy is a matter that takes time, and for a very good reason. The pastoral work of clergy is not like the performance of a commercial task; it takes time and care, and it is best offered when the clergy themselves feel secure in their role. For that reason, the Church of England goes to some trouble at the outset to make good appointments, and these are built on multiple foundations. Because the appointment belongs to the Bishop, the Bishop or someone delegated by the Bishop is part of the process; because the people of the Chaplaincy are the flock among whom the Chaplain will be working, they have a voice, too, through the appointment of authorised representatives. Because the Chaplaincy may have a historic character built over time, there is sometimes a third party called a Patron Patron An individual or agency responsible for conducting an appointment process and nominating candidate to the Bishop in a process called "presentation". , involved. The interaction between all these parties, at the right times, itself takes time. This protects unsuccessful candidates, and ensures successful candidates will fit into the Chaplaincy. The combination of time and the various participants gives rise to a thorough and rigorous process, which is assisted along its way by the Bishop’s Appointments Secretary, from the Brussels office. It is of the utmost importance that confidentiality is assured throughout this process: if a cleric applies for a post and is not appointed, it is obviously disruptive to existing pastoral relationships if this becomes known in their current parish.

3.F.2 Assistant Chaplains

Assistant Chaplains are licensed by the Bishop, on the nomination of the Chaplain in that Chaplaincy, and with the consent of the Chaplaincy Council, who thereby act to guarantee the Chaplaincy’s part in the Terms and Conditions, ie the understanding that governs the relationship (especially financial) between the Council and the Assistant Chaplain.

The User Guide contains details of the procedure for the departure from office of an Assistant Chaplain.

3.F.3  The procedure for a transition by an individual from Assistant Curate to SSM (Self Supporting Minister) Assistant Chaplain in the same chaplaincy shall include the following, consequent upon a positive End of Curacy Review by the relevant Director of Ministry. The potential for such a transition must have been clearly expressed in the Statement of Expectations at the start of the Curacy position.

a.    Chaplaincy Council resolution (the voting of which is recorded) is passed assenting to the appointment of an SSM Assistant Chaplain.

b.    A role description is agreed between the Assistant Curate and Chaplain.

c.    The Assistant Curate completes a short HR Record Form, for keeping in the Clergy File (Blue File).

d.    The Chaplain writes to the Bishop, with the result of the Council resolution, his/her own nomination and the HR Form from the Assistant Curate, and the Bishop gives approval.

e.    Terms and Conditions and a new Statement of Particulars (with clarity on the term of office) for the new post need to be agreed, issued by, and returned to, the Appointment Secretary.

f.    All Safeguarding and other legal requirements are completed.

g.    The Council, the Chaplaincy and the incoming Assistant Chaplain agree a 'Statement of Expectations', which is held within the Chaplaincy.

3.G.1 “Licensing” is the service by which the Bishop shares “the cure of souls Cure of souls The formal and technical definition of the pastoral responsibility of a minister. ”  with a priest who has been appointed as the Chaplain of a recognised chaplaincy of the Diocese.  The Licensing is performed by the Bishop in person, or on his behalf by another bishop or priest. It normally takes place during a celebration of the Eucharist, using the diocesan order of service available from the relevant Archdeacon.

3.G.2 The date, place and time of the Licensing are arranged by the Appointments Secretary, in consultation with the Bishop or his commissary Commissary A person holding a Commission from the Bishop to perform a particular role in place of the Bishop.   for the service, the Archdeacon, the Churchwardens, the Patron (if any), and the Chaplain-designate.

Details of the event: seating, receptions etc. should be discussed in each case with the relevant Archdeacon. 

3.G.3 The Churchwardens have the responsibility of sending out invitations.  In drawing up a list they should consult the Archdeacon and the Chaplain-designate.  A list of invitees should include —

• every priest, deacon and reader licensed in the archdeaconry or deanery;
• ordained and lay representatives of other Churches in the city or town, including the officers of any council of Churches or similar ecumenical body; members of churches in Communion should be considered. 
• where appropriate, civic or diplomatic officers
  • all of whom should be provided with reserved seats, and, when appropriate, be invited to robe.
• the churchwardens, synod members, and / or other representatives of each chaplaincy in the archdeaconry or deanery;

3.G.4 The close family of the Chaplain-designate should be provided with seats at the front of the congregation.

3.G.5  It is usual for a reception to be held after a Licensing,  so that the new chaplain may meet members of the congregation and other guests.

3.G.6 As at all episcopal services, the collection (excluding gifts within a regular planned giving scheme) at an institution is passed to the Ordination Candidates Fund.  This should be noted in any printed order of service.

3.G.7  Photographs. This is an important matter of Data Protection in most jurisdictions. Please see sub-section 1.B.8 of these protocols.

The Remuneration of Chaplains is covered in our User Guide on this topic.

The Expenses of Office of a Chaplain should always be covered: details may be found in this User Guide.

Clergy with Permission To Officiate who conduct funerals, weddings or wedding blessings should be offered remuneration; rates will vary from chaplaincy to chaplaincy, but guidelines are available here.  When a priest is visiting the chaplaincy to take another kind of service, a payment may be offered, according to local circumstances, in the range 40 to 70 euros (2024). Best practice is to agree an amount in advance.

3.J.1 Time off, holiday and other planned absence

Licensed ministers, and all others in ministry have the right to take (and should take) the full allowance of “time off” and holiday allocated to them by the Terms and Conditions agreed on their entry into post.

Periods of holiday of 5 weeks or more consecutively should be discussed in advance with the Archdeacon. 

Time spent in retreat, at deanery, Archdeaconry, Diocesan or General synods, on diocesan business authorised by the Archdeacon or the Bishop, or on Continuing Ministerial Development Continuing Ministerial Development The continuing professional development of Clergy and Readers. CMD approved by the Archdeacon, does not count as part of a Chaplain's holiday.

The responsibility for arranging cover during holidays or other planned absence lies with the Chaplain - see 3.J.3 below.

3.J.2 Illness

If the Chaplain is ill, it is the duty of the churchwardens to ensure that the Archdeacon is informed.

If the Chaplain is incapacitated, the churchwardens have the formal duty of ensuring 'that the services of the chaplaincy are maintained with reasonable frequency'. See Diocesan Constitution §31 (b)ii. and 3.J.3 below. When there is no resident priest the Archdeacon (or another priest appointed by the Archdeacon) will help to provide continuity in pastoral care.

3.J.3 Cover during absence

Every effort should be made to ensure the presence of a priest at least on Sundays.  The Archdeacon (and/or Area Dean) may be able to help with these arrangements, but the priest chosen for cover must hold a Licence or “Permission to Officiate” in this diocese.

In the case of absence for more than one Sunday, where the responsible person is unable to organsise cover themselves, they should contact the Locum Ministry Administrator who holds a list of clergy with Permission to Officiate in the Diocese - The Locum List. The visiting priest will be responsible for conducting services on Sundays, Principal Feasts and Holy Days, and providing some pastoral care. In this case the Chaplaincy Council is formally responsible for local travel and other expenses of office.

Once cover has been booked the dates and names should be confirmed to the Locum Ministry Administrator to be recorded centrally.

When an ordained or authorised minister living in the region travels to conduct services the council will offer at least travel expenses and hospitality. Common sense and fairness should prevail, along with clarity of offer, terms, conditions and expectations.  See also subsection 3H above.

In virtue of holding a Permission to Officiate, any priest already serving as a Locum will be possessed of all necessary clearances and training for Safeguarding purposes. 

Except in the circumstances provided in section 3M (very short-term guest ministry), no ordained person may exercise any public ministry, nor may anyone (ordained or lay) be invited to preach unless he or she holds the Bishop's Licence or Permission to Officiate, or is covered by other permission to preach (e.g. a Reader) – if in doubt, consult the Locum Ministry Administrator.

Any priest serving in the diocese is expected to comply with the safeguarding policy.  

Subsection 1.K of these protocols shows the circumstances in which lay people may lead services, both exceptionally and regularly.

3.K.1 Chaplains may move from another post in the Diocese, from another post in the Church of England outside the Diocese, or from another post in a Church in Communion with us. Our diocese is unique: ministry here is both practically and legally different from ministry almost anywhere else. We therefore have a process of induction, which will vary according to the prior circumstances of the minister.

3.K.2 Those serving a first appointment (or “title”) in the Diocese, whether stipendiary or self-supporting/non-stipendiary, are required to attend a programme of training. Ordination is conditional upon completion of a Working Agreement (showing the training required) between the ordinand, the training incumbent, and the Diocesan Director of Ministerial Development, on behalf of the Bishop. See Curacy Handbook.

3.K.3 The Bishops regard it as of primary importance that ministers undertake the diocesan programme of Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD): development does not stop once an appointment is made. 

• The Statement of Particulars for all ordained and licensed ministers serving in the Diocese must include the provision of time for Continuing Ministerial Development.
• For all new appointments the Statement of Particulars must include the provision by the church council of an annual contribution (in 2023 the local equivalent of £200) in respect of Continuing Ministerial Development for each ordained and licensed minister. This sum is paid into a CMD Fund held by the Archdeacon to whom application for a payment towards a CMD project should be made by the minister.
• The Diocesan Director of Ministerial Development may be able to advise and assist in the choice and provision of CME opportunities.
• CME guidance notes may be found here and a form of application for a CME grant may be found here.

3.K.4  The Church of England Clergy Discipline Measure applies also in this Diocese.

Advice about upcoming retirement may be found here.

Advice about ministry in retirement can be found by following this link.

This section is about very short-term ministry. For Locum Ministry please see elsewhere in the handbook (link to come soon).

3.M.1 Canon C8 2(a) provides that ‘the minister having the cure of souls’ (in this Diocese the Chaplain, or during a vacancy the Archdeacon) may invite a priest or deacon, 

• known to them personally or by sufficient evidence, 
• and beneficed,
• and permitted to officiate or licensed by another bishop of the Church of England, 

to minister ‘for a period of not more than seven days [ie consecutive] in three months without reference to the Bishop.’ 

Please note:

• A curate (officially an “Assistant Curate”) may not be invited to another church to officiate without permission from the Training Incumbent or (in the absence of a Training Incumbent) the relevant Archdeacon.
• The provision is for those with existing permission from a Bishop of the Provinces of England (inc. Europe), Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
• The ”sufficient evidence” may now be established by reference to the National Register of Clergy (https://www.churchofengland.org/about/national-register-clergy), and searching for the name of a proposed invitee.  This check should be performed before the priest or deacon is invited, and (if that was more than a month before the intended period of ministry) again no more than seven days beforehand; the date and result of each check should be shared with the Chaplaincy Safeguarding Officer.
• Any invitation to minister should be accompanied by a personal enquiry as to whether the invitee knows of any matter of concern that might stand in the way of their having full authority to minister. There could, for example, be a matter of concern that has not yet been fully investigated.
• Chaplains / Churchwardens should inform in writing the relevant Archdeacon and the Locum Ministry Administrator of the name of the priest and their current parish, and the date(s) of their ministry in the chaplaincy.

3.M.2 At the Bishop’s discretion, Priests of the other Provinces of the British Isles (Wales, Scotland, Ireland) and other Provinces of the Anglican Communion**, or from churches of the Porvoo Agreement, or Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht, can be permitted to participate fully in ministry: on a single engagement, or a small number of one-off engagements, that all take place within no more than a two-week period in any twelve months, as long as the visiting priest is accompanied at all times by a priest with a current Licence or Permission to Officiate in the Diocese in Europe. 

The Chaplain or Churchwardens should apply to the Bishop’s office for a short-term Permission to Officiate, indicating
- the name and contact details of the visiting priest
- contact details for the priest’s current Diocesan Bishop
- the date(s) on which the priest is to participate in ministry
- the name(s) of the hosting priest(s) who will accompany the visiting priest on each occasion

Confirmation will be sought by the Bishop’s office from the priest’s home Bishop of:
- Dates of ordination and the name of the ordaining Bishop
- the current form of authorisation (licence or PTO) of the priest
- the priest’s good standing with his/her current Bishop,
- the priest being up to date with local safeguarding checks and training.

3.M.3 Clergy from the Provinces and other churches listed at 3.M.2 who are to minister unaccompanied, and/or visit for longer periods must apply for PTO.  Enquiries should be directed to the relevant Archdeacon.

In this diocese provision exists for the appointment of a Transitional Minister to support the process of revitalising a chaplaincy as it adapts to changing circumstances and explores how best to respond in positive, realistic and fruitful ways.  For details please see this document [link coming soon].