Fareham Deanery in the Diocese of Portsmouth
Deanery Profile & Responsibilities
The Deanery Context
The Deanery of Fareham comprises 1 conventional district and 9 parishes, one of which is a Team Ministry. There are 14 centres of worship and church life with church traditions reflecting the typical Anglican spectrum of Evangelical to Anglo-Catholic in both liturgical styles and practice. Total Anglican average Sunday attendance is roughly 1600. Ecumenical co-operation is fair-to-good; the shift is increasingly from ‘Churches Together’ to ‘Christians Together’.
The Deanery is more or less co-terminus with the local authority of Fareham Borough (population 110,000; see ), a mixture of rural and semi-rural villages and ever growing town and new-town populations in near proximity to the M27. Mission challenges are typical to those of a predominantly affluent, white, middle-class area (with small pockets of high deprivation), particularly with significant new-build plans in north Fareham and Whiteley in the coming decade. Unemployment is relatively low, with a mix of retail, small business, light industry and a strong Royal Navy presence both in residential areas and in training establishments. Situated alongside the Solent, the River Hamble, Fareham Creek and PortsmouthHarbour, with easy access to the Meon valley, Portsmouth and Southampton, it’s a great place to live and transport connections are excellent – thoughtraffic congestion can be a challenge.
Deanery vision
Since a Diocesan-wide, growth-focussed stimulus for mission and ministry (see ‘Ministry for Mission – What is it?’ under ) we have seen much stronger partnerships between parishes and more shared ministry. Most recently, in July 2012, this involved hosting a joint Deanery mission based in one of the Fareham town Churches. Previously we have been involved in training, learning and worshipping together as parishes. We have a vision to:
Become a partnership of strong, vibrant and growing churches committed to supporting the mission and ministry of every member and every parish within the Deanery. We will become a church dependant upon the life and ministry of Christ in our discipleship as we serve Him and one another for the glory of His kingdom.
Deanery Ministry plan
To realise the above vision we have invited parishes to consider becoming ‘enabled parishes’,in which every church member is involved, supported and encouraged in mission and ministry and in which each Incumbent or Priest-in-charge devolves certain leadership responsibilities among a local team of leaders (Local Leadership Team).
Stipendiary clergy will have a key and major role in being ‘enablers’ of others and all will also accept additional responsibilities beyond their parish, either across the whole Deanery or in one or more other parishes. These responsibilitieswill be additional to any other Diocesan or Provincial responsibilities and may either be additional commitments to those in the parish or an extension of these to other parishes and will be based on skills, passions and experience, to help bring vision to reality. We expect the time commitment to be two days a month (or part-time equivalent thereof) and the exact nature of the commitment to be agreed with the Archdeacon or Bishop. The particular Deanery responsibility anticipated for this post-holder, to fit with the qualities the parish is seeking in a new Priest-in-Charge is indicated below.
In the Autumn of 2012 every parish in the Deanery is being asked to identify three local mission priorities and a Deanery mission priority. A few of the currently identified priories for the Deanery which we are looking to address are:
- Training, including LLTs,working with the Cross-Deanery Education Group (with Gosport Deanery)
- Chaplaincy to local TertiaryCollege
- Supporting mission to the 18 – 30 age range
- Supporting and developing schools work
The Deanery is also exploring options for pastoral reorganisation in order to improve cooperation across Parish boundaries, including single or multiple Groups or clustersand a greater mix of self-supporting, salaried and stipendiary ministers. For this reason the living has been suspended.
It is envisaged that such corporate working will help us ‘manage’ changing patterns of ministry(lay and ordained) and grow a greater flexibility to meet changing mission challenges and opportunities. In support of the Deanery vision it is proposed the pastoral reorganisation will enable:
1. Support forparish Local Leadership Teams (LLTs)
2. Optimal use of the gifts and experience of licensed and other ministers
3. Stronger mission and ministry arising out of the ‘better together’ principle
4. Sharing of resources and/or experience as appropriate
Synod ‘administration’ is kept to a minimum, and twice a year Deanery Synod special events are held to support training, mission and celebration. Six members of the Chapter are elected to serve on Diocesan synod, three to serve on the Deanery Council and one who takes on the role of Chapter clerk.
Additional Deanery Responsibility – Vocations support
The post holder will be required to give two days a month to work with the Cross Deanery Education Group (CDEG) to assist in discerning vocations and developing gifts across the parishes of the Deanery.
Deanery support
The Deanery offers clergy support through the Chapter which meets formally five times a year and at a winter three day residential which is treated as a high priority for fellowship, learning and prayer (dates for 2013 are 5th to 7th February). Further support is offered through the Area Dean and Archdeacon and clergy are encouraged to offer informal support to one another in local informal ‘clusters’ of parishes, sometimes this has been as ordained colleagues only, sometimes with churchwardens or others. Wider support is also available through Portchester Churches Together.
Conclusion
We do hope you will see this post as an exciting and challenging opportunity. You would be joining a parish and Deanery which are keen to grow by developing new ways of being the church and are open to change and challenge in the face of the needs and opportunities which lie ahead. We shall be praying for God’s clear leading should you choose to apply.
August 2012
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