Transformations Agenda in the Diocese of Gloucester – February 2015

In many ways, the Diocese of Gloucester is seen as a model of a positive ministry environment for women, and we should be proud of this. However, complacency is not appropriate, as there are many actions we could take to make it even better. Of the eight “Key Messages”, several (e.g.- 2, 3,6,7,8) need to be addressed primarily at the national level. Our role will be to support those efforts and reflect them in various ways.

Some of the ways we demonstrate how we celebrate and value the ministry of women include:

  • The celebrations in May of the 20th anniversary of women priests;
  • The fact that we have the only free-standing half-time post for a Dean of Women Clergy with an appropriate budget for expenses and programmes (in other dioceses, it is generally an additional brief on top of an already full-time post, often without any budget).
  • Excellent maternity policies for lay and ordained women, in line with national best practices.
  • Proportional representation of women in ordained leadership (i.e.- senior clergy, Area Deans), reflecting the fact that 1/3 of clergy are female. Women are equally represented in senior lay roles and on the Bishop’s Staff Team.

Areas where we can work locally include:

  • Particular encouragement of young female vocations as part of our overall programme to increase young vocations in general. This might include working with existing ministry and leadership opportunities for youth (e.g., India trips and local youth clubs; working with leadership of large evangelical churches to give young women the experiences of female leader role models and increasing opportunities for them to take leadership themselves).
  • Inclusion of sessions on gender and ministry in IMD and CMD (one such is scheduled for next May for curates) and general consciousness-raising about unwittingly sexist or misogynist practices.
  • Study and discussion around both a theology of gender and also expansive liturgical language and imagery, perhaps using the resources of the Canon Theologian and the Worship Officer/Committee.
  • Conversation with clergy couples in the diocese to ascertain what they feel would facilitate their growth or better their experience in ordained ministry.
  • Focused encouragement and preparation of ordained women with strong leadership potential to discern and develop their gifts in this area, including participation in one of the national programmes offered to this end.
  • Given that we may well have one of the first women bishops later this year, conscious preparation of how to make the transition and support one who will, of necessity, be under extraordinary pressure and scrutiny.

Although the Bishop’s Staff Team and the Department of Mission and Ministry have important roles to play in most of these potential activities, Area Deans are crucial for the linkage and feedback they provide regarding how things really are out in the parishes. It needs to be said that many of the points above do not pertain to women alone. There are multiple groups who experience themselves as “non- or sub-standard” in the church, and sexism is never far removed from other attitudes that devalue difference, such as racism and homophobia. Readers and self-supporting clergy report having also felt themselves devalued in a variety of ways. The Transformations Agenda hopes to address all of these.