this book, we explore a range of issues related to what the Church still refers to as an interregnum (‘between reigns’), although some prefer the term vacancy. Both terms are misleading as lay people take on more responsibility in today’s church and collaborative or shared approaches to ministry become more common. Throughout this book we shall attempt to avoid both these terms and talk about the time when the parish is without a vicar. We shall also use the term ‘vicar’ to include ‘rector’ and in preference to the more formal ‘incumbent’.
When the vicar leaves, no matter how well the parish is organised there will be a need for clear planning. The main focus will be on the period when there is no vicar – how to cope and how to flourish. However, this period does not fit neatly in a box; it is a transitional period in a parish’s life. It is necessary to place it within a longer timespan, to examine the time leading up to the vicar leaving and the arrival of the new vicar and the ‘settling in’ period.
In this period between vicars there is a need to handle several matters:
how to keep parish life going
discussions over a replacement for the outgoing vicar
taking on board a whole range of items dealt with by the vicar – from the minor administrative tasks to major pastoral and planning issues
the presence of a curate, licensed readers, non-stipendiary ministers and retired clergy.
Problems may emerge:
there may be a leadership vacuum and a jostling for power
the decision making process may be unclear
there may be confusion over the roles of churchwardens, the PCC and the area/rural dean.
We have written this book primarily for churchwardens who are at the sharp end. We hope that what we offer will help them face up to a challenging task with confidence. However, others – area/rural deans, PCC members, outgoing and incoming vicars as well as curates, licensed readers, non-stipendiary ministers and other church leaders – will also find useful information here.
The Reverend Herbert Lemmon realised it was time to retire
Chapter 1. Not just another Sunday morning
It’s another Sunday morning, much like any other as you set off for church. Most of the regulars are there although a few familiar faces are absent. The service goes well and then at the end of the service the vicar makes an announcement:
‘I have been invited to become the vicar of a new parish and I shall be leaving in about two to three months. Now is not the time for farewells, but I want to say how much I have valued your friendship and support during my ministry here.’
The situation will differ, the words of the announcement will vary, but somewhere each Sunday this type of scene will take place.
Imagine this is your church. If you are a regular member of the congregation, but not deeply involved in church life, how do you feel?
Is it a case of vicars come, vicars go but life goes on, or was this one somewhat different – a bit special or a dead loss? Are you thinking “Thank goodness, we won’t have to suffer those long-winded sermons for much longer” or is it ‘We’ll never get anyone who is as good with young people’? Are you already wondering how long the parish will be without a vicar? You may have heard it said that an interregnum is one of the best things that can happen to a parish and wonder whether that can be true. All kinds of thoughts will be going through your mind, some of which you might want to talk to others about, others that you would rather keep to yourself.
If you are a member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC), how do you feel?
You may share some of the thoughts that any regular church member feels. However, there is an added dimension. You have worked with the vicar on the decision-making body of the church. Are you wondering how the PCC is going to function without the vicar or are you already beginning to see it as an opportunity to get things done? You might also be wondering what to say when the PCC is asked about the type of vicar wanted next.
If you are a churchwarden, you might have known for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks that the vicar is about to leave. How do you feel now that it is public knowledge?
Are you thinking how others must be feeling and wanting to talk to as many people as possible, or are you thinking of the work you have to take on during an interregnum and wanting people to recognise this and offer words of encouragement?
If you are the vicar, you will have known for some time that you are on the move.
In most cases, there will have been delicate, often secret discussions over the new parish. You will have had to work through some difficult decisions. Is this move right for me (and, if you have a family, is it right for them)? Do I really want to leave this parish and these people? Is this really God’s will for me? How do you feel now that you have announced that you are leaving?
For some of you the interregnum may be a present reality. For others it is about to begin. For others it may be some time in the future.
Every parish and parishioner will experience something of the pain, joy, challenge, loss and gain that comes with an interregnum. We have highlighted the most common ending to a vicar’s ministry in a parish, namely moving to another parish. There are other endings – death, retirement, leaving the ministry – that will bring out different emotions and feelings.
In one sense nothing will be the same again as the parish moves on to a new phase of ministry. However, God is there, ahead of us, inviting us into the future – in faith.
Not just another Sunday morning
Chapter 2. It’s never too early
Thinking Ahead
It is never too early to prepare for that time when the parish will be without a vicar. While this book suggests many practical tasks, it assumes that these activities will be undergirded with prayer without which all will be in vain.
A small group of lay people, authorised by the PCC, could start by drawing up a list of the major areas of church life and the activities carried out under each of these headings.
Listed below are a few examples:
In worship:
Who arranges the rotas for flower arrangers, preachers, service takers, sidespersons, lesson readers, intercession leaders, the offertory procession and who chooses the hymns?
In pastoral care:
Who is responsible for visiting newcomers to the church, those who are ill at home or in hospital, the bereaved and parents bringing their children for baptism?
In relating to the local schools:
Are
