THE LICENSING AND WELCOME SERVICE Notes for Rural Deans and Churchwardens

THE TEXT OF THE SERVICE

This is available on the Diocesan website or from the Bishop of Ely’s office.

On the diocesan web-site – www.ely.anglican.org - follow the links as follows:  on home page at the top click Worship and Prayer  then click Worship,  then click Liturgy Resources  then click The Institution and Induction of a new priest

The service may be down-loaded in either PDF or Word format.

Parts of this text will not be needed if your new priest is to be a Priest in Charge, so please ensure that you have the correct service by referring to the sheet ‘Who needs what?’ (to be found at the end of this document)

The main text of the service must not be adapted, but there is some scope for personalising. For example, the full name of the new priest needs to be used only during the legal parts of the service. The new priest should be asked to choose the hymns or songs. Four is normal, but more may be used in consultation with the officiating Bishop. A copy of the draft must be sent to the officiating Bishop some weeks before the day, and agreed by him, before final copies are printed. It is best if the draft is sent by email attachment.

INVITATIONS

It is the responsibility of the churchwardens to print and send out invitations for this service. Guidance for the wording of the invitation is to be found at the end of this document.

The new priest should be asked whom she/he would like to invite. Since this is a public/community occasion, it is good to invite suitable representatives from the local community to meet and greet the priest – eg: the local MP, the chair of the Parish Council, a head teacher, leaders of uniformed organisations, etc. Be imaginative about who you invite!

It is customary to invite the Deanery Lay Chair, all the deanery clergy and authorised ministers, those who have helped during the vacancy, and ministers from other denominations locally. Remember to keep a list of those who are attending and those who cannot, and in due course give it to the new priest. This will be a helpful resource for pastoral visiting. You will need to make arrangements for local and visiting clergy, and others to robe. If this is to take place away from the church please think through wet weather arrangements for processions, and put the robing details on the invitations.

THE REHEARSAL

It is the responsibility of the Rural Dean to invite all those involved in the service, particularly churchwardens, to a rehearsal, a few days before the licensing. This need not take very long, but it will help people to know what they are being asked to do on the day, and where they will be seated, and to iron out any practical problems.

In small churches, in multi-parish benefices, the ‘walkabout’ may prove cumbersome especially if every churchwarden is involved. In those cases thought should be given to the alternative form of service which replaces the ‘walkabout’ with a presentation. Often, different people from different parishes are invited to bring to the new priest symbols of the faith. These are: a Paten and Chalice, a Bible, a jug with water and oils for anointing. This avoids too many people trying to negotiate around a small church and allows others, who are not from the host church, to participate. However, if the ‘walkabout’ style of service is used it should be rehearsed carefully so that on the day they can walk with dignity. The rule for churchwardens during the service when supporting the Bishop (holding their staves) is that they always precede the Bishop wherever he goes, and at the beginning and end they walk behind the archdeacon, preceding the Bishop.

The Rural Dean acts as the host, as far as announcements, etc are concerned, until the part in the service where the new priest takes over. Check microphones and tell those who speak in the service where they are to stand.

ON THE DAY

Seating and furniture

Hopefully, you will have some idea of how many people are coming. If extra chairs are likely to be needed they should already be in place. Much better to have empty chairs than a noisy and embarrassing panic just before the service begins !

In the nave, on the right front row, from the aisle, reserve seats1 and 2 for the Patron or other presenting person, and the new priest. The priest’s family sit on the remaining seats on the front and second row. In the nave, on the left front row, it may be appropriate to allocate a few reserved seats for visiting dignitaries, since some may be taking part in the ‘welcome’ part of the service.

In the chancel or elsewhere, seating should be reserved for visiting clergy and other ministers who will process with the Bishop and Archdeacon (and the choir, where applicable).

At the chancel step, a large, but portable, chair for the Bishop, facing west, with a kneeler in front for the new priest should be in place for the start of the service. (This will be removed later in the service by a churchwarden or helper.) If there are problems for the choir and clergy in processing past the Bishop’s chair in situ, then the chair can be put in place after the choir and clergy are in place. The person acting as Bishop’s chaplain will stand behind the Bishop, and later will sit with him in the sanctuary.

The Rural Dean should have a reserved seat near the Bishop, either in the choir stalls, or close to the chancel step. The Archdeacon, who has no role in the first part of the service, can be placed in the sanctuary opposite the chair of the Bishop and his chaplain.

The Bishop’s chair and kneeler should be moved by a churchwarden or helper once the institution or licensing has taken place. The Bishop and his chaplain will then move to the sanctuary where two seats will be allocated on the north side.

A small table should be available near the Bishop at the chancel end of the nave, on the north or south side, for the signing of the licence by the Bishop and priest. A suitable pen should be provided, together with a Bible for the swearing of the oaths.

The Service

Things to check beforehand

PARKING: Has space been allocated outside the church and clearly marked, for the Bishop and Archdeacon?

ORGANIST/MUSIC GROUP: Do the organist/music group know when the hymns are to be sung, and whether or not they will be announced ?

SIDES-PEOPLE: Are there plenty of sides-persons on hand from at least half an hour before the service?

TOLLING THE BELL: If there is an Induction by the Archdeacon, do the new priest and the archdeacon know where the church bell is to be tolled, and has the priest practised it? TABLE FOR SIGNING: Is there a Bible and a pen on the table for licence signing?

MICROPHONES: Does the Bishop have a radio microphone (if one is available)? A hand held microphone can be used later on in the service. SERVICE REGISTER: Has the book been filled in ready for the Bishop to sign? If you are near the end of the book, why not begin a new one to mark the start of a new ministry? If there is plenty of space left in the existing book, start a new page at least. Use the correct ink, and not biro!

REFRESHMENTS: Has the new priest been briefed about what to announce, when the time comes in the service, about refreshments etc.? Are the directions clear for those who are visitors?

COLLECTION: Have the sides-people been briefed about when to take the collection, and will the Rural Dean announce about The Diocesan Mission Fund to which the money will go?

Are there enough sides-people to cope quickly with the collection taking , before the hymn ends? Is the collection plate easily available? (The new priest will hold the collection plate, and then hand it to the Bishop for the offertory prayer.)

NB You will need to contact Sarah Hewitt, Accounts Assistant and Parish Gift Aid Support Officer, to ask for Gift Aid envelopes to be sent to you in advance of the service: 01353 652707 or [email protected].

CHURCH VESTRY: The Bishop and his chaplain, and the Archdeacon, will change in the vestry, and process informally to the back of the church just before the service begins.

VISITING MINISTERS’ PROCESSION: The Rural Dean is responsible for collecting the ministers’ procession from their changing room, and bringing them to the church porch five minutes before the service begins.

WELCOME: The parish(es) will have invited a number of key people locally and asked them to come to the front and welcome the new priest. This part of the service is conducted by the Rural Dean. A list of those (in order) needs to be prepared. All names should be checked before the service starts to ensure all are present. (NB: the list should include both names and their role in the community, e.g., XY, Head Teacher; AB, Parish Councillor etc.)

The service begins

The Rural Dean announces the first hymn (if it is to be announced), and then joins the procession alongside the archdeacon. When everyone is in place, the Bishop will introduce the service. During the swearing of oaths, the Rural Dean hands the priest a Bible after the first oath.

Because the ‘welcomes’ can sometimes be a rather hesitant affair, it is very important for the Rural Dean to take charge at this moment, setting a fairly informal, but ordered and brisk tone. He/she will announce each speaker, having checked with the churchwardens who is actually present, and will have briefed them not to make long speeches! A short sentence is enough. Use a hand held microphone if possible.

During the first verse of the hymn accompanying the ‘walkabout’, the Rural Dean and Lay Chair proceed to the font, followed by the new priest and the Archdeacon, the churchwardens and the Bishop. This order is kept for each section of the ‘walkabout’.

At the font, the parties gather around the Bishop. At the pulpit, the new priest goes into the pulpit, or the lectern, with the others standing at the chancel step. At the sanctuary, the main parties go inside the altar rail, but the churchwardens remain outside the rail. At the chancel step again, the parties gather around informally. The Rural Dean will have briefed speakers about any microphone arrangements.

At the end of the service, after the Bishop has given the blessing, the new priest says the words of dismissal, and the processional music begins. The procession leaves in the same order as before, except that the new priest will walk out with the Bishop. The visiting ministers etc. return to their changing room, and the Bishop and new priest greet people at the door.

After the service

The Service Register needs to be signed by the Bishop, the Archdeacon, the Rural Dean, and the Lay Chair.

The new priest will inevitably be delayed by the need to greet the congregation individually, but an eye should be kept on the clock since most people will be at the reception a good deal sooner.

At the reception, there are no formal speeches, though the Archdeacon will thank various people very briefly. Text for the invitations

Here is a possible text for the Invitation Cards parishes will want to send. Include e.g. local clergy, Readers, Churchwardens of all the Churches in the deanery, civic leaders of all sorts, etc…

The Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councils of Newtown Churches have great pleasure in inviting

…………………………………………… to the *Institution of The Revd. Jeremiah Jones as * Vicar/Rector/Team Rector of the Benefice/Parish by the Rt Revd Stephen Conway Bishop of Ely or the Rt Revd David Thomson, Bishop Suffragan of Huntingdon and the *Induction by the Archdeacon of Cambridge or Archdeacon of Huntingdon and Wisbech in St Agatha’s Church, Main Road, Newtown on (date) and (time) [A Reception will follow at ……………………………] RSVP by (date) to (name) PCC Secretary at 1 Church Road, Newtown

[Clergy are invited to robe (choir robes) – [Please indicate on your acceptance if robing] [Travel directions enclosed/overleaf] [parking is at ……..] [Map references of Church =….] [postcode of the Church for Multimap]

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* Use the information on this sheet to make the correct choices (check with Rural Dean) e.g.:

Freehold Incumbent/TR: it is an Institution (or Collation if Patron is the Bishop) … Induction TV/Priest in Charge: it is a Licensing….. Installation….. (In the case of an Induction, just say “Induction” not “Induction or Installation”) Who Needs What?

Is that Instituti Inductio Licensi Installati Securit Remova needed on / n WITH ng on y l by Collatio Installati WITHOU them? n on T Inductio n Rector, Y Y - - Freehold Only by Vicar Disab/Dis c Team Y Y - - Term Only by Rector Disab/Dis c

Team - - Y Y Licence By notice Vicar Priest in - - Y Y Licence By notice Charge

Asst. - - Y Y (?) 6 By Notice Curate months

The term Incumbent properly includes beneficed clergy – Rectors, Vicars and Team Rectors.

1. Institution (admission of the cure of souls) is termed Collation where the Bishop is the patron.

2. Induction (admission to possession of the temporalities of the benefice) in this table means the action Archdeacons take when presented with a Mandate for Induction – i.e. the placing of the priest’s hand on the Church door and the words of Induction there, plus the giving of the Church keys. (When Installation – the seating in place – without induction is appropriate, these other actions should NOT take place.)

3. Licences enable unbeneficed clergy to officiate and if necessary can be revoked on notice.

4. Removal = how they can be removed from office despite their Security. Disab/Disc means, under the Disability or Discipline procedures.

A Rector or Vicar will be Instituted, Inducted and Installed and by the Deed of Institution be granted the (indefinite) Freehold – i.e. they can only be removed from post by action under the various disability or disciplinary proceedings. A Team Rector will also be Instituted, Inducted and Installed, but the Institution will be for a term of years as printed in the Deed of Institution (according to the Team scheme, now usually 7 years). (NB. Before the passing of the Team and Group Ministries Measure 1995 a Team Rector could be admitted to a freehold office). The Institution confers full job security but for the stated (extensible) term of years only (a leasehold, not indefinite freehold). During that period, the Team Rector can only be removed from post by actions (as for a freehold Rector or Vicar) under the various disability or disciplinary proceedings.

UNBENEFICED CLERGY

A Team Vicar will be Licensed (not Instituted) and Installed (not Inducted) and holds the Bishop’s Licence* to minister in that benefice/parish for the term printed in the Licence*.

A Priest in Charge will be Licensed (not Instituted) and Installed (not Inducted) and holds the Bishop’s Licence* to minister in that benefice/parish during the Bishop’s pleasure, or until an incumbent is instituted, whichever period is shorter (but has no freehold or leasehold security).

An Assistant Curate will be Licensed (not Instituted) on the nomination of the incumbent, may be installed (not Inducted), and holds the Bishop’s Licence to minister during the Bishop’s pleasure, or for a stated term.

* A Licence may, if necessary be revoked at any time, subject to notice (usually 6 months) and right of appeal.

Presentation: On the previous Incumbent’s retirement or resignation or actual admission to a new post elsewhere there will be a vacancy in the benefice. Unless the Patron’s right of Presentation to the benefice has been suspended, the Patron then has the right (subject to procedure usually as in the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986) to present a prospective incumbent to the Bishop for Institution.

Suspension: If Presentation is suspended, the Patron cannot present and the Bishop may Licence a Priest in Charge. The Licence will usually be during the Bishop’s pleasure, or until an incumbent in Instituted, whichever period is shorter, but usual practice is for the Bishop to consult the Patron anyway and generally to follow procedure, so that when the suspension period ends, hopefully the Patron should be willing to present for Institution and parish representatives to accept the person previously Licensed as Priest in Charge.

Retirement: Clergy nowadays may retire with pension at age 68, or later, but must retire at age 70. (But a freehold incumbent who has held his present post since before 1976 is not subject to the age 70 rule). “We pray to be generous and visible people of Jesus Christ.”