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Team Ministries in Anglican Parishes in the Maritime Provinces of Canada: Considerations for Formation and Development

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Team Ministries in Anglican Parishes in the Maritime Provinces of Canada: Considerations for Formation and Development Team Ministries in Anglican Parishes in the Maritime Provinces of Canada: Considerations for Formation and Development by Peter Lloyd Armstrong A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Wycliffe College and the Toronto School of Theology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry awarded by Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto © Copyright by Peter Armstrong 2015 "Team Ministries in Anglican Parishes in the Maritime Provinces of Canada: Considerations for Formation and Development" Peter Lloyd Armstrong Doctor of Ministry Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto 2015 Abstract Within the Canadian Maritime provinces, the Anglican Church is grappling with how best to exercise ministry in this evolving environment. One alternative parish model is a team ministry model. Team ministries are characterized by more than one person in the position of leadership carrying out ministry in overlapping roles in the same parish environment, functioning in a non-hierarchical manner. The goal of the research was to learn how team ministries may be better formed and maintained in the future. This thesis opens by identifying sources which can provide insight about how team ministries may be better formed and maintained. It looks at writings from the early Church (particularly parts of the New Testament), and practices of "team ministry" in other Anglican provinces. It also draws from the field of Occupational Psychology. The bulk of the research for this thesis was a grounded theory qualitative research study, undertaken among participants in team ministries in two Anglican dioceses. The research was distilled into five broad categories: Dispositions, Theological Perspectives and Traits; Ordination and Team Formation; Parishes; Social and Spiritual Disciplines; and Support Beyond the Parish. ii Key research results are that potential team ministers need to have reasonably compatible theological perspectives and dispositions, and reasonably good emotional intelligence. The research identifies some general traits which ought to be present among team ministers. The parish(es) and the team ministers need to prepare for this ministry (including long-term planning), with external support. The team ministry relationship needs on-going attention, particularly the process of communication. Particular attention also needs to be taken for the relationships which include Non-Stipendiary Ordained Ministers (N.S.O.M.), as these clergy are raised up from the local parish and generally serve there throughout their ministries. iii Acknowledgements I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the many people who enabled me to do this research: those whom I interviewed but cannot name publicly, those who gave feedback on earlier drafts of this thesis, my professors, my classmates, and my supervisor, the Rev. Dr. David Reed. Thank you also to the bishops of the Diocese of Fredericton and the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. I also wish to acknowledge with gratitude all those engaged with me in ministry, lay and ordained, including ecumenical colleagues. I wish to mention particularly my associates in the Anglican Churches of Pictou County: the Reverends Bill White, Aidan Kingsbury and Arthur Bourré. On a personal note, my family--particularly my wife, Nancy--helped make this project possible, and I am very grateful. It is my hope that this thesis will not only be an academic project, but will benefit all those in Anglican team ministries in the Canadian Maritimes, at the time the teams are being established, and for their duration. Perhaps it may be useful in other contexts as well, but I will leave that decision to others to decide for themselves. Underlying all ministry is the grace of God. May God be glorified in the Church of God. May God's kingdom be built among us. Peter Armstrong iv The Table of Contents Part One: Background Chapter 1: An Introduction to Anglican Ministry and the Research Issue...........................1 Chapter 2: Team Ministry and a Theology of Ministry........................................................8 Part Two: How We Can Be Informed about Team Ministry Chapter 3: Scripture, Ministry, and the Early Church........................................................14 Chapter 4: Team and Group Ministries in the Church of England.....................................34 Chapter 5: Occupational Psychology..................................................................................55 Part Three: Research Chapter 6: Qualitative Research and Grounded Theory.....................................................77 Chapter 7: Action-in-Ministry............................................................................................84 Part Four: Research Results Chapter 8: Survey Results and Analysis.............................................................................91 Chapter 9: An Overview of the Results from the Interviews............................................110 Chapter 10: Dispositions, Theological Perspectives and Traits........................................114 Chapter 11: Ordination and Team Formation...................................................................137 Chapter 12: The Parish......................................................................................................166 Chapter 13: Social and Spiritual Disciplines....................................................................192 Chapter 14: Support Beyond the Parish............................................................................205 Chapter 15: Conclusion.....................................................................................................217 Bibliography.....................................................................................................................222 v List of Tables Chapter 8, Table 1: Theological Studies and Theological Colleges...................................97 Chapter 8, Table 2: Number of Team Members.................................................................99 Chapter 8, Table 3: Number of Congregations.................................................................100 Chapter 8, Table 4: Approximate Number of Households in Each Parish and Clergy.............................................................100 Chapter 8, Table 5: Reported Parish Income....................................................................103 Chapter 12, Table 1: Congregational Size and Dynamics.........................................179-181 Appendix H, Table 1: Statistics Canada Information Sought...........................................289 Appendix H, Table 2: Provincial Data in the Canadian Maritimes..................................290 vi List of Figures Chapter 5, Figure 1: Harmony-Dysfunction Spectrum.......................................................66 Chapter 8, Figure 1: Approximate Age and Number of Research Subjects.......................98 Chapter 8, Figure 2: Ordinations........................................................................................99 Chapter 8, Figure 3: Number of Parishes Served, Length of Time Served......................101 Chapter 8, Figure 4: Average Length of Time Served in Each Parish, and Overall Among All Ministers.................................................101 Chapter 8, Figure 5: Graphic of Offering Income and Total Income in the Parishes..................................................105 vii List of Appendices Appendix A: General Goals for Parishes..........................................................................266 Appendix B: Letter of Introduction to Parish Leaders......................................................268 Appendix C: Survey Questions.........................................................................................270 Appendix D: Interview Guide...........................................................................................272 Appendix E: Excerpt from the Current A.C.P.C. Parish Covenant..................................273 Appendix F: Anglican Polity............................................................................................279 Appendix G: Questions from the Interviews....................................................................282 Appendix H: Statistics Canada Information.....................................................................289 Appendix I: Thesis Proposal.............................................................................................292 viii Chapter One An Introduction to Anglican Ministry and the Research Issue I serve in ministry in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, in the Anglican Churches of Pictou County (A.C.P.C.), in eastern Canada. A.C.P.C. is a federation of three parishes co-operating in ministry together: Christ Church, Stellarton (which includes the congregation of St. Alban’s, Thorburn); St. Bees’, Westville; and St. James’, Pictou. A.C.P.C. was created in 2002. Each parish retains its own incorporated structure, but the ordained ministry and some lay ministries are shared throughout the federation.1 Pictou County is located on the north shore of Nova Scotia; the interprovincial ferry between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island lands here. Historically, the local economy has depended on fishing, small farming operations, forestry, steel fabrication and coal mining. Except for a local strip mine, mining stopped in 1992 with the Westray mine disaster; the other resource industries are small and often struggling.2 The head offices of a large grocery
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