Sustaining Leaders in Mission and Change The Continuing Ministerial Development of Archdeacons in the

A Report by The Oxford Centre for Ecclesiology and Practical Theology

December 2011 Contents

Foreword by the Chair of the Archdeacons’ Forum...... 1

Summary of the Report...... 2

1. Purpose of this Document...... 6 2. Introduction...... 6 3. Method...... 7 4. Literature Review ...... 7 5. Interviews and Questionnaires...... 8 6. Findings – the Archdeacon’s role...... 9 6.1 The Role of an Archdeacon 6.1.1 The Archdeacon as ‘Ordinary’ 6.1.2 The Archdeacon in a combined role 6.1.3 The Archdeacon as a member of the senior leadership team 6.1.4 Managerialist tendencies 6.2 Images and Metaphors 6.3 The Statutory Role 6.3.1 Can these dry bones live? - Putting flesh on the bones. 6.4 Other Work 6.5 Where do Archdeacons come from? 6.6 The capability of an Archdeacon 6.7 How do they know what to do? 6.8 How do they know whether they are doing a good job? 6.9 What about their future? 7. Findings - training and support ...... 24 7.1 General findings 7.2 Starting as an Archdeacon – initial training and induction 7.3 Ongoing development 7.4 Resources 8. Conclusions...... 28 8.1 General Principles 8.2 Recommendations

Archidiaconal Ministry: A Theological Reflection by Martyn Percy

Appendix A Bibliography of useful sources for Archdeacons...... 47 Appendix B Legal Input...... 50 Appendix C Continuing Ministerial Development: Statement of expectations...... 51

ii Sustaining Leaders in Mission and Change Foreword by the Archdeacon of Cleveland, Chair of the Archdeacons’ Forum

The church’s life and work are always evolving, The Forum’s thanks go to the Oxford Centre for as the disciples of Jesus Christ engage in God’s Ecclesiology and Practical Theology, especially to mission in a changing world. Archdeacons David Dadswell, the project leader and principal have a major role in that work, both through consultant, and the research team of Hilary Ison, our own direct engagement, and also as Philip King and Martyn Percy. those who facilitate and resource the witness and ministry of others. In our ministry amid The Forum is also grateful to Martyn Percy for his a changing context, archdeacons need to be theological reflection on archidiaconal ministry. able at the same time both to respond flexibly This is a personal contribution by Martyn to the and be visionary, and therefore the provision of debate, and appears appended to the report, effective and appropriate continuing ministerial while being distinct from the report itself. development is crucial. A number of others have been involved in this work. Among them it is only right to give The Archdeacons’ Forum commissioned special mention to two past members of the this report as a first step towards better and Forum: Annette Cooper, who had a particular more strategic provision. In these pages role in the initiation of the work; and John Wraw, are an analysis of patterns and needs, and my predecessor as chair, who represented the recommendations for the future. Forum on the reference group and oversaw most of the work from the Forum’s perspective. On behalf of the Forum I would like to commend the report and its recommendations Most especially, the Forum would like to record strongly to our archdeacon colleagues, to its appreciation of the financial support of those alongside whom archdeacons work and Allchurches Trust, which has most generously minister, and to the Church of England’s national funded the research project. Without the Trust’s structures. We hope that others in the church kind involvement, the research and this report at large will find much in the report that is would not have been possible. interesting and stimulating. Paul Ferguson November 2011

Oxford Centre for Ecclesiology and Practical Theology 1 Summary of the Report

Context and Purpose recent legislation, for example, as demanded by (Sections 1 and 2) the