The Right Reverend Trevor Willmott, Bishop of Dover
The Bishop’s Office, Old Palace, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2EE
Telephone: +44 (0) 1227 459382. Fax: 784985
Email: trevor.willmott@bishcant.org
Diocesan website: www.canterburydiocese.org/

Dear Colleagues,

Parish support prioritised in outline proposals for Diocesan re-structure

Archbishop's Council met on Saturday and discussed, amongst the other business, proposals for the restructuring of Diocesan Boards, Councils and Committees.

A review of Boards, Councils and Committees was requested by Diocesan Synod in November 2009 with elections to existing Boards and Councils deferred pending this review. Archbishop's Council agreed a timetable for the review in March, and a small working party met to produce some early recommendations. Members of Diocesan Synod contributed their views in May and Area Deans and Lay Chairs were also consulted earlier this month.

The review has shown a demand to reorganise Boards, Councils and Committees to better meet the needs of parishes, in a way that is accountable, transparent, nimble and cost effective.

Parishes want the diocese to provide practical support which enables them to grow. Church communities want our structures to help them strategically support their community by partnerships with local authorities and voluntary organisations. These requirements mean that we must ensure that all of our Boards, Councils and Committees become groupings that directly empower parishes for mission.

On Saturday, I put before Archbishop's Council, proposals which I believe will help us take the first steps in this direction.

The proposals involve restructuring our work around five main areas:

• Resource Management and Compliance: flattening our structures by bringing together the property and finance boards along with the other work for which we have a statutory obligation.
• Board of Education: meeting a statutory need, but also enabling mission and ministry for children, young people and families.
• Ministry and Training: meeting changing church needs through a variety of training for all types of ministry, lay and ordained.
• Communities and Partnership: expanding the work of Church in Society by empowering parishes and deaneries to transform society through partnerships with local authorities and other voluntary organisations
• Local Church Development: a new area to offer practical support to help parishes achieve real growth and discipleship.

I believe that the new area of Local Church Development is a vital piece of our work at the heart of what the diocese can offer to its parishes and it needs to be resourced properly. Failure to do this could impact on our sustainability. It is therefore essential in my view that the vacant post on the senior staff team should focus on ensuring the diocese delivers what the local church needs.

Although hands-on and practical, I believe the real work of this senior role is missional and goes to the heart of how we serve the people of God in our part of Kent. Whilst the work will be an expression of the bishop's oversight, it does not require a bishop to do it. The unique part of a bishop's work, for which he is consecrated, is the laying on of hands. It is a critical part of my ministry, but one that takes only a small part of my time. The Archbishop shares my view that the unique episcopal work of the diocese does not require a third bishop.

I therefore propose that we appoint a third person of archdeacon status to lead this new focus on local church development. This person would offer practical support to our parishes in their mission. They would draw together and connect diocesan resources to parishes requiring assistance and help make connections with potential partners.

As well as this primary focus in the area of local church development, I would wish that the new archdeacon would also hold a geographical area and so strengthen pastoral care for all clergy across the diocese.

The Church Commissioners have recently announced that from January 2011 the budget for senior staff (equivalent to three bishops plus their working costs) will be devolved to the Diocese for local decision about how it is spent. We have the opportunity to decide on a cost-neutral basis, what role a new senior staff member should have. It is my view that an archdeacon in a specialist local church development role will meet the needs of our parishes far more effectively than another bishop.

During his time as Bishop of Maidstone, Bishop Graham firmly placed mission at the centre of all we do and did much to connect parishes with the importance and opportunities of the mission agenda. Archbishop's Council agree that building on this legacy means that we should now focus on delivering the practical support needed to help parishes grow and prosper.

Archbishop's Council have agreed to form a working group to further examine all these proposals in detail. The intention is to hold further discussions with Diocesan Synod in July and for the group to bring detailed proposals to the Archbishop's Council in the autumn. Any proposals which may affect jobs in the diocese will also be subject to appropriate employment related consultations. Final proposals for the restructuring of Boards and Committees will come to the Diocesan Synod in November.

Parishes often ask 'what does the Diocese do?' I am committed to shaping the diocese in a way that provides an answer by delivering the support parishes require so that together we may grow the Kingdom of God.

Yours in Christ

+Trevor