Introduction to the Archdeacon of Sherborne at Sherborne Abbey, 25 November 2018

The Archdeaconry of Sherborne –

151 parishes, 33 benefices, 11 team ministries, 5 deaneries, 59 stipendiary and self-supporting clergy, 414 accredited ministers including those with PTO, Licensed Lay Ministers, Lay Worship Leaders and Lay Pastoral Assistants and a population of around 206,890 people.

Rural market towns, villages and hamlets, Weymouth, Portland, three prisons and Poundbury!

Over 3 million visitors annually, the Jurassic coast, Thomas Hardy and Broadchurch; Farming, food and drink, Dorset knob biscuits, plenty of beer and a Cerne Abbas giant - quirky! Creativity, in art and music; food banks, social isolation, high property prices and low wages, child poverty and older people – lots and lots of them!

West Dorset is a place of contrasts, with many challenges inside and outside the church and many joys of ministry with people committed to creating loving, caring and social responsible community. Where the goo d news of Jesus Christ is taken out of our beautiful buildings to make a difference.

The Archdeacon – a person who holds an ancient office, whose statutory responsibilities are set out in Canon C22, who admit churchwardens, visit parishes, oversee glebe and parsonages, oversee under the Faculty Jurisdiction Measure, all church buildings, who is appropriately involved in clergy discipline, appointments and who investigate grievances. Who, according to the TV programme Rev wear leather gloves, the crook on the bishop’s staff!

Whose role is based on handling the tension between encouraging mission and creativity and ensuring that the order of the Church of England is maintained; who use their statutory functions to encourage imaginative, mission based thinking amongst local clergy and churches.

So the criteria: A pastor, who challenges; a strategic thinker who cares; a colleague and team player; someone who shares with me a passion for place and people, and who will work creatively with us with commitment and confidence, at a time when rural ministry, and urban ministry is challenging and changing. Someone with pragmatic expertise who says ‘can do’, more than ‘can’t’. A shaper, change maker, personable supporter of lay and ordained, and who generously keeps order.

Oh, yes, one more thing. Who does not play golf!

Penny, that’s a tall order and a large brief, however those of us involved in your appointment are confident that with God’s help, you will bring to the role the attributes and experience that we are looking for.