Theology and Experience of Women’s Ministry Transformations.

Theology and Experience of Women’s Ministry

Transformations

Introduction

Rachel WeirTransformations Steering Group

Transformations agenda so far

September 2011Transformations conference at Lambeth Palace

September 2012Transformations presentation to the College of Bishops

Context‘There are significant differences between the ways in which women and men exercise ordained ministry… Often this is not the result of individual choice…. There are cultural and institutional assumptions that work against the full integration of women clergy ….Until these issues are addressed, the Church cannot embrace the breadth of gifts and experience offered by its ordained ministers.’

Transformations Presentation to the College of BishopsSeptember 2012

What we asked of the bishops a year ago

1. To create a culture of drawing out people’s gifts

2. To address the issue of flexibility in patterns of ministry

3. To re-work clause 5 (1) c

4. To commission research

5. To set up an implementation group

Progress on the Transformations Agenda

o TRIG (Transformations Research & Implementation Group) in liaison with Ministry Division and the House of Bishops

o College of Bishops’ meeting 19th September 2013

TRIG INTERIM RESEARCH FINDINGS

Julian HubbardDirector of Ministry

Lis GoddardTransformations Group

Tim LingNational Adviser, Continuing Ministry Development

Su MorganHR Director

TRIG – Transformations Research and Implementation Group

TRIGTRANSFORMATIONS RESEARCH &IMPLEMENTATION GROUP

oversee the research on aspects of women’s ministry

consider proposals for the House of Bishops for encouraging good practice, implementing policy and conducting further research

report to the House in December 20138


KEY AREAS OF RESEARCH

Large churches and diocesan roles

Young vocations

Self-supporting/Part-time ministry

Diocesan HR policies

9


LARGE CHURCHES

Greater Churches Network 30 out of 31 have a male incumbent

Private patronage Contact with voluntary societies to review their

experience

Clergy Appointments Adviser Trends in appointments

10


DIOCESAN ROLES

Diocesan staff posts

Area/Rural Deans676 in 43 dioceses

102 women 564 men

11

YOUNG VOCATIONSLis GoddardTransformations Steering Group

Young Vocations

• Statistics • Creative Response

Und

er 2

2 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80O

ver 8

0

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

2002 stipendiary male 2012 stipendiary male 2022 stipendiary male2002 stipendiary female 2012 stipendiary female 2022 stipendiary female

Age in years (December)

FTE

stipe

ndia

ry c

lerg

yAge profiles of full-time equivalent stipendiary clergy 2002, 2012 and projected for 2022

Cranmer

Mirfield

St John's N

ott

Oak Hill

Queen'sRipon

Ridley

St Stephen's

Trinity

Westc

ott

Wycliff

e0

5

10

15

20

25

30

MaleFemale

Under 30s in training, 2012-13 – by college

One creative response:

• Market research• Blog: youngwomenandthechurch.wordpress.com • Facebook page: – c. 150-200 people a week looking at the page, and 10

people "talking" about it on their page.

• Call Waiting website• Diocesan links – eg London Young Vocations; DDO’s etc

• Writing to church leaders and student workers directly

How did we publicise?

How did you hear about the conference?

Friend

Family

MInistry website

Social media (twitter, facebook, internet)

Church

Clergy (vicar, church leader)

DDO

Diocesan offices

Vocations Advisor

Student pastor

Other (please specify)

Birmingh

amBris

tol

Cambrid

ge

Canter

bury

Chelmsfo

rd

Chichest

er

Guildford

Leed

s

Lichfield

London

Manch

ester

Nottingham

Oxford

Peterborough

Portsmouth

Southwark

St Alban

sW

ales

Winch

ester

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

32

4

12 2 2

3

1

16

12

5

12

1 1 1

10

Diocese

Num

ber o

f att

ende

es

Conference attendees by diocese

Programme

WelcomeKeynote address on biblical materialWorkshops:

- How young is too young?- Ministry, marriage & motherhood. Can I have it

all?- Ministry and the messiness of life- Consider your Call – Praying the Word of God- How on earth do I become a vicar (the process of

selection)

Less than one

month

1-6 months

7-12 months

1-3 years 4-6 years 7-9 years 10-12 years

13-15 years

16-20 years

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

How long have you been considering ordination?

35.3%

49.0%

15.7%

YesNoNo answer

Have you already started the vocations process to ordained or lay ministry within the CofE?

Clergy, incl.

colle

ge chaplain

Missioner

DDO

Church

Friends

Spouse

Parents

Other family

Others in tr

aining (friends/f

amily etc)

Colleagues

Prayer partn

er/mentor/y

outh leader

Vocations A

dvisor

Other (please sp

ecify)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

4541

1

73

19

5

11

2 2 1

14

35

48 respondents114 responses in total

Who would you be most likely to go to for support in helping you explore a vocation to ministry?

Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male FemaleYear 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

SingleEngagedMarriedDivorced

Marital status of men and women under 30 selected for ordination, 2008-2012

51.0%

13.7%

3.9%

31.4%

Single

In a relationship

Engaged

Married

In a Civil Partnership (0%)

Other/Prefer not to say (0%)

Relationship Status of conference attendees

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

Question for single women only: would you feel differently about considering ordination if you had a partner?

No

Yes -

wouldn't h

ave t

o consid

er so

meone e

lse

Yes -

less

support

avail

able

Yes -

other (gi

ve deta

ils)0%4%8%

12%16%20%

Perc

enta

ge o

f res

pond

ents

Question for women in a relationship only: would you feel differently about considering ordination if you were single?

Learning Points

• Churches are important₋ Leaders need to be encouraged and trained to identify

vocations₋ Urgent need to find ‘alternative routes’

• Pro-active dioceses make a difference• Importance of role models• Importance of mentoring • Need to address assumptions

⁻ Theological and practical• Lack of confidence

“…One of the great joys of the day was seeing so many ordained women in one room! Having come from a church background of rarely seeing a woman at the front of church, it was such an amazing sight to see so many ordained women!

I also found the day to be a great encouragement to see that there are so many young women of my age and younger, from across England, either considering exploring ordination or who are already embarking on the journey.

Many thanks to the….. ordained women who can see the potential of younger women and the need for them in the leadership of the church.”

Question for reflection:If these young women go into the church what will enable them to flourish and what unnecessary barriers will they face?

SELF-SUPPORTING AND PART-TIME MINISTRY

Julian HubbardDirector of Ministry


SELF-SUPPORTING/PART-TIME POSTS

5% of stipendiary clergy are part-time 50% of these are women ~20 per annum transition to full-time

Interim findings: Attracts particularly gifted individuals A waiting period Suspicion of exploitation Support for such ministers is patchy Positive references to Common Tenure and

clarity over terms37


PROPORTIONS OF FEMALE CLERGY

38


39

RECOMMENDATION RATES BY GENDER (2012)


40

M F0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Under 30s in training in 2012

Col-lege

Per

cen

tag

e


TRANSITIONING TO AND FROM PART AND FULL TIME

41

DIOCESAN HR POLICIES

Su MorganHR Director


Less than 1% take paid maternity leave

63% were paid significantly higher

70% returned to stipendiary ministry, and of those: 50% full-time parochial ministry 20% part-time stipendiary parochial ministry 15% part-time parochial self supporting ministry 10% hospital chaplaincy 5% taking a break

43

Women were positive about the flexibility the clergy office provides which may be why few dioceses have flexible working policies.

DIOCESAN HR POLICIES


SOME RESPONDENTS COMPLAINED OF:

51% feel employers and colleagues attitudes had changed towards them

Two thirds said work had been made ‘difficult’ for them

40% said younger colleagues with no children were given more support

1 in 3 found it impossible to ‘climb the career ladder’ after giving birth

44

o inappropriate questions

o not enough opportunities for part-time deployment

o concept of priesthood as ‘something you just are, 24/7’

o being unable to cope if their husbands not given up work

EXTERNAL SURVEY SHOWED:


SOME SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS:

support networks providing child care and cover

contact with other women clergy

improved understanding of issues faced by curates in training who are young parents

more information and awareness of options: phased return flexibility about housing child care vouchers collaborative ministry

45

Conclusion

Celia ThomsonTransformations Steering Group

Next Steps

o Current research project to be completed by December 2013

o Research findings to be circulated to all those present today

What we are asking of the bishops

o Set up and lead an Implementation Group to address the key findings of the research

o Be advocates for the flourishing of women’s vocations and women in ordained ministry

o Share good practice

Questions for group discussion

1. What enables women’s ministry to flourish?

2. What are the barriers?

Please record five to responses each question, which will be collected later. At the plenary after lunch you will be asked to report back • one enabling factor and • one hindering factor;

You will have only one minute per group to do this.

Theology and Experience of Women’s Ministry Transformations.

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