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What happens to the Curate in a C of E parish in interregnum?

PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
in Ecclesiantics
In my parish church the Lay Reader was made Deacon last week. She is now listed as Curate. The parish is currently in vacancy. How will she be supervised and receive further training?

A bit of an unusual situation but I am hoping someone may know the answer.

Comments

  • Lamb ChoppedLamb Chopped Shipmate
    Wow, that sounds like out of the frying pan into the fire! Hope things go well for her.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    The duties of a Deacon are not (in parts of the C of E) unlike those of a Reader, with some notable differences, so, if she's had several years' experience of lay ministry, they will stand her in good stead.

    Meanwhile, I guess supervision is down to the Area Dean and/or Archdeacon, along with further training.
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    Thank you.
    Surely it would be better all round for her to spend at least a year in another parish? She is going to be expected to carry far too much responsibility / workload in her current situation.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    Alas, I suspect she may be needed more in her own benefice - but presumably you have laity who do a lot of the work already?

    I agree that she will have more responsibility, though.
  • SpikeSpike Ecclesiantics & MW Host, Admin Emeritus
    This doesn’t seem to be about liturgy or worship practice. I’ll raise this backstage and get back.

    Spike
    Eccles Host.

    Pedantic point: Lay Readers haven’t existed for over 50 years. The word “Lay” was dropped in (I think) 1972 and since then the official name became “Reader” These days in quite a few dioceses they are known as Licensed Lay Ministers (LLM)
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    @Spike - yes, I appreciate your point about the term *Lay Reader*. I was first licensed as one in 1973, but IIRC the word *Lay* was still included at that time, at any rate in this Diocese. Changes have occurred since then, as you say.
  • betjemaniacbetjemaniac Shipmate
    Bishops Finger wrote: »
    @Spike - yes, I appreciate your point about the term *Lay Reader*. I was first licensed as one in 1973, but IIRC the word *Lay* was still included at that time, at any rate in this Diocese. Changes have occurred since then, as you say.

    Though ‘Lay Reader’ is still totally common currency round here. ‘Officially dropped’ doesn’t equal anything actually changing, apparently even after 50 years!
  • PomonaPomona Shipmate
    "Blue-scarfed menace" is surely an eternal title.

    Wrt the curate, if she can cope with this she can cope with anything - for some people a baptism of fire is a refining fire rather than a melting fire.
  • PuzzlerPuzzler Shipmate
    She has been multi-tasking for years.
    PCC Secretary then Church Warden, CW + Reader, pastoral care, covering for incumbent during illness and now in vacancy. As a Deacon she is no longer CW but so far nobody else has taken up that role.

    Enquiries today inform me that she is being supervised by the incumbent of a neighbouring parish, the only one around, as there are now three groups, 14 churches, in vacancy round here.

    Thanks for the replies.
    Apologies if posted in the wrong place, but I rather think my question has been answered.
  • AravisAravis Shipmate
    I know “lay reader” is incorrect but I still use it, as people tend to think “reader” just means someone on the rota of people who do one of the readings.
  • NenyaNenya All Saints Host, Ecclesiantics & MW Host
    Thank you @Puzzler - we hosts have been discussing whether this thread really belongs here. As you feel your question has been answered the most straightforward thing is simply to close the thread, so I'll do that now.

    Nenya - Ecclesiantics Host
This discussion has been closed.