When a Parish is vacant
When a parish is vacant there is a legal process to follow, and the Designated Officer for Appointments (Mrs Elizabeth Geddes) will send a letter and information pack to the PCC Secretary which explains the process and asks for certain information to be returned. The process starts with a Special Meeting of the PCC who will need to:
- Decide who will do the initial work in preparing the documents about the parish (the "Parish Profile and Parish Fact Sheet") in consultation with the Rural Dean
- Appoint lay members to act as your representatives in connection with the selection.
- Decide whether to ask the Bishop (or/and patron if this is not the Bishop) to advertise the vacancy
- Decide whether to request a joint meeting of the PCC with the Bishop;
- Decide whether to request a statement about the parish from the Bishop;
- Decide whether to make a Letter of Request concerning women priests.
Preparing the Parish Documents
The Parish Fact Sheet provides the facts and figures relating to the parish. There are two versions of the Parish fact Sheet:
1: If your parish is looking to find an appropriate incumbent use this version
2: If you have a priest-in-charge because your benefice is suspended please use this version
The document can then be used to inform the Parish Profile, which provides further details about the parish. These documents are an extremely important part of the selection process and are designed to give an over view of your parish in order to help you find the right incumbent. Details of the full process and how to complete these documents is given in the Filling a Parish Vacancy guide. A Vacancy Checklist is also provided which should help to guide you through the process as is a sample Vacancy Agenda to use at your special PCC meeting. Please contact Liz Geddes at Church House 01928 718834 Ext 240 if you have any queries.
Preparing for a Vacancy
Helpful information for the outgoing incumbent, the Churchwardens, Treasurer and Rural Dean can be found in Running a Parish in a Vacancy