Self-supporting ministers

The diocese benefits from the ministry of a large number of self-supporting clergy, both those whose ministry in based in parishes and chaplaincies and those Ministers in Secular Employment acting as a focus for the articulation of the presence of God in the workplace. The following guidelines are intended to help develop this ministry as an integral part of the diocesan team of clergy.

1. All self-supporting ministers should be aware that they are available to be deployed in the service of the diocese. Area Deans have a particular responsibility to monitor the deployment of self-supporting ministers in their deaneries.
2. All non-stipendiary and self-supporting ministers should have ministerial specifications drawn up by the incumbent of the parish in which the minister is to be licensed, or the Area Dean of the Deanery in which the minister works in consultation with the minister, setting out clearly the amount of time they shall devote to parochial activities, as well as any ministry they exercise in the context of their paid employment. Ministerial specifications must approved by the relevant archdeacon or Area Bishop and drawn to the attention of the PCC of the parish in which the minister is to be licensed.
3. Candidates for ordination to non-stipendiary or self-supporting ministry will not normally serve their title in their home parish, and ministerial specifications of people to be ordained to titles as non-stipendiary ministers must be drawn up and approved as set out in paragraph two.
4. Licences for non-stipendiary or self-supporting ministers who see the primary focus of their ministry in their paid employment should include reference to their place of work as well as the eucharistic community in which they are located.
5. Area Deans should ensure that at least half their deanery chapter meetings in any year are arranged at times when non-stipendiary or self-supporting ministers can attend.
6. All licensed self-supporting ministers are part of the Ministerial Review scheme. The triennial Bishop’s Review should include consideration of the deployment of self-supporting ministers.
7. All self-supporting ministers are full members of the diocesan CME provision. For those in POT special provision is made for self-supporting ministers in each episcopal area.
8. In addition to the regular CME programme, the London Forum for Non-Stipendiary Ministers and Ministers in Secular Employment, based at the Royal Foundation of St. Katharine, is a network of formation and support for self-supporting ministers and ministers in secular employment in the diocese, as well as those from other dioceses whose secular employment is in central London.