The Governing Body voted unanimously on Wednesday for the changes to clergy terms and conditions. A Private Member’s Motion was first brought to the April meeting by the Revd Kate O’Sullivan (Monmouth) (News, 26 April). She had referred to a Church of England study, Living in Ministry, which had suggested that one third of incumbents exhibited signs of clinical depression, arguing that current patterns of ministry were unsustainable if clergy were to maintain good physical and mental health (News, 23 February).
She had told the April meeting: “I believe this measure would improve work/life balance. It is often said that clergy have flexible diaries, but many of us feel guilty at stretching flexibility to an extra day off, even when we have already worked many hours.”
The motion provoked keen discussion, and amendments to the substantive motion were to be brought. But progress was abruptly ended by a procedural motion, on the basis that the proposed changes needed to be considered before any hasty decisions were taken, to guard against unintended consequences. There was, consequently, no vote, and the motion and amendments went to the Human Resources Committee for consideration.
The amended terms and conditions stipulate that it is the cleric’s responsibility to ensure that they manage their working hours in a healthy way. The annual holiday entitlement is six weeks, to include six Sundays per annum plus Bank Holidays apart from Christmas Day and Good Friday. One of those weeks must be taken within a six-week period after Christmas Day and similarly after Easter Day.
On Wednesday, Ms O’Sullivan expressed her pleasure that the Governing Body had “run with it and taken it seriously. It feels like a step forward.” But she reminded the meeting that, while some clergy did have “freedom of diaries”, curates and junior staff did not.
The Archdeacon of St Asaph, the Ven. Andrew Grimwood, said that he “would like the tools to enforce [clergy] to take their leave when I perceive that they need to”.
The Dean of Newport, the Very Revd Ian Black, described ministry as “a sprint, not a marathon, and we are needing to sustain ourselves — all who are engaged in ministry, ordained or lay — over a very long period of time.
“I read the responsibility of the cleric to ensure that they manage their working hours in a healthy way as being [that] we do have to take that responsibility. We are adults and grown-ups.
“However, we work within systems and structures, and sometimes those structures can put pressures [on us], which people internalise. One of the best churchwardens I have had was one who took seriously his role to ensure that I was OK. We all need to have that responsibility to check [on] one another and remind us when we’re overdoing it, or when we’ve just lost the plot for some reason: when we do, it is often down to tiredness.”
Canon Adam Pawley (Elected) said: “It strikes a good balance, ensuring that we, as clergy, continue to care for our parishes and churches in that absence — and, as someone with four children and with in-laws and parents living in the East Midlands and Devon, I’m sure they will receive this well, too.”
The Revd Dr Kevin Ellis (Bangor) thanked the Governing Body for their care and trust that clergy could manage their diaries, but said: “Sometimes, it’ll need a little push.” Addressing wording about raised holiday entitlement for non-stipendiary clergy, he said: “I’m also mindful that this takes place in the context where not only clergy but our committed lay members are also working extraordinarily hard balancing jobs, family, children, and increasing demand in the life of the Church.”
Canon Andrew Lightbown (Monmouth) was pleased with the stipulation that clergy should take responsibility for their own well-being and their working hours, but he still had worries. Ensuring that clergy managed their working hours in a healthy way “assumes that we work within a healthy system”, he said.
“I don’t think that’s an assumption that could necessarily be taken on face value, and we’re not individuals — as others have said, we are part of a body.” He also wondered whether the stipulation that clergy “should have” one continuous free period of 48 hours should be changed to “must have”.
The Revd Dr Rosemary Dymond (Bangor) welcomed the support for the flourishing of both clergy and laity, but was concerned at the stipulation that, so far as it was possible, the cleric should arrange cover for the normal range of services, including liaising with colleagues “to ensure that there is at least one service of holy communion in their mission/ministry area each Sunday”.
For many years, she had served in an area in which there were no other ordained clergy for many miles around. On Low Sunday, “with the understanding of all and the enabling of reality, it was possible to have an act of worship but not a holy communion”, she said.
The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, a member of the Human Resources Committee, wanted to give an assurance: “We really do want the clergy to know that the hierarchy, the institution, the Church is on your side and wants to see you flourish.” He emphasised collegiality: “You are not the sole saviour. . .
“We also want to be very cautious about not becoming too detailed — quite simply, because clergy are office holders, not employees, and the more detailed the clergy terms of service become, the more it is capable of being interpreted by the law that clergy are employees. We think it is very important that clergy have the freedom to shape their own ministry.”
The vote was passed unanimously by simple majority.