So what exactly is your new job?
I will be working for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) as a Community Engagement Worker. I’ll be based at home (as you probably know we moved into our own home in Hampshire back in January), and will be there to support beneficiaries in various ways. There’s quite a lot of information about this role as well as the amazing work the RAFBF does on their website. It’s really important to me that (a) I’ll still be immersed in the community and (b) I’ll be returning to the RAF family, of which both I and Sean have been a part for significant chunks of our working lives.
Ah, we can see why you’re making that move back to the RAF family…but you’ll not be working as a vicar then?
No, I won’t be working as a vicar anywhere else. This is my one and only parish that I’ve served as an incumbent in 29 years of ministry! But I’m still a priest within the Church of England, and the Bishop of Salisbury is going to grant me what’s called ‘permission to officiate’. That means I will be able to continue to help out covering services elsewhere in the diocese in the fullness of time.
First, though, I’m going to have a bit of time out.
What’s going to happen here?
Well the parish of Salisbury Plain is going into vacancy. (We used to call this an interregnum, but since the incumbent doesn’t ‘reign over’ their community we tend to call it a vacancy these days!). Vacancies usually last a while- this isn’t the sort of role where you immediately have the post filled.
At village level you’ll have a team of people to look after the day to day. This team is mainly made up of churchwardens who are elected members of the church congregation. They are authorised to do their job by the bishop, and they should be your first port of call if you need help.
Once the dust settles you can begin to think about what the next Rector will look like- what their role will be, and so on.
If we need a vicar what do we do?
The local clergy are on hand to help so things like funerals, visiting and praying with the dying, christenings and weddings will all be covered by clergy in the diocese. Your first port of call is probably a quick text, call or email via the contact details at the end of this interview which should get you the answers you need.
Will the regular pattern of church services continue during the vacancy period?
That’s a really important question, and the answer is ‘yes and no’. Yes, there will continue to be a regular service every Sunday somewhere in the parish. The pattern will be roughly the same as it is now (ie, in rotation through the 4 villages week by week), but there will be changes for special services and seasons.
The additional services we currently have will stop for this period. So things like Zoom evening prayer, the 9am service in Chitterne and our beloved Family Service will not be part of the regular provision.
Mid-morning service time is also going to change so that we can be looked after by clergy locally who may have an earlier service to cover where they are too.
We hope to retain the 10am slot on a Tuesday in Shrewton. This will be either for Morning Prayer or Holy Communion each week.
Sunday services will move to 11am.
We also hope to retain Evensong in Tilshead where we can.
The pattern for the rest of the year is being finalised and will be shared in the newsletter.
You set up the Community Pantry in Shrewton, and we were just wondering what will happen to it when you leave?
Yes, the pantry has been running in its little shed by the school for nearly 3 years now, and it has become a real asset to our community. So please don’t worry, it’ll still be operating after I have moved on. There’s already a strong team of supporters in place, and so the responsibilities that I currently hold will just be moved across to them.
Just like for our churches, weddings, funerals and so on, I think the biggest message we need to get across is that none of these things depend on me- it’s business as usual from 20th October!
Are you having a leaving do?
Not exactly… but I do have a last working day in the parish. That’s the 19th October, and on that day, as usual, there will be a mid-morning service in Shrewton at 10.30am. And then afterwards I have a sneaking suspicion there may be some cake! Do come along if you’re free.
How do we contact you once you’ve left?
Well it’s really lovely that you all want to keep in touch with me. I’d love to keep in touch with you too, but one thing I have to explain is that I won’t really be able to come back to take services or attend events in the parish. It’s a tradition that we don’t do that- it makes things easier for whoever follows us if they don’t see us lurking around every corner! But if you do need to contact me, my personal ‘work’ email is still going to be in use. I just can’t guarantee I’ll be able to answer it in the same way I might do right now.
Have we covered everything?
Well it’s not goodbye just yet so if anyone has a question we’ve not answered feel free to send it in to publicity@salisburyplainbenefice.com – And also I really hope to see you all on 19th if you can make it…
I imagine there’ll be cake!!
