How to navigate a parish in vacancy:
Practical responsibilities
The Archdeacon will initiate guidance and support as soon as a vacancy is announced. The parish has three particular duties during a vacancy:
- When a benefice is vacant, Churchwardens and the Area Dean are sequestrators. This means they are responsible for sending DBF fees to St John's House.
- To look after the parsonage house, ensuring its safety and security. The property secretary will visit in the early stages and discuss this with you. Further details can be found here.
- To arrange for clergy and others to take services, including baptisms, weddings and funerals. The Area Dean will give advice and support on this.
Churchwardens should:
- work with the PCC to keep an overview of arrangements for pastoral care (including contact arrangements for enquiries about baptisms, and weddings) during the vacancy
- liaise with the PCC Lay Chair, Secretary and Treasurer to ensure PCC meetings, APCM, payment of Parish Share etc. continue as normal
- make sure registers are maintained properly.
Sequestration account
Income
There is no change to the income you receive. Parish fees should continue to be processed as normal, with returns and fees payments completed as normal.
Expenditure
The Diocesan Board of Finance is responsible for reimbursement of specific expenses. Expenses that can be charged to a sequestration account include some parsonage expenses, reasonable expenses incurred by the church officials and limited expenses incurred in connection with the induction of the new incumbent (e.g. postage). If these charges are to be reclaimed, you are asked to try and keep them as low as possible. If in doubt, please email the Finance Department in advance at finance@manchester.anglican.org.
Retired clergy claim their fees from the Diocesan Board of Finance; both retired clergy and other clergy/readers covering services should be offered travelling expenses by the parish, which can also be reclaimed.
Claims should be submitted using a Sequestration Account form:
Sequestration Account form (Excel)
Sequestration Account form (PDF)
Filling the vacancy
The Archdeacon will guide the parish through the process in four stages:
New vacancy
The Archdeacon will make contact, meet with church officers, and visit the PCC to explain the process and advise on the preparation of a Parish Profile. The PCC elects representatives at a ‘section 11 meeting’ or equivalent; sometimes, but not always, churchwardens are chosen. A parish profile will need to be created and this template will help to guide you through the process.
This profile needs to be submitted to the Registry at the beginning of the vacancy process and will be sent out to applicants with application forms, role profile, and person specification.
Exploration
Churchwardens may be asked to ‘host’ informal visits of prospective applicants with the Area Dean.
Interview
Churchwardens may meet candidates but are only on the interview panel if elected as a Parish Representative.
Welcome
Churchwardens will attend the property secretary’s visit to the parsonage house with the candidate and Archdeacon, giving local advice where needed. They should liaise with the new priest about moving arrangements, encourage welcome by parishioners, and take part in the Licensing Service, including words of welcome to the new priest (and family).