New responsibilities for Dan

It was announced this week that our vicar, Dan, is to become the Joint Area Dean of Southampton. What on earth is one of them, and what does that mean for us as a church?

Dan writes:
In the Church of England, an Area Dean has some additional responsibilities, typically:

• Keeping a pastoral eye on other Anglican clergy in the local area
• Helping other Anglican churches when a vicar moves on - ie helping ensure their Sunday services can continue in the meantime, and helping with the process and appointment of a new vicar
• Helping shape the overall direction of Church of England ministry in the area - where should we put clergy? what should be our focus? 

It's an encouraging role - I get to see and hear about lots of the great work happening in ordinary Anglican churches across Southampton - and have a hand behind the scenes in new church plants etc. Inevitably there will be difficult conversations as well: should that church building close? Is it worth appointing a new clergy person to that parish, or is there more chance of kingdom growth elsewhere? 

I'm job sharing this role with Simon Robertson, vicar of Ascension Church in Bitterne Park (and former member of our congregation!). 

In practise, it means I spend about a day a week either on Joint Area Dean business, or popping in to the local schools to chat with staff there - so my hours spent leading St James' by the Park have decreased.

The wardens have also encouraged me to take a week a term to continue trying to write another book - linked to the sabbatical I took back in 2019. 

As a Church Council, we're looking to raise up more people into leadership to help fill the various gaps that have opened up with Georgia moving on, Paul changing role, and my new role. That's an exciting prospect - God has given gifts to all of us, and we'll be a stronger church when more people are released in to ministry within the church as well as in the wider community.