PCC meeting with the Bishop – 11th January 2023
On 11th January 2023 the Bishop of Wolverhampton met the PCC at what is called a pre-section 11.
Philip Sims, the Chairman of the PCC, wrote the following in the next edition of ChadNet and it also appeared in the February magazine with the headline “New diocese post gives us hope for a new vicar soon“.
Good news
This week I have some good news to share with you.
On Wednesday evening your PCC met with Bishop Clive to discuss the process for identifying a Vicar for St Chad’s. As you are aware, this had become a long drawn out and laborious process, largely because we had become embroiled in the Church at large undertaking a review of its network of churches and staffing called “Shaping for Mission”. We have also gone through a process of considering whether Pattingham should consider amalgamating with another Parish or whether we should retain our independence. You should know that your PCC has remained adamant that we wished to retain our independence.
We have always recognised that recruiting a Vicar to what is only a half-time post was going to be difficult, but we had confidence in the attractiveness of our Parish, prayed often and believed we would be successful. The good news is that we have now been told that the Diocese is creating a new role which demands a half-time post and, given that the Pattingham role is also a half-time post, then one full timer is to be recruited and they will effectively fill both roles. This is great news from our perspective for the reasons which I have outlined. It also mirrors the arrangement which we had when Maureen Hobbs was in post as she also covered a Diocesan role as well as her role at Pattingham.
We are confident that this combined role should be attractive to a younger and more dynamic candidate than may otherwise have been the case. Additionally, we understand that the combined role has been approved by the Bishop and once the combined criteria are complete (our Parish element is already virtually complete) then we can proceed to advertisement. We therefore believe that the likelihood of appointing a good candidate in a relatively short timescale is suitably enhanced.
We are richly blessed in Pattingham as we have been sustained throughout the interregnum by so many talented people. Nonetheless, the prospect of this appointment is one we should all relish and I would ask you all to please pray that the right candidate might soon be identified, so that we might welcome them into our midst.
Philip Sims
PCC Chairman