Pastoral Reorganisation

The following announcement affecting Holyford Mission Community will be made in our churches:

“A Notice giving the objects of proposed pastoral reorganisation affecting this parish has or will be displayed near the main door and on the Church of England website. The Notice includes the last date by which representations regarding the proposed reorganisation may be made to the Church Commissioners.”

The notice reads as follows:

Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

Draft Pastoral Scheme

The Exeter Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee has prepared a draft Pastoral Scheme for:

(i) the termination of the group ministry established for the three benefices of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell; Offwell, Northleigh, Farway, Cotleigh and Widworthy; and Broadhembury, Dunkeswell, Luppitt, Plymtree, Sheldon, and Upottery;

(ii) the termination of the team ministry established for the benefice of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell;

(iii) the dissolution of the three benefices of Honiton, Gittisham, Combe Raleigh, Monkton, Awliscombe and Buckerell; Colyton, Musbury, Southleigh and Branscombe; and Offwell, Northleigh, Farway, Cotleigh and Widworthy;

(iii) the creation of a new benefice of Honiton with Monkton, Awliscombe, Buckerell, Combe Raleigh, Cotleigh and Gittisham, the establishment of a team ministry for the new benefice, the cure of souls to be shared by a team rector and one team vicar, the appointment of the team rector and the selection of the team vicar;

(iv) the creation of a new benefice of Colyton, Branscombe, Musbury, Northleigh and Southleigh and the appointment of the first incumbent of the new benefice;

(v) the creation of a new benefice of Offwell, Farway and Widworthy

the housing arrangements for the three new benefices and their future patronage arrangements

in the diocese of Exeter.

The draft Scheme is on the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation or you may obtain a copy from me.   Large print and/or audio copies are available on request.

• Anyone may make representations for or against all or any part of the draft Scheme (please include the reasons for your views) preferably by email or by post to reach the Commissioners no later than midnight on Monday 7^th December 2020.   Send your representation to rex.andrew@churchofengland.org or by a letter marked for the attention of Rex Andrew, Pastoral Division, Church Commissioners, Church House, Great Smith Street, LONDON SW1P 3AZ.
• If they have not acknowledged receipt of your representation before this date, please ring 020 7898 1743 or e-mail them to ensure it has been received. For administrative purposes, a petition will be classed as a single representation and the Commissioners will only correspond with the sender of the petition, if known, or otherwise the first signatory for whom they can identify an address – “the primary petitioner”.
• When making a representation, please indicate the nature of your interest in the proposals (e.g. parishioner, member of parochial church council, etc) and whether you would like an opportunity to speak to their Committee regarding your representation if the Commissioners decide a hearing should be held regarding the case.
• If they receive representations against the draft Scheme, they will send them, and any representations supporting the draft Scheme, to the Bishop whose views will be sought.  Individual representors and the primary petitioner will then receive copies of the correspondence with the Bishop (including copies of all the representations) and will be told whether a hearing is to be held.  They and individual petitioners may comment further to the Commissioners.  Copies of all of the representations received and associated correspondence will normally be published on the Commissioners’ website if the matter needs to be considered by them.
• If a hearing is held, anyone may attend the meeting of the Commissioners that considers the case and representors may have an opportunity to speak to their Committee. Otherwise, if a hearing is not to be held, the case will be considered in private and you will be informed accordingly.
• When they acknowledge representations the Commissioners will let individual representors (and the primary petitioner) know the next few dates of their Committee’s meetings. They will confirm the actual date if a hearing is to be held nearer the time.
• The Commissioners’ will decide if the draft Scheme should proceed when they consider all the representations on the basis of a paper prepared by the Commissioners’ staff and any points raised at the meeting.
• The Commissioners will notify all representors of their decision and give a statement of the reasons for it.
• If they so decide, any representor or petitioner against the draft Scheme may seek leave from the Privy Council to appeal against the decision.
• Please see the Commissioners’ website www.churchofengland.org/consultation for further information about the procedure.

Revd Dr Adrian Hough
Secretary Exeter Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee

ah@exeter.anglican.org