Deaneries Explained

At the most obvious level, a Deanery is a geographical area within a Diocese. Each parish in the Church of England is part of a deanery - it is not a separate or optional body: it is part of the democratic structure of the Church of England of which each parish is a part. Just as each Parish Church Council (PCC) exercises democratic and legal rights, duties and responsibilities at the most local level, a Deanery exercises similar functions at the next level of accountability. Deaneries are grouped into Archdeaconries (areas under the care of an Archdeacon—and we are in the Archdeaconry of York) which are themselves then accountable to a Diocesan Synod. New Ainsty Deanery includes the churches of the Bramham Benefice and Clifford, north as far as the River Nidd, east of us towards York via Tadcaster (as far as Acaster Malbis, Copmanthorpe and Askham Bryan). Parish representatives on a Deanery Synod are the means by which the deanery is held accountable (not PCCs directly) and can make strategic decisions and report back to the Diocese, and so it is important that PCCs elect and send representatives to their Deanery Synod. A Deanery is chaired by two people: the Area Dean (who is an ordained priest) and a Lay Dean (who is not ordained). Between them, these two officers of the Bishop co-chair Deanery Synod. The Area Dean also chairs meetings of the Deanery Chapter - the clergy of the deanery. Deaneries are the forum in which consultations take place about any reorganisation in the Diocese (such as rejigging boundaries, clergy deployment, budget setting, central resourcing which churches call up from the DIocese). They are also the forum through which churches can collaborate, share resources, encourage one another, organise training and collaborative events at a viable and more effective scale. On a practical level, a Deanery helps the senior leadership of a Diocese keep in touch with the grass roots of church life. Given the size of York Diocese (which stretches up to Middlesbrough, down to Hull and across to the Yorkshire coast) this is important, as keeping in direct contact with so many individual churches would be impractical otherwise. Often a Diocese will use Deaneries for consultation processes affecting the whole Diocese as this is a productive way of ensuring democratic accountability. Deaneries also provide a manageable forum across a geographical area which hopefully has much in common in which we can tell one another our stories, and share our concerns, hopes and vision.

They provide a space in which we can learn what God is up to across a wider geographical area than our own communities, and for praying and worshipping together. Rev’d Nick writes, “An Area Dean isn’t a manager of other clergy, but it is one of those ‘first among equals’ roles where I’m called to represent the senior leadership team to my colleagues, and to report my colleagues’ concerns back to them.

Together with the Lay Dean, the Deanery Secretary and other members of the Deanery Leadership Team, I try to organise our Deanery Synod meetings such that our churches have an opportunity to listen to each other and hear one another’s stories. In New Ainsty Deanery, we’re here to encourage one another, support each others’ ministry, and get a clearer sense of the bigger picture of what God is up to in our villages and towns. I look forward to working with my deanery colleagues at this challenging and exciting time for York Diocese, but this additional role will not take me away from my existing responsibilities as vicar,”