Oversight ministry? Arguments against voiced at Diocesan Synod

The new Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev David Williams, has spent his first months on the road listening to churchgoers but appears not to be taking heed of pleas for more priests in parishes: the case was strongly put today at the Diocesan Synod for Oversight Ministers in large benefices.  Save The Parish supporters from across Cornwall – and beyond the Tamar – have expressed their grave doubts about this direction of travel which has failed spectacularly in other parts of the country.

At the Synod, Bishop David’s head of ministry, Isaac McNish, put forward a case for continuing to roll out the Oversight Ministry model  - started during the Diocese’s radical restructuring programme known as 'On The Way'.  The plan is for Oversight Ministers to be for the most part administrators, managing teams of lay workers, ministers and readers who are responsible for pastoral care as well as taking services when necessary. 

Mr McNish painted a picture of four imaginary churches on a Cornish moor with whimsical names - ‘in the drizzle’ ...‘in the mizzle’  - and discussed the pattern of ministry in these churches, building his case around a fictional team minister ‘Lucy’ who oversaw the churches and an ever-expanding team supported by lay workers.  He described what he saw as the gift of lay ministry.

“God’s distributed gifts to the whole people of God and of course we shouldn’t have to channel that through one individual who is critical… actually those gifts need nurturing and releasing … So Lucy is enabled to lead and serve and oversee alongside Dawn, the reader, Denise, the local pastoral minister, and Bob, the wedding leader, and many others…..”

Those supporting more priests in parishes were not impressed. Kerstin Lewis (Trigg Minor) said she did recognise the pattern but pointed out the fundamental flaws in the illustration.

“I do recognise this model. It's a pattern we had adopted many years ago. Our current pattern doesn't look like that because you have poor Lucy in the middle, with four churches. She should be so lucky to have only four churches to oversee!  Because what we've now got is groups of seven, 12, and even 23 proposed …. If only we could only have four churches, that would be wonderful.”

Abigail Kirby-Harris (Trigg Minor) pointed out that Oversight Ministry was onerous. "If you're advertising a vacancy, for example in our deanery,  Lostwithiel, there's a good number of churches to be going on with and there's a chance you'll ask that person to be an Oversight Ministry more widely… Do you think that could be significant deterrent to applications?"

Martin Saunders (Pydar) said he had been reminded of a commercial analogy. He recalled Jaguar Land Rover’s controversial advertising and overall branding change in 2024. The negative backlash and plummeting sales led the firm to fire its marketing company and launch a global creative review.

"We are going through a Jaguar Land Rover type crisis  - when Jaguar changed the whole of their advertising, cars and everything else. A parish priest has always been the leader in his or her parish or parishes, and I think we would be well advised to drop the term 'Oversight Minister' which is meaningless to everyone outside, and certainly in our neck of the woods. It got changed to ‘Out of Sight’  minister -  with proper reason. I think we should go back to the ‘parish priest’, ‘rector’, ‘vicar’.  As we know full well that they are primus inter pares in their territory, and everyone understands  'I've seen the rector'... 'I've seen the vicar.'  But - 'I've seen the oversight minister'. Who on earth says that? Let's learn from Jaguar and go back to their traditional working."

The presentation and discussion of Oversight Ministry at today’s Synod was timely as the consultation period for Cornwall’s largest pastoral reorganisation scheme is drawing to its close. The new Bishop has put forward a Scheme for a mega benefice in Kerrier deanery, bringing together 23 churches under two ordained clergy. If it goes ahead,  there will be an evitable call for lay ministers and retired priests to fill the gaps left by the lack of clergy (as well as the prospect of increased use of Communion by Extension.) The proposals have provoked widespread dismay and opposition – not just locally, but across the country. (The deadline for representations against the scheme is 15 September 2025 – click here to read more).

Save The Parish supporters across the Cornwall today echoed Diocesan Synod members who spoke out against Oversight Ministry.  Click here to read their a selection of their comments e.g. a correspondent from Carnmarth North:

Lay preachers of course have their place and are valued members of the church family. BUT it’s the ring of truth people want to see -  the clerical collar. It represents so much to many, especially in today’s society when faith is so desperately needed. Seeing a person wearing the clerical collar lifts people. Gives them security. It represents someone who they can trust. 

Please don’t take away what little faith many have by removing our clergy in favour of oversight ministry. Instead encourage those who are called to go further and train to become ordained. Surely that would be a better vision?