On Saturday 18th January we held a workshop on Men and Women Flourishing in Ministry at St Mary’s. It was very well attended with around one hundred of us there. We spent time studying Bible passages on what it means to be men and women created in God’s image, on how we serve Jesus together and on the roles of men and women in church leadership. We were joined by Nay Dawson who spoke about factors that can make church hard for women, and how we can build a culture where women and men can flourish and serve together. Thank you to all who came to the workshop and shared insights and questions. Thanks also to those who have spoken with me after the workshop, that has been very helpful. Treasured members of our church family have different views on the roles of men and women in church leadership. I am so grateful to see how, across those different views, we are loving and listening to each other, maintaining our unity as brothers and sisters in Christ, and working together to make Jesus known.
I am writing now to update everyone on some next steps following the workshop.
PCC Decision on The House of Bishops’ Pastoral Provision
In 2016 the Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Mary’s passed what is known as The House of Bishops’ Pastoral Provision. This provision enables PCCs to request, on the grounds of theological conviction, that they are served by a male Vicar and a male Bishop. The provision stipulates that the PCC should revisit this decision from time to time.
Since June of 2024 our PCC has been engaged in prayer, in a deep study of God’s word, and in listening to the views of the church family at the workshop in January. At our meeting on 11th March the PCC voted to reaffirm The House of Bishops’ Pastoral Provision. This means that we will continue to receive the ministry of the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, a godly bishop who serves evangelical parishes around the country. It also means that if we have a vacancy for Vicar the PCC will continue to have the option to advertise for a male.
If you would like to explore the theological convictions behind this decision of our PCC you could read one of the books that has informed our thinking. Jesus, Justice and Gender Roles by Kathy Keller is a short and engaging e-book [Jesus, Justice, and Gender Roles: A Case for Gender Roles in Ministry (Fresh Perspectives on Women in Ministry) eBook : Keller, Kathy: Amazon.co.uk]. Two Views on Women in Ministry edited by James Beck is a more technical discussion presenting different views [Two Views on Women in Ministry (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology): Amazon.co.uk]. Alternatively, do speak to a PCC member or to me.
Further Work on Flourishing Together in Ministry
I am supportive of the PCC’s decision about the gender of our Vicar and Bishop as I believe it is in line with the teaching of the Scriptures. I am equally passionate that St Mary’s is a church where women and men are able to use our gifts and are equally valued as we serve Jesus together. St Mary’s is a body where each member has a vital role and each member should be equally valued. Without the ministry of women in St Mary’s, or without the ministry of men, our church would not exist.
Through the rest of this year Rachel Meynell and I, together with others, will be thinking about how we can continue to make progress in this area. We are eager to see women and men serving in ministry in our Sunday Services, in leading small groups, in giving talks, in pastoral care, in outreach and evangelism, in leadership and governance, in children’s and youth ministry and many other areas. We plan to bring some specific suggestions to the PCC and the church family on how we can help women and men, in all our diversity, identify our gifts and grow as we serve Jesus in these ways.
Please keep coming to us with suggestions about how we can do this. And please join me in praying that our loving Father will continue to lead us under his word, protect our unity, and enable us all to grow in Christ as we serve him and work together to make him known.
Jon Drake
March 2025