MSE content on diocesan websites: a random survey

The aim of this unscientific survey was to see what the interested visitor to a Church of England diocesan website might find when using the site's internal search facility for information about NSM, SSM and MSE ministry.  The material below was gathered between March and August 2013.  See below, right, for 'messages for dioceses and their web people'
Bath & Wells
  • NSM - An unhelpful entry under FAQs - a question about the age of those ordained. "There is an upper age limit of 55 at ordination for those entering stipendiary ministry – for part-time (non-stipendiary ministry) the bishop is unlikely to accept for training anyone over 60 at ordination".  This perpetuates the full-time v part-time myth.
  • SSM - No results
  • MSE - No results

Birmingham
  • NSM - no search result
  • SSM - no search result
  • MSE - no search result

Blackburn
  • NSM - no search result
  • SSM - no search result
  • MSE - no search result
    These results from the search facility on the Blackburn website do not do justice to the treasures lurking unindexed.  They have an SSM Officer, himself an SSM who produces an SSM Newsletter and other very stimulating material.     See here

Bradford
Bristol
  • NSM - no search result
  • SSM - no search result
  • MSE - no search result

Canterbury
  • NSM - no search facility apparent on the site; rather confusing site design
  • SSM - ditto
  • MSE - ditto

Carlisle
  • NSM - search immediately identified a dedicated NSM page on the site, which opens by explaining the MSE term. Alas, it quickly goes on to an unhelpful definition which conveys nothing of the excitement of the MSE vocation: "Essentially, NSMs are people who are ordained, and offer some time to the Church, but do not receive a stipend".  Who writes this stuff? There are links to two documents: House for Duty Guidance and Diocesan Guidelines. 
  • SSM - see above
  • MSE - see above

Chelmsford
  • NSM - only one search result: SSM working agreement guidelines
  • SSM - ditto
  • MSE - ditto

Chester
  • NSM - second result is a page dedicated to 'ministers in secular employment' and 'self-supporting ministry'. Although short it is well written and upbeat - the first in this A-Z trawl. Well done Chester! The contact point is an MSE priest, acting as the 'Bishop's Officer for NSM'.
  • SSM - ditto
  • MSE - ditto

Chichester
  • NSM - no search result
  • SSM - no search result
  • MSE - no search result
    Unable to find anything about ordained ministry

Coventry
  • NSM - a welcome view of the term as relating only to financial support and, in consequence, of little significance in the mission of the church
  • SSM - no search result
  • MSE - a pretty radical entry, quoting Michael Ramsey in his view that MSE should be seen as  "the ‘normative’ and ‘apostolic’ ministry from which parochial ministry itself derived".  Well done Coventry.

Derby
  • NSM - no useful search results; a page on statistics saying they have '150 stipendiary and 70 NSM clergy'
  • SSM - 18 'finds', none of them dealing substantially with SSM
  • MSE - ditto

Durham
  • NSM - for some reason a search under NSM takes you to pages about swine 'flu...
  • SSM - too many search results, none relevant to SSM
  • MSE - ditto

Ely
  • NSM - search identified the Bishop's Adviser for Self Supporting Ministry, and gives a bio of post holder.  Fails to paint an interesting picture of MSE, though mentions it.  Come on Ely, you can do better.
  • SSM - as above
  • MSE - as above

Europe
  • NSM - no relevant results
  • SSM - second result is the 'Ministry and Vocations' page but once there no obvious SSM content is apparent
  • MSE - no relevant results

Exeter
  • NSM - no relevant results (just one result, about the dedication of a church)
  • SSM - no results
  • MSE - no results

Gloucester
  • NSM - no results
  • SSM - no results
  • MSE - no results
    A pretty useless internal search facility which failed to produce anything.  The site does in fact have a 'self supporting ministry' page but presents the role as first about being "an essential element in the provision of ministry within the diocese" before mentioning "a very important missionary function...in the world of work".  Rather cart before the horse, or institution before witness. On the plus side, the page includes a 2012 diocesan survey of NSM/SSM clergy, though without any commentary or analysis or action plan.

Guildford
  • NSM - no results
  • SSM - no results
  • MSE - no results

Hereford
  • NSM - one irrelevant result
  • SSM -  three irrelevant results
  • MSE - no results
    Hereford has a page buried in the site which describes what it calls "a whole jig-saw of ministries" but it contains no cogent expression of the MSE vocation as such.

Leicester
  • NSM - seven results, the first being 'NSM Policy'. This contains just four lines and a link to a document - but when followed reveals 'page not found'.
  • SSM - search result 'Clergy Handbook' which contains information about stipendiary priests and large sections on clergy 'discipline' (Oh Matron!)
  • MSE - a number of results, of little relevance.  The page Ordained Ministry isn't written with much feeling and after two short paragraphs on 'the priesthood' goes into a section headed 'remuneration'.

Lichfield
  • NSM - one result, about clergy expenses
  • SSM - no results
  • MSE - one quite irrelevant result about a bishop's PA
    Buried in the Lichfield site are pages about ordained ministry which, frankly, are not very inspiring.  One link leads to a PDF leaflet called 'forms of ordained ministry'.  An interesting offering.  The front page has a picture of brand new clerical shirts, still showing the makers tag. Five of them, in a choice of colours. How does one read this, I wonder?  Anyhow, the content is truly the curate's egg: on the plus side a concise and positive definition of MSE ministry as "    a pastoral ministry amongst colleagues and a prophetic ministry to structures" but this comes after a curious reference to a candidates' 'potential'.  Those with "potential to exercise ministry as an incumbent...most usually serve in a stipendiary capacity" whilst those who are discerned not having such holy potential and are "unlikely to exercise ministry at incumbent level" and more suited to a "supportive ministry... usually serves in a non-stipendiary...capacity".  Thank you very much Lichfield. This kind of thinking could be read as both myopic and a little pompous.  Time for a redraft.  You can see the leaflet here (good in May 2013).

Lincoln
  • NSM - many results, mostly about parochial fees
  • SSM - one irrelevant result
  • MSE - 'sorry, no matches found'
    Lincoln needs to redesign its website.

Liverpool
  • NSM - only result goes to a NSM Officer vacancy page but this particular vacancy is not listed
  • SSM - "Sorry, search for SSM did not produce any results"
  • MSE - "Sorry, search for MSE did not produce any results"

    Buried within the site is a page about vocations and a poorly designed 'vocations brochure' which features three profiles, none MSE.
    Link (May 2013)

London
  • NSM - 2 results, both about clergy terms in general
  • SSM -  2 results, neither relevant
  • MSE -  3 results, none relevant

    On London's Ordained Ministry page there is a brief, oblique mention: "Some ordained people work full-time within the Church of England; others do it as part of their on-going occupations". Its a great shame to see yet another failure to comprehend the explicit purpose and missional drive many MSE witness to. It should not be difficult for dioceses to present the MSE/WP model as purposeful - after all, they are happy enough to reference 'fresh expressions' and so-called 'pioneer ministry'.

Manchester
  • NSM - a heady 392 results, the first of which was to a specific NSM page. For a second this seemed rather promising.  Disappointment soon followed.  A short page with this opening sentence: "Non-stipendiary Ministers (NSMs) offer their time as parish priests but without financial remuneration. They may or may not have other employment."  So much more could be said - something inspirational and inviting
  • SSM - A news item (2010) about The Revd Teresa Morgan's valuable national survey, but no follow up and no link to substantive material on the Manchester site
  • MSE - A very short page headed MSE, with a perfectly fair but uninspirational description and mention of 'archdeaconry officers' for Self Supporting Ministers'

Newcastle
  • NSM - dozens of results, including 'Bishops Diaries' but nothing obviously relevant
  • SSM - 14 results, very varied, nothing obviously relevant
  • MSE -  again, dozens of returns, very varied.  The first three are 'weddings', 'baptism' and 'funerals'.  Seventh down the list looked promising: Vocation Stories.  Some interesting accounts but nothing substantive about MSE.

Norwich
  • NSM - three pages of results, none substantive though the first links through to 'Support Officers' - of the 24 listed (there is a lot of supporting going on in Norwich Diocese) none are described as NSM/SSM/MSE supporters
  • SSM - one return, a link to a very out of date leaflet about clergy and reader training events
  • MSE - 'sorry, no results for MSE'

Oxford
  • NSM - one result, to the biography of the Bishop of Buckingham, who once served as an NSM
  • SSM - half a dozen results, none relevant to SSMs
  • MSE - 10 results, none apparently relevant to MSE.  The fourth is a report about the Bishop of Oxford winning the Great Bishops' Bake-Off. Oh dear..

Peterborough
  • NSM - 'no search results found'
  • SSM - amongst the results is a promising page entitled 'Types of Ordained ministry'.  SSMs and MSEs get the second listing, after 'stipendiary ministry' and ahead of 'pioneer' ministry.  Well done Peterborough! Strangely, the page features a prominent picture of an SSM (hurrah) but The Revd - a woman - is shown hanging out the washing.  This seems careless on at least two fronts: that of female stereotyping and the implied functions of SSMs (page since removed).
  • MSE - ditto

Portsmouth
  • NSM - 'no results found'
  • SSM -  'no results found'
  • MSE -  'no results found'
    Found no obvious page or pages for those considering ordination

Ripon & Leeds
  • NSM - numerous search results with the first of them being an MSWord document entitled 'Notes on Non Stipendiary Ministry in the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds'.  This is an odd document, unsigned and undated. Not at all inspirational.
  • SSM - several results, none of which present SSM as a theologically justified expression of priesthood (Ripon & Leeds of course is not alone in this omission). The first returned result is, interestingly, an advertisement (now out of date) for an SSM priest to join a Harrogate parish.  This is good, and more parishes should follow suit.  What's puzzling is that this parish already had "vicar, SSM priest, curate, five readers". A parish to be watched, without doubt...
  • MSE - several results which do not lead to anything inspirational on the MSE vocation and mission

Rochester
  • NSM - two irrelevant results
  • SSM -  Number 9 in the results goes to an 'ordained ministry' page - rather promising.  Within that page is a link to "The Bishop’s Policy for Self-Supporting Ministry, 2013".  This turns out to be a pretty comprehensive document compared to many this exercise has uncovered.  Well done Rochester! For some reason it carries a 'draft' watermark.  Signed and dated 'the Bishop, January 2013'. It may seem picky to raise a quibble, but it is illustrative of some attitudes. "Change of Incumbent: Where a SSM is serving in an Assistant or Associate capacity, a particular point of transition arises when a new Incumbent is appointed.  In these circumstances the SSM will hopefully be a good support to their new colleague as they begin their new ministry.  A special review will be arranged within the first 6 months of the new incumbent’s tenure; this will be initiated by the Archdeacon who will encourage the SSM and the Incumbent to review their ministerial relationship and propose any adjustments to the SSM’s role.  In some circumstances this may lead to consideration of a move to a new ministry." A move for whom?  It means, I suspect, by the SSM.
  • MSE - many irrelevant results

St Albans
  • NSM - 'No pages found matching the search'
  • SSM -  takes you to the who's who page, listing not one but three 'Self Supporting Ministry Officers'.  "The three officers are there to look after the Self Supporting clergy in their archdeaconry.   All are, or have been, SSMs themselves and therefore understand the role very well".  Well done St Albans!
  • MSE - 'No pages found matching the search'.

St Edmundsbury & Ipswich
  • NSM - two results to individual stories, neither directly about NSM
  • SSM -  no relevant results
  • MSE - no results returned

Salisbury
  • NSM - one result, a rather formal bit under clergy terms of service with no positive treatment of NSM
  • SSM - 'no results found'
  • MSE - 'no results found'

Sheffield
  • NSM - 15 results, none relevant
  • SSM -  Nothing specifically about SSM but a welcome mention within the Bishop's Charge (Bp Peter) in which a straightforward, inclusive and helpful observation is made about SSMs: "[On prayer] I know it's difficult to find a regular pattern when you’re juggling so many things including those SSMs who are juggling work responsibilities."
  • MSE - many results, none relevant

Sodor & Man
  • NSM - various results, none of relevance
  • SSM - various results, none of relevance
  • MSE - various results, none of relevance

Southwark
  • NSM - 40 results, the majority of which related to NSM ordinations
  • SSM - "no pages found to match your query"
  • MSE - 5 results, all directly referring to MSE priests, most often as part of the parish profiles which form an interesting element of the diocesan newspaper The Bridge

    I had hoped for a more upbeat treatment of MSE given that Southwark Diocese pioneered the Southwark Ordination Course and has had its own clergy chapter for MSE priests.  Whilst the website is amongst the best in design and content, the section on vocation seems a little unfocused.  MSE material, if there, is buried.

Southwell & Nottingham
NSM - "Sorry your search returned no results. Please try again"
SSM - 5 results, none directly relevant
MSE - no relevant results

Southwell & Nottingham has a downloadable leaflet entitled 'Exploring vocation to the ordained ministry'. There is a good deal of useful information for the enquirer but, very strangely and regrettably, no mention of the role and calling of MSE clergy. There is the all too common talk of those who show potential to be 'incumbent' clergy and those - less able it seems - destined for 'assistant ministry' ("someone who would be unlikely to exercise ministry at incumbent level but rather in a supportive ministry").

Truro
  • NSM - no relevant results
  • SSM - no relevant results
  • MSE - no relevant results

    The bishop of St Germans - appointed 2013 - is, I believe, the first priest who trained on an ordination course to be made bishop. He also spent many years in the so-called secular world. Let's hope he has a positive view of priests in secular employment and is willing to champion the cause.

Wakefield
  • NSM - no relevant results
  • SSM - no relevant results
  • MSE - no results

    Wakefield gives a link to yorkshirepriest.com (immodestly sub-titled 'God's own County'). An interesting cross-diocese initiative but alas no serious presentation of MSE as a valid expression of the church's ministerial priesthood.

Winchester
  • NSM - 'no pages found matching the search'
  • SSM - one result, and directly relevant: news of 'A Consultation on Self-Supporting Ministry' to be held in March 2014.
  • MSE - 'no pages found matching the search'

    The page on ordained ministry seems very thin and uninspired. What would someone with a sense of being called make if it?

Worcester
  • NSM - 'no matches found for NSM'
  • SSM - 'no matches found for SSM'
  • MSE - one result, mentioning that a recently ordained person is to serve as 'MSE'

    The Worcester page on ordained ministry mentions many things, but becoming or being an MSE seems not to be one of them.

York
  • NSM - numerous results, largely showing entries about clergy ordinations and moves where 'NSM' still seems to be used by York as the descriptor rather than SSM
  • SSM - numerous results, mostly not relevant. There is a flyer for an event in 2012 described as 'A weekend for Readers and SSMs in secular employment'.
  • MSE - 'no results'

    On its vocations page (itself rather sparse) it simply refers interested people to the national Call Waiting site. As noted elsewhere, this CofE-wide site is something of a disappointment from an MSE perspective. It's 'glossary of terms' makes no mention of NSM, SSM or MSE but finds space to mention Fresh Expressions and Ordained Pioneer Ministry.
Non-stipendiary minister (NSM)
Not a very nice term.  It identified certain clergy by what they are not (in this case, paid by the church).  Still widely in use but largely replaced in official use by...

Self-Supporting Minister (SSM)
This still has the uncongenial flavour of money to it, for that is what the institution means to convey: not on the payroll, and financially supporing themselves.  The theological observation that God's grace means that none of us is ever fully self-supporting seems beside the point.  Confusingly, in recent times (very recent) the SSM acronym is also taken to refer to 'same sex marriage'.

Minister in Secular Employment (MSE)
Better than the others for those priests who beleive their priestly vocation focuses upon paid work beyond the conventional institution of the church, but still slighty problematic in that it perpetuates the unhelpful distinction between the sacred and the secular.

Worker-priest/priest-worker
Not very popular.  Some stipendiary clergy resent the implication that they don't work. Not so of course. Many work exceedingly hard. Some MSEs (me included) feel that what we do (often white collar, professional) lacks the credibility and sacrificial nature of the 'true' worker-priests. Still, we think its a better designation that the others on offer, and seems easily understood by those beyond the church.

A problem remains in distinguishing those clergy who believe themselves, vocationally, to be called to an 'unofficial' priestly presence in the world of paid employment. Those paid to be priests (chaplains in schools, the NHS, prisons, the miliitary) are a different group, responding differently to their vocational call.
Hanging out the washing...
Peterborough Diocese mentions SSMs/MSEs quite high up the list of search results (good), but illustrates the calling with a picture of a woman SSM hanging out the washing.  Thoughtlessness or are gender and ministerial stereotypes at work in Peterborough?
Messages for dioceses and their web people
  • be wary of unconsciously conveying a message of ministerial superiority: paid clergy the best, unpaid as second tier
  • think of what those with a sense of vocation need to find on your site; make it easy to find and intelligible to those 'not in the club'
  • encourage those with an MSE vocation.  No, really, encourage them. Focus on a work-based priestly ministry beyond the church-as-institution in the church-beyond-the-institution.  Such men and women, carefully selected, properly trained, thoughtfully supported will bring great benefit to the institution as well. Simples!

As a result of undertaking this informal, unscientific survey of diocesan sites, what strikes me is the lack of infectiously interesting content about serving as an ordained man or woman.  Broadly speaking, the material is hard to find, quickly drifts off into information about process, and quickly defines priesthood as meaning 'being a vicar'.  Some of the downloadable documents and leaflets are poorly designed.  This kind of thing is hard to excuse these days.

The most striking aspect to emerge from this unscientific survey is that the church-as-institution does not have a grasp of the MSE priestly presence and so cannot 'celebrate' it as something God might call people to.  This is related to its poor grasp of the day-to-day world of the laity.

This should not be read or taken as criticism of individuals, or even individual dioceses.  It is always a grave risk affecting all institutions that they become myopic.  Yet having created the possibility of priests serving in so-called secular roles as well as sacramentally in churches, we simply have to promote and nourish this particular expression of priesthood far, far better than is currently the case.