Interesting article in the Times today, re. the role of an Anglican Vicar and how he/she is subject to the claims and actions of the congregation.
See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6965670.ece The worrying part isn’t whats happened, as I probably don’t have the full story, but the way in which it highlights the role of clergy in general. So often we have to manage directives from Central Office and persuade our people (who are at the end of the day volunteers) to carry out certain tasks on Health & Safety, Safeguarding, statistic collecting etc. However if our people fail to see the need then the fallback is on the clergy.
I find this happening more and more. It is MY fault the Church isn’t growing; it is MY fault that there is a new ruling re. health & safety; it is MY fault that over umpteen things. I even got a phone call the other day to let me know that some boys were having a snowball fight near one of my Churches and what was I doing about it !!
Its laughable in most cases but worringly the day seems to creep ever closer when the Vicar/Minister/Priest etc will actually find themselves in court over something he/she has been told to do and over something their people have refused to do.
Or am I over imagining the situation ????
