Women Clergy Day Report

It was a joy to gather as Women clergy at the end of last month. As always, we enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the Foxhill team. We really appreciated Anne Beverley, Director of Ministry in Blackburn Diocese, sharing with us about her experience of ‘Learning to Disagree well’. This included reflections on how well Mutual Flourishing can look in a diocese where ‘my need to be right is not greater than your need to flourish’ (+Philip North).

This topic helped us to think though in very practical ways how we can work well within disagreement in many areas of ministry. Jenny Bridgman, along with some of our safeguarding team, shared with us some the transitions at Church House and the work being done both nationally and within our diocese in areas of safeguarding and wellbeing. 

After lunch +Julie helpfully facilitated a conversation around both safeguarding and the common experiences of what everyday sexism can look like for us as women clergy. It was helpful to voice some of these experiences and consider how we can work towards changing the picture. 

While we will work to put on another day like this in the future, we recognise that spaces for Female clergy to gather, share and encourage one another more regularly can be helpful. To this end we are launching some Female Clergy Network groups across the diocese on a trial basis.  Each of these five groups have two facilitators who will be in touch with you shortly to invite you to a regional gathering.

These are roughly based on a collection of Deaneries, but not limited to this geography. We are hoping that these networks will be an additional place of support to our existing structures of Chapter and Deanery. They are completely optional and do not form part of your statement of particulars. We hope they are helpful. 

Revd Lesley Currie

Female clergy are always welcome to contact Lesley, the Dean of Women’s Ministry for advice or support by emailing lesley.currie@chester.anglican.org