It was announced during September that Gary has been appointed Area Dean of Southampton, in succession to the Revd Norman Boakes, Vicar of Maybush, who is moving to pastures new within the Diocese.

In choosing a new Area Dean, the Bishop (of Winchester, acting through the Bishop of Southampton) first consults the clergy and others in the Deanery, and then makes an appointment.  Gary then consulted Churchwardens and colleagues before accepting the Bishop’s invitation.  The appointment is for five years, extendable for another three by mutual consent.

The Area (sometimes called ‘Rural’) Dean has a number of functions within the Deanery and the wider Diocese:

1. He is chair of the Deanery Chapter of clergy, which meets about six times a year for the mutual support of clergy in parishes and sectors in the Deanery
2. He is joint chair (with the Lay Co-Chair) of the Deanery Synod and Standing Committee, which both meet about three times a year.
3. He is responsible, with the Churchwardens, for the life of a Parish or Benefice during a vacancy - there will be three vacancies in this Deanery by the end of the year.
4. He is a member of the Southern Area Team, comprising Area/Rural Deans of the Southern Archdeaconry, the Bishop of Southampton and the Archdeacon of Bournemouth, and of the Southern Area Pastoral Committee, comprising the above plus Lay Co-chairs.
5. He is responsible, with the Bishop and Archdeacon, for the pastoral care of clergy and their families in the Deanery, and for matters such as the Deanery Plan for the deployment of clergy.  As well as the Parish clergy, this includes those in sector ministries, such as universities or hospitals within the City.
6. He represents the Deanery on a number of other bodies, such as the Southampton Council of Faiths, Churches Together in Southampton, and the Bereavement Services Liaison Group.
7. He is involved in caring for and supporting any clergy or parishes which might be going through difficult times.
8. And, of course, he does all this while also maintaining his normal role as Vicar of a Parish (I.e., Gary‘s not on the move!).

Over the next month Gary, Kate, PCC and Churchwardens will be considering what impact Gary’s new role within the Deanery will have on the Parish, and how to make sure that the Parish is well cared for pastorally, so that our ministry and mission here is not unduly affected by Gary’s time spent in the Deanery.

There will be additional help - Gary will having some extra administrative help, for example, to reduce the workload.

Gary writes:

It is, of course, a great honour to be nominated by ones colleagues in the Deanery, and appointed by the Bishop, to this post.  It’s also rather daunting, as we have had excellent Area Deans in the recent past - notably Norman Boakes, and Bruce Hartnell (formerly Curate of South Stoneham Parish) before that.  I hope that the Parish will understand that duties in the Deanery will take me a way from the Parish on some occasions, but also that people will say if there are any problems, or it you feel any areas of Parish life are slipping.  Fortunately, and one of the reasons why I was able to accept the Bishop’s offer, we have an excellent team of staff and Wardens in the, and I am confident that we shall be able to develop our ministry here in the future as we have been able in the past.

Your prayers are asked for Gary in this new position,  for the rest of the staff team and Wardens, and for the 20 parishes of the Deanery of Southampton, as well as the sector ministries, as we try to fulfil out calling as part of the Church in the City, with a special mission to reach every part of it.