The Diocese of Truro will be appointing Strategic Rural Deans for each deanery in the coming months to support with the embedding of Deanery Plans.

In 2023, Rural Deans raised concerns about their capacity for their deanery roles while also operating well as incumbents. The diocese initially looked at developing an entirely new role, known as Deans of Area, who would operate across three or four deaneries, without holding responsibility for a parish or benefice. In recent months, the current Rural Deans, who have largely been appointed in the last year, have said that the role is manageable with support, and that there are important benefits to having local incumbents leading their deaneries.

With that in mind, the role of Strategic Rural Dean was devised, and it has now been approved by the Bishop’s Diocesan Council.

Most of the new Strategic Rural Deans will also be incumbents, although some will hold other kinds of roles. There is a clear job description and while built on the foundation of the existing Rural Dean role, it will be significantly different. As well as fulfilling the traditional responsibilities of a Rural Dean, they will be responsible for leading and enabling the changes described in deanery plans, practically and culturally. They will also be responsible for leading and enabling, at deanery level, the objectives of the Diocesan Plan for Change and Renewal.

Given the importance of this role to implementing deanery plans, Strategic Rural Deans will have three new layers of support:

  • Each Rural Dean will have seven hours of administrative support each week, deployable by the Strategic Rural Dean and employed locally.
  • Six additional House for Duty colleagues (each shared by two ‘buddy’ deaneries) will be recruited to offer ministry support. These priests will also be deployable by the Strategic Rural Dean.
  • A rolling Training and Development programme will give Strategic Rural Deans professional development, mutual learning and peer support.

As well as providing these practical supports, Strategic Rural Deans will receive an increased stipend of £1,500.

This plan puts local ministry at its heart. It honours the deanery as the key to mission and ministry and is a clear investment in the development of the diocese’s own clergy. The administrative and House for Duty roles will ensure the parishes whose incumbent is the Strategic Rural Dean do not lose out and will support every benefice by providing the leadership needed to put their plan for fruitfulness and sustainability into practice.

The Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, Acting Bishop of Truro, said: “Over the last two or three years, there has been considerable work on developing ways to support parishes and deaneries to do the work needed to move towards the fruitful and sustainable future we all long to see.

“The priority has been appointing the right clergy to do the right roles in the right posts, and the diocese has enjoyed success with 18 appointments this year and more to come before Christmas. This is an unprecedented number of priests to have welcomed into new roles.

“The Strategic Rural Deans will provide deaneries with the right kind of leadership for the work that needs to be done. Rural Deans have long been a key part of the work of the Church of England, providing support to parish clergy and a link to other parts of the diocese. Over the last five or 10 years they have taken on a more significant role in leading change.”