Alison Maddocks, our Dean of Smaller Churches will retire at the end of May this year. Alison has worked in the role since the start of 2021, supporting those churches with an active membership of 20 or fewer.
Alison said: “It’s been a huge privilege to walk alongside parishes across the Diocese and share their concerns, but the time is right for me to move on and let someone else continue this work. I hope that I have helped to connect churches who might have been feeling quite out of touch and isolated, as well as being a bridge between our smallest churches and other support offered by the different teams in the diocesan office.”
45% of the churches in our diocese are classed as ‘smaller churches’. 95% of these are rural and the majority are listed buildings. Alison has been able to support these churches across a wide spectrum of issues including church buildings, governance and anything else which might be worrying them.
“I hope that my work has raised the profile of our smaller churches and their place in their communities. My role has also involved helping these churches face the difficult questions and have honest conversations about their future. I have very much enjoyed being out there in the parishes and helping them understand the role they could play for all who live in their area, not just their worshipping community. It is great to see some of these churches now organising brilliant community events attended by many in their local area instead of communion services attended by a handful of people.”
As Alison has spoken to churches in different locations throughout the Diocese, she has been able to bring some of the issues together, encouraging churches to work with each other to help identify ways of moving forward.
“I firmly believe that strength won’t be found in fierce independence but by graceful and joyful interdependence. Forming joint councils and finding other ways to work together and support each other can help smaller churches be healthier and more sustainable for the future. I was really pleased with the Smaller Churches conference last year which had the feeling of people coming together and belonging together. No one has the answers, but these churches are all living the same question and together we are all one Church.”
After Alison retires at the end of May, she will be spending more time on her boat, sailing down the coast of Portugal with her husband and also visiting the Outer Hebrides! Her role was funded by the national church for an initial five years.
Archdeacon Nikki reflected that Alison’s role, the only one of its kind in the Church of England, has been key in showing our commitment to supporting churches in all the varied contexts of the Diocese. “A healthy, sustainable smaller church will look very different from a healthy, sustainable larger church”, she said. “Alison has been wonderfully helpful in encouraging congregations to think creatively about what it might look like for their church to flourish. It will often mean changes in governance and service patterns, innovative ways of harnessing the gifts of local leaders, and sometimes making courageous decisions about limiting or reframing the ongoing use of the church building.”
We will continue to support our smaller churches as they navigate the particular conundrums they face, but the way forward with this important work is still emerging. Alison’s retirement gives opportunity for us to think deeply about how to focus on this area appropriately in the next few years, as part of our wider strategic priorities within the Kingdom People vision.
