End of Tenure Interview

Notes for completion

The form will be completed by the Archdeacon with the Standing Committee. It would be helpful if
each member has reflected on the questions before the meeting to inform the discussion.

The purpose of our discussion is to review the ministry of the church and to identify strengths to
build on and issues to address as the church prepares to write a parish profile. Our diocese is
committed to growth, numerically and spiritually, and so the questions draw upon the insights in the
Church Growth research published in 2014 “From Anecdote to Evidence” compiled by the Church of
England (www.churchgrowthresearch.org.uk/report).
The information gathered will be used by the Archdeacon to input into the future direction of the
role, and how the next post should be shaped.

Church Saint Francis of Assisi Kitt Green Wigan

Interview date O5/12/23
Archdeacon
(or person facilitating the discussion)

1. How would you describe the current health of your church?

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

Why have you given that answer?

We lack a dedicated clerical leader in times of great change, and so I would describe our
congregational efforts as well intentioned but lacking a real anchor in the overall future
vision and strategic direction of the church across wigan

2. Where is God most at work?

Use a maximum of 4 bullet points, each no more than 10 words
 Community chaplain services

 home communion team

 Friday prayer and shared meal [chippy tea]

3. Vision, mission and purpose

Does your church have a clear vision of mission & purpose? Yes + No
Please describe it in under 20 words the church Wigan vision of creating 1 – 10 disciples across the
borough of wigan in the next 10 years
 Well you have basically described it accurately and succinctly – but to add a little more the
creation of new worshipping communities is the main strategic intent, to bring to faith and regular
worship those who might find traditional church and services boring and not relevant to their
lifestyle and situation

4. A bigger church to make a bigger difference

How big a priority is spiritual and numerical growth for your church?

Very high High moderately high moderately low Low very low

Why have you given that answer?

We all want numerical growth so much, but we feel disconnected from Church Wigan through the
scarcity of clerical leadership time in our own church. This is not a criticism of any of our wonderful
clergy but trying to grow the church whilst shrinking your sunk cost base simply leads to cracks and
voids that cannot be filled. If this is the only model the executive team, of Church Wigan, have on
the table, then you very quickly need to grow and dare I say, possibly fund, some service manager
capability to become the linkage between church strategic and business plans and the
congregations that currently survive on less than 50% of clergy leadership.

5. Being confident in the chosen style of worship

How would you describe the chosen style of worship? (in under 20 words please)

Low church and contemporary

To what extent would you say that your church is confident in its worship style and tradition?

Very confident Confident moderately confident moderately unsure Unsure very unsure

Why have you given that answer?

6. Willing to reflect, change and adapt

How would you assess your church’s willingness to:

 Reflect on strengths and challenges (e.g. have you completed GPF)

Very willing Willing moderately willing moderately resistant resistant very resistant

Why have you given that answer?

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  Change and adapt

Very willing Willing moderately willing moderately resistant resistant very resistant

Why have you given that answer?

The only real vision is the Church Wigan vision that we all should be signed up to in the
first place. Once we have a full time Hub Leader maybe some localisation of the guiding
church Wigan vision might be possible without running the risk of unilateral declaration
of independence- as I fear some churches are now attempting if not by design through
default given the ‘right buildings programme and associated threats to continuation

Specific questions – factors associated with growth

7. Good leadership # 1

Assess the quality of the leadership in your church:

 Stipendiary and non-stipendiary Clergy

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

+
Why have you given that answer?

Leadership is strong within Saint Francis, the problem is, there's just not enough of it.
The spreading of scant resources across a number of centralised work fronts equates to
paying for a full time stipendiary and receiving at best 50% of their time in the funding
church

 Readers and any other Licensed lay workers

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

+
Why have you given that answer?

We funded and trained a reader who no longer attends church. Licenced lay workers do
on occasion help out doing services, but more people need to do a bit more

 Lay

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

Why have you given that answer?

As above

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8. Good leadership # 2

Think about the past 3 years:

 How many new leaders have emerged?

A lot A few Not many Hardly any

Why do you think that might be?

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  How many lay people are stuck doing the same job because there is nobody
able/willing/allowed to take it on?

A lot A few Not many Hardly any

Give examples:

Why do you think that might be?

I might sound like a bit of a broken record, but new leaders need nurturing, nurturing
needs to come from a clerical leadership team and given the number of vacancies across
church Wigan and the shared ministry drive such as inspire etc, there is actually little
time and leadership spent in the parish on the finding and growing of new leaders

9. Actively engaging children, teenagers and families

How would you rate your church’s appeal to and engagement with:
 Children (up to the age of 14)

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

+
Why have you given that answer?

Since Covid has been non-existent at St G-Francis we are aware of the need here and we
are looking for a volunteer team

 Teenagers (aged 14 to 18)

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

Why have you given that answer?

As above

 The families of these children and young people

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

+
Why have you given that answer?

Our community chaplain team are a constant presence throughout the week in the most difficult parts
of the urban conurbations that surround St Francis church, Marsh Green and Kitt Green and, as a

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team, they are greatly appreciated by the families and young children that they constantly visit and
support

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10. A bigger church making a bigger difference
In terms of actively engaging with people outside the existing church community and thinking of
people outside of the church community how would you assess:

 How visible (activity-wise) your church is in the local community?

Very visible Good visibility moderately visibility weak visibility invisible

Give examples:

Newsletters etc

Why do you think that might be?

I run the risk of drifting away from the question here but I do think this needs saying.

 Your level of engagement with people who don’t currently come to church?

Give examples:

Why do you think that might be?

 The quality of your welcome when new people do come to church?

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

Why have you given that answer?

 The quality of your follow-up of people who have shown an interest in/just started
attending church?

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

Give examples:

Why do you think that might be?

11. Committed to nurturing new and existing Christians

Thinking of people in your church:
 How would you rate the quality and availability of nurture courses in your church?

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

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  How would you rate the quality and level of participation in small groups in your church?

Very strong strong moderately strong moderately weak weak very weak

+
Why have you given that answer?

All our small groups are very well attended, such as advent, lent and Bible study groups. The biggest success as
to what can grow from such groups, is the Friday prayer group. We began this particular group in 2017 as part
of our Lent preparations. It has been in place ever since and now attracts around 15-20 every Friday night
where afterward we share a community meal.

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SPECIFIC QUESTIONS – FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINE

12. People post school/university

Assuming you have young people up to the age of 18:
 How successful have you been in helping them commit to church immediately after leaving
school or university?

Very successful Successful moderately moderately Unsuccessful very unsuccessful

successful unsuccessful

Give examples:

Why do you think that might be?

13. Effect of amalgamations

Thinking of the different church buildings and/or congregations under the authority of your PCC
and/or incumbent:

 To what extent have you been successful in clearly establishing one focal/missional leader
for each worshipping community?

Very successful Successful moderately moderately Unsuccessful very unsuccessful

successful unsuccessful

Why have you given that answer?

14. Broken buildings (Building Assessment Framework)

Thinking of your church building and ancillary buildings:
 How appropriate are they for mission in the 21st century?

Very appropriate Appropriate moderately moderately Inappropriate very inappropriate

appropriate inappropriate

Give examples:

Why have you given that answer?

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Have you completed a Church Building Framework document in the last five years?

If yes, please summarise here the 5 main conclusions you drew from your most recent Church
Building Framework:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

15. Overdependence on the minister

Thinking generally:
 To what extent would you say the church is over-dependent on and over-demanding of a
single individual?

Exactly right Mostly right Just about OK A bit too dependent quite dependent over demanding

Give examples:

The current set up of shared clergy and Church wigans centrally resourced
projects (creation of new worshipping communities) actually now genuinely
equates to an accepted under-dependence on clergy at the church level. This is
not a dig at hardworking clergy it’s a highlighting of the mismatch of strategic
ambition and the current resourcing model. In plain speak the current model
sees the clergy team ‘spread a mile wide and an inch deep’. The aim of creating
new worshipping communities is totally understood and accepted by all existing
congregations, but to leave those same revenue generating congregations
without a minimum level of clerical pastoral care, and guidance, will ‘kill the
goose that lays the golden egg’. New worshipping communities are primarily
focused in areas of social deprivation and hence there is an even bigger strain on
church finances and an even higher dependence on the traditional revenue
generating churches. I would say with a sense of real foreboding if there were a
continued ignoring of those traditional congregational needs and expectations
then Church Wigan does so at its own peril.
Why have you given that answer?

Have you met with your outgoing priest and completed the Handover Sheet and Vacancy
Checklist sent to you by the Appointment’s Secretary?

Are there any nettles which need to be grasped?

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Signed: (Archdeacon and Standing Committee members)

Date:

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