Parish Development Advisers

PDAs work with teams of different sizes and areas of focus to increase their effectiveness.

This might include working on:

• team dynamics
• effective communication and delegation
• conflict resolution and trouble-shooting
• collaborative working
• developing appropriate power and authority structures
• understanding how to release gifts/ministries within others

The Diocese of Oxford is committed to supporting clergy.

PDAs work with the diocesan Ministry Accompaniers’ network to offer mentoring, coaching and work consultancy to all clergy licensed within the diocese. To explore working with a Ministry Accompanier, clergy can contact their area PDA.

PDAs visit all clergy when they are new post to make arrangements for focused transitional coaching for the first year of the new post.

When your vicar is leaving, your PDA will contact the churchwardens or PCC to arrange a meeting to explain the process and offer you support. The PDA will work with the parish/benefice and deanery structures throughout the process.

The support PDAs offer includes helping you to:

• review who you are as a parish/benefice
• think about your future direction
• discern and articulate the particular gifts and skills you hope to find in your new priest
• guidance on the preparation of the parish/benefice profile and the person specification

PCCs, DCCs and other church councils are crucial to the life and leadership of the local church.

PDAs work with your church leadership team (eg PCC/DCC/church council) to:

• clarify your purpose and role
• work effectively together
• induct new members of the team
• arrange an Away Day to focus on development or vision
• advise on issues such as chairing meetings, setting agendas, and good practice in meetings

A growing, developing faith is vital for any church’s health.

PDAs can help you (an a church and as an individual) consider:

• which nurture programme is best for you?
• useful resources for small groups
• taking time out to listen to God better, perhaps on a quiet day
• taking a retreat

Everyone has gifts and abilities, and we are all called to use these gifts and abilities together for the growth of God’s kingdom.

PDAs can work with colleagues to lead and facilitiate away days, quiet days etc to help you:

• identify and evaluate your gifts, skills and resources
• work together more collaboratively
• facilitate training for lay pastoral visitors
• grow in faith and discipleship
• identify and enable candidates for authorised ministries

See also:

Setting God’s People Free (SGPF)

Fresh Expressions of Church (fxC) are new and different ways of being church for the 21st century. Some of the more widely known fxC are Messy Church, cafe church and seeker church.

PDAs can:

• listen to your needs and ideas
• help you think creatively about your context and how you could do church differently there, perhaps on a weekday or in a new location
• give you some examples of what other parishes/churches are doing
• help you plan to start a fxC

See also these websites:

1. www.freshexpressions.org.uk
2. www.emergingchurch.info
3. www.encountersontheedge.org.uk

Particular challenges face our rural churches, most of which are in multi-parish benefices.

PDAs can facilitate discussions about:

• the role of the incumbent, shared ministry and leadership
• the use of buildings
• governance
• resources aimed at enabling rural churches to think creatively about their mission and their future

See also:

www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk

www.parishresources.org.uk/rural.htm

Enhancing the rural church in the Diocese of Oxford