When an incumbent leaves a parish

The following guideline is provided so that there is an understanding of the role of the incumbent who is leaving a parish. The time of leaving is often a difficult one for both the incumbent and the parish.   Pastoral relations are understandably warm and personal and incumbents may have developed friendships in the parish.  To assist both the incumbent and the parish work through this transition, this guideline is provided.  The guideline relates to clergy who are retiring from a parish or accepting a new appointment elsewhere.  
There are key components to the process of leaving a parish covered in this guideline.  One is where the worship home will be after the incumbent has resigned from the parish (as in the case of retirement); another covers the role of the incumbent who is leaving and the selection process  and another covers requests for taking services at the parish after the incumbent has left. 

1. a)When an incumbent has written the Bishop of Huron to indicate he/she is leaving the parish it is understood that the incumbent will not be involved in the process, either formally or informally, to find a new incumbent.   As one can appreciate, by the former incumbent not being involved, the wardens and selection committee can carry out their roles with due diligence as they work towards recommending to the bishop a new incumbent. 

b) Worship home:
To help the parish and the incumbent, move on from the worship style of the incumbent and the relationship with the parish, the incumbent will find a new home parish to worship in and not attend or be involved with the previous parish unless written permission is received from the bishop.  . 

c) The tradition of the Church is that when a priest leaves a parish due to either retirement or to take up a new ministry at another appointment, he/she does not return to officiate at services, etc., in the former parish.  However, a long relationship and affectionate remembrance by the people often bring about such requests.
Therefore, it is noted that during the interim, before the new rector arrives, the former priest may return for weddings, funerals, etc., if requested and with the concurrence of the acting priest-in-charge and/or the Territorial Archdeacon.  It is understood, of course, that pastoral needs in the new parish will take precedence.

2. After the new incumbent arrives, former clergy and others may be invited back when requested, but such invitations must always be directly from the new incumbent.  The appropriate plan would be to have the current incumbent officiate and then outside clergy to assist in the service at the direction of the current incumbent.  Under no circumstances should such ministering be done without the knowledge and invitation of the incumbent whether in the Church or elsewhere in the parish.  It is entirely inappropriate for parishioners to request the ministry of a former incumbent in place of the present one.  By his/her induction vows, the current incumbent has the responsibility and the right to be in charge of all the church's ministrations within the parish.

The obligation  is always for  a former incumbent to be absolutely loyal to and supportive  of the successor's ministry and to help parishioners to form warm and personal relationships with the new incumbent.

                                                                                                                                 November 2005