Deaconesses and Lay Ministry Measure 1972

1972 No. 4

A Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of England to enable further provision to be made by Canon with respect to the ministry of deaconesses, licensed lay workers, readers and other lay persons.

[9th August 1972]

1 Provision for extending the ministry of deaconesses, licensed lay workers, readers and others. U.K.

(1) It shall be lawful for the General Synod to provide by Canon for the authorisation by the bishop of the diocese of deaconesses, licensed lay workers, readers, and other lay persons having such qualifications as may be prescribed by Canon, to perform any of the following duties at the invitation of the minister of a parish or an extra-parochial minister:—

(a) to church women;

(b) in the absence of the minister, to baptise;

(c) with the goodwill of the persons responsible, to bury the dead or read the burial service before, at or after a cremation.

(2) A Canon made in pursuance of the preceding subsection may provide for substituting, when a cure is vacant, the invitation of the rural dean for the invitation of the minister of the parish or parishes concerned.

(3) The power to provide by Canon for the matters aforesaid shall be exerciseable notwithstanding any rubric or direction in the Book of Common Prayer or any rule of ecclesiastical law.

(4) References in any enactment or Measure relating to burial or cremation to a clerk or minister in Holy Orders, or to qualified persons authorised by an incumbent or minister, or to a minister of religion, shall be construed as including references to a person authorised in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section to perform the duties specified in paragraph (c) thereof, but not so as to enable any such person to perform those duties otherwise than in accordance with the conditions prescribed by Canon.

(5) In this section the expression “extra-parochial minister” means a minister licensed under section 2 of the M1 Extra-Parochial Ministry Measure 1967 to perform at any of the institutions therein mentioned all or any of the duties specified in subsection (1) of this section.

Marginal Citations

M1 1967 No. 2.

F1 [ 1A Provision with respect to licensing for fixed term. E

Without prejudice to section 7(1) of the Church of England (Legal Aid and Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1988, it shall be lawful for the General Synod to provide by Canon for empowering the bishop of a diocese, in the case of a benefice in his diocese in respect of which a team ministry is established,—

(a) to grant a licence to any of the persons mentioned in subsection (1) of section 1 above to serve in the area of the benefice for such term of years as may be specified in the licence; and

(b) [F2 in the case of any such person who is not subject to Common Tenure,] to revoke such a licence summarily and without further process before the expiration of the term so specified for such cause and subject to such conditions as the Canon may provide.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 1A inserted (1.5.1996) by 1995 No. 1, s. 13; Instrument dated 12.2.1996 made by Archbishops of Canterbury and York

F2 Words in s. 1A(b) inserted (31.1.2011) by Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009 (No. 1), s. 13(2), Sch. 2 para. 1 (with s. 9); 2010 No. 8, art. 2

2 Short title and extent. U.K.

(1) This Measure may be cited as the Deaconesses and Lay Ministry Measure 1972.

(2) This Measure shall extend to the whole of he Provinces of Canterbury and York except the Channel Islands:

Provided that this Measure may be applied to the Channel Islands as defined in the M2 Channel Islands (Church Legislation) Measures 1931 and M3 1957, or either of them, in accordance with those Measures.

Marginal Citations

M2 1931 No. 4

M3 1957 No. 1