Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011

105 Meaning of “benefice” and “parish”

(1) In this Measure—

• “benefice” means the office of rector or vicar of a parish or parishes, with cure of souls, but not including (except in section 104) the office of a vicar in a team ministry;

• “the area of a benefice” means the parish or parishes belonging to the benefice;

• “parish” means, except in sections 21(2)(g) and 62(4), a parish constituted for ecclesiastical purposes, and does not include a conventional district.

(2) If any question arises under this Measure as to whether an ecclesiastical office is a benefice, or whether any area or place is or is within a parish or the area of a benefice or an extra-parochial place, it shall be determined by the Commissioners after consultation with the bishop, and that determination shall be conclusive for the purposes of this Measure.

(3) If any question arises whether any benefice or parish is to be treated, for the purposes of any pastoral scheme or order or any provisions of this Measure relating thereto, as a new benefice or parish or as an existing benefice or parish with altered area or boundaries, any provision of the scheme or order expressly stating or necessarily implying (whether by a change of name or retention of an existing name or otherwise) that the benefice or parish is to be treated as new or existing shall be conclusive of that question.

(4) Nothing in this Measure or in any scheme or order made under it shall be taken as applying to or in any way affecting any parish constituted otherwise than for ecclesiastical purposes.