Friday, 14 June 2024
It is hard to believe that we are already in the middle of the year. How time flies!
It would be an understatement to say that the last six months in the vicarage have been difficult. So many things have happened. The hardest (after my beloved father’s translation to glory) has been the ongoing drama concerning the vicar. It has been going on for a few years now but things have come to a head in the last one year. I would have loved to write about it here earlier but I couldn’t summon the courage.
Some of you familiar with the Church of England would have heard the term clergy bullying which the vicar finds himself in. I have heard and read about clergy bullying but didn’t expect it to happen to us. In fact clergy bullying came up in February’s General synod. Many vicars in the CofE are being subjected to bullying. Can you believe that?
My main reason for highlighting this in my post is if any of you are vicars/spouses or know of any CofE vicar, please please urge them to the join the Church of England’s union called CEECA. They are part of Unite the trade union.
The vicar has received trememdous support from them. I am saddened to say that Bishops in the CofE are no longer able to provide pastoral support and that is why so many are having to turn to CEECA for pastoral and advocate support. The membership is about £17.00 per month but I assure you that it is worth every penny because even if you never need their support you will be helping other clergy who need them. In fact that is why I persuaded the vicar to join CEECA so that we can help other clergy indirectly but now we find ourselves to be the ones needing their help!
Secret Diary Of A Church of England Vicar's Wife 