The Deanery in Detail

THE DEANERY

“We are the Church of people and place, not just congregations and parish church.”
(Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell)

We are trying to make this a reality in Abbeydore Deanery which covers a large part of South-West Herefordshire numbering 35 churches and 32 parishes. Our Deanery operates as a Group Ministry and we operate on a principle of collaboration between clusters of parishes supported by a team of leaders, both layand ordained. Our vicars have been commissioned as Rural Pioneer Priests,  sharing their time between ministry and mission.

DEANERY DETAILS

     The current team of Rural Pioneer Priests are Rev Luci Morriss, Rev Cate Thomson and Rev Simon Lockett .
They work as part of a wider Deanery Leadership Team which also includes:
Rev Jane Rogers (Co Rural Dean), Bill Giles (Lay Chair), Geoff Holder (Self-supporting Curate), Nigel Sellar (Treasurer) and Anne Lloyd (Coordinator).
There is then a much wider team, too many to name, which includes retired clergy,
local lay worship leaders, missioners and pastoral visitors together with the many
churchwardens, other officeholders and volunteers who collaborate together for
mission and ministry in this area.

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DEANERY SYNOD

This is the decision-making body for the deanery.  It meets at least twice a year, usually as part of a larger meeting which we call The Gathering.  The Deanery Synod is made up of representatives from each parish within the deanery.

Deanery Synod/Gathering Dates for 2026 is 10th October