What is a Deanery?
A Deanery is a ‘formally linked’ cluster of parishes (one or more parishes form a benefice, one or normally more benefices form a deanery) within a particular area of a diocese.
From time to time the number of deaneries in a diocese may change, depending on the need of the particular diocese. For example, benefices may merge, or parishes may move into other benefices, changing the internal boundary structure of the diocese. Tgis is all carefully managed through a process of pastoral organisazion, more on which can be found here.
The parishes that fall within a particular deanery would typically seek to work together on common aspects of parish life, such as allocating requirements for Ministry Share.
Each deanery is led by a Rural Dean and a Deanery Lay Chair. The Deanery has the role of fostering mutual support between its parishes, joint planning of key elements of pastoral life and mission and sharing of resources.
In leading the implementation of the Church's mission, the Rural Dean provides the link with the Archdeacon of the Archdeaconry in which that Deanery sits.
Deanery Synods
Each Deanery has a Deanery Synod, presided over by the Rural Dean and Lay Chair. This draws together the thoughts of the Church's life in the Deanery and is asked to consider matters referred to it from the Diocesan Synod and General Synod. It is also a mechanism for where the thoughts of the parish are initially heard beyond the PCC.
The rules and guidelines governing Deanery Synods are outlined in further detail in the Governance pages of this website.
Rural Deans
To find out who your Rural Dean is, please visit the Archdeacons' Office webpage via the "Contact Us" page here.
Find a Deanery
Further information on the Deaneries in the Diocese of Ely can be found on the pages below. Click on the Deanery name or map icon to view more information on each.
