NSM Officers - Church Times exchange

Why are bishops' officers for non-stipendiary ministry usually appointed from among the stipendiary priests? Would it not be far better if they were appointed from among those priests whom they are supposed to represent?

This question appeared in the Church Times recently. A couple few replies have been printed -

• I suggest the following reasons. Non-stipendiary priests are in practice under the benign supervision of a stipendiary vicar, team rector, and the like; so there is nothing odd about the bishops' officers being stipendiary.
  
  Second, non-stipendiary clergy are under a "contract" that stipulates how many hours each week they are supposed to devote to their ministry, usually less than "full-time employment". Presumably, bishops' officers are required to be available "full-time".
  
  Third, if there is an unsatisfactory relationship between a stipendiary priest and an NSM, the officer should be able to deal with the former with reasonable authority.
  
  Christopher Haffner (Reader)East Molesey
  

 

• In Manchester, the Bishop's officer for self-supporting ministry, and the four archdeaconry officers, are all themselves self-supporting clergy.
  (Canon) Chris Bracegirdle (Bishop's Senior Chaplain and Diocesan Warden of Readers) Manchester

• Christopher Haffner is out of date in asserting that NSMs are "under the benign supervision of a stipendiary vicar, team rector, and the like". Many NSMs are in charge of parishes. I have been a priest-in-charge for nearly five years. Under Common Tenure, NSMs may be granted a benefice.
  
  An increasing number of rural deans are NSMs, and there are also bishop's officers who are NSMs; others combine that responsibility with, e.g., a parish, and so are not "available full-time".
  
  Neither are we all under a contract as described. I asked at my interview what time commitment was sought, to be told: "It's up to you, really." The time that NSMs need to spend supporting themselves and any dependants varies from full-time work to nothing.
  
  Unfortunately, the old hierarchical view still pervades the Church of England, and leads to a patronising view of NSMs, and, indeed, of Readers.
  
  Many chrism services start with a procession in strict hierarchical order. We then hear a Gospel in which the disciples argue over who is to be the greatest in the Kingdom. Is it not time we rethought these mixed messages and challenged underlying attitudes?
  
  (The Revd) Malcolm Jones
  Heathfield, East Sussex