Category: Area Deans

Rural Dean Survey

This is a limited survey of rural deans who attended the Sixth National Conference on the Deanery and a smaller number of rural deans in the west of England to whom the survey form was given. There were thirty useable replies.

Table 1

 

Mean

Mode

Median

Max 

Deanery meetings. excluding. Chapter & Synod.

2.1

3.0

2.0

8.0 

Pastoral contact with. clergy

3.4

1.0

2.5

17.0 

Parish visitations

1.5

1.0

1.0

5.0 

Archdeaconry. & Diocesan. Mtg. as RD.

2.9

2.0

2.0

10.0 

Administration

5.2

5.0

4.0

17.0 

Interregnums etc..

3.6

1.0

2.0

33.0 

Other Activities 

0.9

0.0

0.0

10.0 

Fx of Totals

19.6

16.0

13.5

71.0 

 

The purpose of the survey was to see if there was evidence to support the increasing demand for the post of rural dean to be designated as full time or part time and associated with another less than full time responsibility.

The survey shows that the “average” (arithmetic mean) proportion of time spent on rural dean’s work was 19.6%. The most frequent (mode) amount of time spent was 16% and the middle of the range (median) was 13.5%. The extraordinary maximum of 71%, which one respondent spends in his work as rural dean, is of note. In this case, the individual concerned was deliberately appointed as rural dean along with a city centre parochial appointment. Table I shows the various figures.