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DIOCESE OF JOHANNESBURG

1. The Period of Office

The Term of Office: In accordance with Canon 15: 2(a), an Archdeacon shall hold office for a period of 5 years. The term of office shall cease automatically on the expiration of this period.   The Archdeacon shall be eligible for re-election, but for a period not exceeding 2 years.  

When an Archdeacon moves away from the Archdeaconry: When an Archdeacon is appointed to a parish outside of their present Archdeaconry they shall be required to resign as Archdeacons of that Archdeaconry effective as from the date of their taking office in the new parish. 

2.         The Election Process

The Chairperson of the Election Process: When a vacancy occurs within an Archdeaconry, the Archdeaconry shall elect a new Archdeacon in accordance with the Rules of the Diocese and these guidelines.    The Churchwardens of the different parishes in the Archdeaconry shall on a strictly rotational basis be responsible for the election process, beginning with the first parish listed on the alphabetical list of parishes in that Archdeaconry. The Churchwardens of that parish shall elect the Chairperson.  

The Election Process: The Election Process comprises the following steps:-

1. The calling of the parishes for the purpose of electing an Archdeacon;
2. Determining who is eligible for election and who may vote;
3. Discussion of the duties of an Archdeacon and the qualities required;
4. Prayer for discernment of the Holy Spirit;
5. Voting;
6. Announcing the outcome of the voting;
7. Forwarding the name of the candidate to the Bishop for confirmation and appointment. The election only becomes effective once ratified by the Bishop.

The Calling of an Election: Within 2 weeks of a vacancy occurring within an Archdeaconry, the Chairperson of the election process shall call the parishes of the Archdeaconry to a special meeting for the purpose of electing a new Archdeacon. The meeting shall take place within 3 weeks of notice having been served. 

Eligibility to stand for election: All clergy worshipping within the Archdeaconry and holding a License or Letter of Permission to Officiate are eligible for election. However, only those persons whose lives and parishes show clear evidence of the qualities we are looking for in an Archdeacon should be given serious consideration. These qualities are:

1. A person who carries the Diocesan Vision on his / her heart;
2. An experienced senior priest of unquestionable integrity and prayerfulness:
3. A person able to maintain confidentiality;
4. A person able to offer encouragement, wise counsel and clear leadership:
5. A person able to contribute significantly to the future growth and development of the Diocese.
6. The election is only effective when it is ratified by the Bishop.

Eligibility to Vote: Only those who hold a license (ie. as rector, priest-in-charge, assistant, or deacon) are eligible to vote. Those holding Letters of Permission are not eligible to vote.   One lay member of the Parish Council from each parish in the Archdeaconry (as elected by that parish’s Parish Council) shall also be entitled to vote. Rule B - 3.1

Voting Process: Voting shall be by secret ballot and the person elected shall receive at least a 2/3 majority (66.6%). The secret ballot will ensure a free and fair election; the 2/3 majority will ensure that the person elected has the support of the vast majority of his / her Archdeaconry.

3.         When an Archdeacon is not elected

When an Archdeacon is not elected: If there is no obvious candidate at present or if those voting fail to elect an archdeacon after several votes, then the Bishop will appoint a caretaker Archdeacon.   

4.         The Duties of an Archdeacon (Rule B-3)

Duties of an Archdeacon (Rule B-3): The duties of an archdeacon as detailed in Canons 15.4 and 15.7 shall be delegated to the Diocesan Portfolio Teams. The duties of an Archdeacon shall be those set out in Canon 15.1. An archdeacon shall:-

1. support, encourage and assist the clergy to be effective in their ministry and in the implementation of the Diocesan Vision:
2. act as a mentor and wise counselor to the clergy of the Archdeaconry, and facilitate their ongoing spiritual faithfulness and growth:
3. promote fellowship within the Archdeaconry through regular meetings of clergy and lay leaders;
4. ensure that churchwardens, parish councillors and other lay leaders are admitted to their offices and are properly trained to exercise the ministry to which they are called;
5. weld the Archdeaconry into a Local Ministry Team in which individual gifts are recognised and developed, and ministries are developed so as to benefit the whole Archdeaconry;
6. serve on the Diocesan Ministry Leadership Team.

5.         Remuneration of an Archdeacon (Rule B-2)

B - 3.2 Remuneration of Archdeacons: Should circumstances require it, in the opinion of the Bishop, then the parish or the archdeacon may be paid such an amount, in respect of this office, as the Bishop and the Diocesan Finance Board may agree.

Revised: June 2005