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code of professional conduct: (part of the Order's mandatory code and adopted from exemplars found in the main stream denominations) The code of professional conduct is a mandatory document for all members of the Order and is fairly detailed in its contents. Whilst not prescriptive in its application, it embodies all the standards expeceted of members of the Order in conducting themselves in the outworking of their ministries in the Order's name. These opening sections of the code are included so that members of the public are aware of the minimum standards expected of members of the Order. Bound by the disciplines of love and service, we expect the highest standards from our members as representatives of the faith, representatives of the Order and as discerning and mature Christians. We do not and will not expect anything less. Further details of the code can be had from any of the members of the Order or can be sent as an attachment by e-mail by request. Please contact the Order's Northern Office if you have comments about the conduct of members, whether good or bad.
1 Basics of priestly calling 1.1 The clergy are entrusted with the privilege and responsibility of being servants and leaders in the ministry of the Church. As pastors, spiritual guides and representatives of the Christian faith, they are in a position of trust in their relationships with those for whom they have pastoral care. 1.2 The clergy will often find themselves in the powerful position of meeting people at the limits of their vulnerability. 1.3 All personal and professional conduct is bounded by common sense, sensitiveness to need, spiritual discernment, moral, social and cultural conventions and practices, canon law, civil law and legal sanction. For clergy in the Order of On Call Clergy and the Province and Jurisdiction for On Call Ministry, serving as ordained pastors, ministers, priests and religious signifies the voluntary undertaking of obligations which go above and beyond the requirements of civil law and commonly held social, moral and cultural practices.
2 Caring and compassion, faith and works 2.1 Caring for one another is the responsibility of the whole Church and is an extension of the justice and love of the Incarnate God disclosed in Jesus Christ. Compassion is essential to pastoral care. The clergy should enable other members of the worshipping community to share in this pastoral care. 2.2 The clergy have a particular responsibility to minister sensitively and effectively to the sick, the dying and the bereaved. 2.3 In their ministry, pastoral care and working relationships, the clergy must endeavour to offer equal respect and opportunity to all. 2.4 The clergy minister through their own broken humanity, being aware of their own need to receive ministry. 2.5 The clergy should discern and make clear their own limitations of time, competence and skill. At times they will need to seek support, help and appropriate training. 2.6 The difference between pastoral care and formal counselling is always to be recognised. 2.7 The clergy should be aware of the help available from accredited agencies so that it can be commended where appropriate. 2.8 There is risk in all pastoral work. The place of the meeting, the arrangement of furniture and lighting, and the dress of the minister are important considerations in pastoral care. The appropriateness of visiting and being visited alone, especially at night, needs to be assessed with care. The clergy should recognise the importance of knowing themselves and their own emotional needs. 2.9 It is essential in pastoral care to acknowledge appropriate physical, sexual, emotional and psychological boundaries. Inappropriate touching or gestures of affection are to be avoided. 2.10 The clergy should be aware of the dangers of dependency in pastoral relationships. Manipulation, competitiveness or collusion on either side of the pastoral encounter should be avoided. Self-awareness should be part of the relationship. 2.11 The clergy should be aware of the potential for abusing their privileged relationships. 2.12 When help or advice is being sought, any note-taking should be mutually agreed. 2.13 Every ordained person should have appropriate training in child protection. 2.14 The Order's guidelines and requirements must be known, understood, accepted and be observed without exception as these are distinctive and formative theological expressions of the Order's work and purpose.
3 Pastoral care 3.1 Good pastoral care will seek to bring about Christ-like wholeness, both personal and corporate. The development of trust is of primary importance for honest relationships within ministry. 3.2 The clergy are placed in a position of power over others, in pastoral relationships, with lay colleagues, and sometimes with other clergy. This power needs to be used to sustain others and harness their strengths, and not to bully, manipulate or denigrate. 3.3 In pastoral and caring relationships the clergy should be open to God and to the needs of the other person. It is important for clergy to be sensitive to the situations in which they are placed, especially with regard to the pastoral care of children, young people and vulnerable adults. 3.4 The clergy should be aware that those for whom they care may be distressed and vulnerable. The power conferred on a minister in such situations should be acknowledged, used positively, and never abused. 3.5 It is always wrong to exploit or manipulate. Improper questioning or physical contact (see 2.9) can be emotionally or sexually abusive. 3.6 Spiritual authority must be exercised with gentleness and sensitivity, and the minister should be aware of the possibility of spiritual abuse. 3.7 Pastoral care should never seek to remove the autonomy given to the individual. In pastoral situations the other party should be allowed the freedom to make decisions that may be mistaken. 3.8 In leadership, teaching, preaching and presiding at worship, the clergy should resist all temptation to exercise power inappropriately. 3.9 The clergy should thankfully acknowledge their own God-given sexuality. They should be aware of the danger of seeking sexual advantage, emotionally or physically, in the exercise of their ministry. 3.10 In their personal life the clergy should set an example of integrity in relationships and faithfulness in marriage. 3.11 A person seeking pastoral guidance and counsel from the clergy has the right to expect that the clergy person concerned will not pass on to a third party confidential information so obtained, without their consent or other lawful authority. 3.12 Unless otherwise agreed, the clergy are accordingly not at liberty to share confidential information with their spouses, family or friends. 3.13 The content and process of a pastoral relationship may need to be shared with certain other people, such as a supervisor or supervisory group, consultant or other involved colleagues. Such sharing needs to be carefully restricted so that it does not involve any breach of confidence. Should it be desirable to discuss the relationship in such a way as to involve a breach of confidentiality, the consent of the person seeking pastoral guidance must first be obtained. 3.14 The clergy should be aware of the circumstances in which confidential information can or should be disclosed to third parties, particularly where the safety of children is concerned. In these circumstances, the clergy should refer to the guidance in the Province and Jurisdiction and Order's child protection policies. Children or vulnerable adults who disclose evidence of significant harm will need to know that their concerns will be taken seriously and referred to the appropriate statutory agency (usually Social Services) so that a proper investigation can take place and practical help be obtained. In such cases the welfare of the child or vulnerable adult should be regarded as of paramount importance. If contemplating such a disclosure, however, the clergy should seek appropriate legal and other specialist advice. Special considerations apply where information is disclosed in the context of formal confession (see paragraphs 7.2 and 7.3). 3.15 It is important to safeguard the right of parishioners to share personal information with one minister and not another. In a team situation, it may be advisable to create a policy to avoid the danger to ministers within a team of being manipulated and divided by the sharing of personal information with one and not another. Assistant clergy in training posts should make it clear that information given to them will normally be shared with their training incumbent.
copyright (c) 2004 - 2009 The Province and Jurisdiction for On Call Ministry and its member groups unless otherwise stated. |
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