Due to the coronavirus and its financial impact for parishes and the diocese there is likely to be a need to reduce the number of stipendiary clergy, however the posts for this scheme will remain (2 stipendiary posts).

An interim measure has been suggested as well as a longer term plan:
– Interim stipendiary appointment for immediate pastoral and missional support in the
parishes.

Longer term:
– 1 Team rector, this would be an oversight post, Revd Alex Wood
– 2 Full time Team Vicar appointments for growth, 1 Church Planting,
– Revd Alex Wood is currently the vicar at Harbour Church Portsmouth, All Saints, St. Georges and St. Albans. He will be a Team Rector in an oversight role. He has a proven track record of planting and growing congregations. He has the experience that allows for the development of the two Team Vicar posts.

Alex was part of the early SDF grant money and Harbour, as part of that, have a commitment to
serving other churches across the Diocese.

The Archdeacon has been in touch with colleagues around the country looking for leads and
introduction to people with a strong traditional Anglo-Catholic calling as well as reaching out to
people closer to home. There is also the role of the pioneer worker to be filled for the Mission
Hub at Forton. The shaping of this role will be determined after the appointment of the Team
Rector and the Team Vicars.

In terms of structure – legally this is one parish from 13 July and therefore needs to have one PCC put in place in the interim until face to face meetings can happen. As for the structure of the churches, Forton would be the ’Mission Hub’, Christ Church the Church Plant community and Holy Trinity as the flagship & focus for growth with a traditional Anglo-Catholic style.
Revd Ray Driscoll from Guildford Diocese is to start work on an interim basis in August and be Licensed on 1st September. The posts of Hub Pioneer and Team Rector will be appointed. Ray will lead worship at Forton (until the appointment of a pioneer minister) for up to a year and be the presumptive Team Vicar for the Hub and Christ Church. Alex Wood will be Team Rector
and oversee the “Plant” team at Christ Church. Due to the amount of work that will have to be carried out such as flooring, more suitable seating, lighting and drop down screening etc, use of the church will be limited, it is unlikely that many Sunday Services will be held during this and will take up to a year. The Diocese are looking towards 300 new members for Gosport –
children and adults – when it is up and running. This will be funded by the SDF.

Holy Trinity will continue with and develop the present pattern, it will have a Team Vicar who is of the Anglo Catholic tradition, the job will be advertised when lockdown ends.

Gosport South is the name given for the joint parish at the moment but this will have a new name at a later point.