We Weren’t Prepared For This: Lewes Parish

We Weren’t Prepared For This

The Lewes Moderated Parish Journey

Over the past decade, many dioceses have begun experimenting with new parish structures.

Declining numbers of priests, changing demographics and the need for greater collaboration have led to the development of moderated parishes — larger communities served by teams of clergy.

These structures can offer great opportunities for mission, but they also raise important questions about leadership.

When Lewes Parish in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton began moving toward a moderated structure, the scale of the challenge was considerable. Fifteen churches were spread across the parish area, served by seven priests and six deacons. Fr Raglan Hay-Will, the parish moderator, invited me to help guide a process of discernment and planning.

At first glance the task might have seemed straightforward: develop a pastoral strategy and clarify responsibilities. But very quickly it became clear that something more fundamental was needed.

The priests themselves needed time to reflect together. Priests rarely have the opportunity for sustained, honest conversation with one another about leadership. Parish life is busy, and gatherings often focus on immediate practical matters rather than deeper questions.

Through a series of facilitated gatherings we created space for prayer, reflection and open conversation about the future of the parish. The response was striking.

One priest commented to me afterwards, “I never get this kind of opportunity for deep, prayerful conversation.”

Another said something even more revealing: “I’m being asked to do something my formation didn’t prepare me for.”

Those words captured something many clergy feel but rarely say aloud. The Church is changing, and leadership today often requires skills that were not emphasised in seminary training.

As the conversations continued, trust began to grow within the group. The priests gradually developed a shared sense of direction for the parish and began identifying priorities that could unite their diverse communities.

Fr Raglan later reflected that the process helped transform what initially felt like an overwhelming task into something much more manageable. Once the clergy had developed this shared foundation, the conversation expanded to include deacons, pastoral councils and lay leaders across the parish. Relationships formed between communities that had rarely collaborated before.

By the end of the process the parish had not only a clearer pastoral framework but something perhaps even more valuable: a stronger sense that the leaders of the parish were walking the journey together.

Structures can change quickly. Trust between leaders takes longer to grow. But when that trust begins to take root, a parish becomes capable of far more than any individual leader could achieve alone.