Clergy Conduct and Title IV
Presiding Bishop Curry and Bishop Hirschfeld have issued pastoral letters regarding the Episcopal Church response to issues raised by the #metoo movement, especially in regard to how the church has handled, or mishandled, cases of harassment, exploitation or abuse in the past.
Presiding Bishop Curry’s letter can be found HERE.
Bishop Hirschfeld’s letter can be found HERE.
For the next three years, beginning January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2021, cases of clergy misconduct will no longer be subject to a statute of limitations.
If you have an experience to share about a clergy person violating standards of conduct, we are prepared to listen and respond. Please contact one of our intake officers.
If you have an experience that does not involve the conduct of a clergy person, but you would like a safe space to share your story, please contact your priest or the Rev. Louise Howlett, Bishop’s Assistant for Pastoral Support.
Diocesan Intake Officers:
If you have a concern about the behavior of a clergy person (priest, deacon or bishop) you may reach out to either of the two Diocesan Intake Officers by phone or email. They will respond sensitively and provide information about the Title IV process.
The Intake Officers will:
Listen with respect
Offer pastoral care and response
Create a written report regarding the concern(s) presented
Answer questions about the process
The Rev. Caroline Hines
Mobile phone: 603-553-9254
Email: chines195@gmail.com
The Rev. Caroline Hines was ordained to the priesthood in 2000, and served as Associate Rector of Christ Church, Exeter, NH for nine years. She then served at six parishes as Interim Rector in Maine, Ohio and New Hampshire, before being called as Rector of St. Andrew’s in the Valley, Tamworth, NH and serving there until her retirement in December 2022. Prior to attending seminary she worked for 20 years as a Master’s level child and youth psychologist for a community mental health center and county school system in Western North Carolina.
Canon Tina Pickering
Office Phone: 603-224-1914 or Mobile Phone: 603-365-0170
Email: tpickering@nhepiscopal.org
Tina Pickering serves as Canon for Ministry Development at the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire. She also serves as Safe Church Officer for the Diocese. She has worked as Director of Alumni Relations at St. Paul's School, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, and Director of Development at the Emmanuel Gospel Center. She has a Master of Arts in Religion from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Joint Title IV Disciplinary Board
The Dioceses of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine have a Joint Title IV Disciplinary Board. The President of the Board is the Very Rev. Geta Getlein, Dean and Rector of the Cather Church of St. Paul, Burlington, VT.
Email: ggetlein@stpaulscathedralvt.org
An Overview of the Process
The Episcopal Church has recently launched a new website at www.titleiv.org with information and resources for those who may have experienced clergy misconduct as well as those who are adjudicating Title IV.
The General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2009 revised the canons known as Title IV to make clergy discipline first and foremost a process of discernment, mediation and pastoral response rather than one that is legalistic and judicial. The process now models those used in the medical, legal and social work professions.
Canon 1 of Title IV sets the theological context for the process: “By virtue of Baptism, all members of the Church are called to holiness of life and accountability to one another. The Church and each Diocese shall support their members in their life in Christ and seek to resolve conflicts by promoting healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, justice, amendment of life, and reconciliation among all involved or affected. This Title applies to Members of the Clergy, who have by their vows at ordination accepted additional responsibilities and accountability for doctrine, discipline, worship and obedience.”
Under the revised canons, all matters will be reported to an intake officer (find contact information below). Matters might then be resolved through pastoral care, mediation, an agreement with the bishop, an investigation or any combination of these. An investigation may result in formal mediation, and, if necessary, a hearing.
The process now allows for resolution through whatever means will move those affected toward justice, restitution, amendment of life, repentance, healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. This can include a variety of interventions for all involved and, if necessary, the suspension or removal of the cleric from ordained ministry.
The Title IV canons are available here. An outline of Title IV standards of conduct for clergy, also courtesy of the Diocese of Connecticut, is available here .
Clergy standards of conduct:
Members of the clergy should:
• Maintain confidentiality
• Safeguard property and funds of the church
• Conform to the canons of the Episcopal Church and the rubrics of The Book of Common Prayer
• Abide by ordination vows
• Obtain consent of the bishop before engaging in secular employment
• Obtain consent of the bishop to be absent from the diocese for more than two years
Members of the clergy should not:
• Engage in sexual misconduct (includes sexual behavior with: a member of the congregation; employee; volunteer; person in high school; person under 18 years of age; person legally incompetent; someone with whom the clergy has ever had a pastoral relationship)
• Hold or teach any doctrine contrary to that held by the Episcopal Church
• Commit criminal acts
• Engage in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation
• Habitually neglect public worship, Holy Communion
• Engage in any conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy
Please note: Members of the clergy are required to report to an intake officer anything that may constitute an offense and to cooperate with the clergy disciplinary process.
Many thanks to the Diocese of Connecticut and Massachusetts for sharing their materials and resources.