Pastoral Measure 1983

Both the Pastoral and Closed Churches Divisions carry out responsibilities under this legislation.

The Pastoral Measure 1983 is a Measure of the General Synod confirmed by both Houses of Parliament. It replaced the earlier Pastoral Measure 1968 which itself consolidated and amended previous Acts of Parliament and Measures of the former Church Assembly. It provides the legal process for rearranging benefices and parishes and deciding the future of church buildings closed for regular public worship (or closed churches) so that the Church's limited resources of money and ministers can be deployed as effectively as possible.

Parts of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007 impact directly on the Pastoral Measure 1983 but do not provide actual amendments to the 1983 Measure. These parts are found in the Addendum to the Pastoral Measure 1983, and this should be read alongside the Measure itself.

• Pastoral Measure 1983 (as amended by the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007) - download
• Pastoral Measure 1983 with tracked DPMM 2007 changes - download
• Addendum to the Pastoral Measure - download
• Pastoral Measure 1983 - Code of Recommended Practice (4th Edition 2006) - download
• Pastoral (Amendment) Measure 2006 - A Guide to Section 56 providing for extended use (as amended) - download

• Progress of a Pastoral Scheme flowchart - download
• Progress of a Pastoral Church Buildings Scheme flowchart - download

The Code of Recommended Practice to the Pastoral Measure was first issued in 1976 and has subsequently been updated when needed to take account of experience of working with the Measure and various legislative changes, notably the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986, the Pastoral (Amendment) Measure 1994 (dealing with closed churches), the Team and Group Ministries Measure 1995, the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measures 2000 and 2005, and the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007. The opportunity has also been taken to improve the presentation of the Code and to include additional advice where appropriate.

If you have a general enquiry or comments about these web pages please contact: Fiona McKenzie