Canon Tim, Canon for Congregational Nurture and Discipleship
Canon Tim works to nurture our community, helping to ensure the Minster lives out its core purpose as a cathedral church.

Want to get involved? A great place to start is by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, sent every Friday; by talking to members of our Community Matters Forum, who help guide and represent our community; or talking to Canon Tim, Canon for Congregational Nurture and Discipleship. Details can be found below.

To comply with the governance regime introduced by the 2021 Cathedrals Measure, we closed our old Community Roll in January 2023 and replaced it with a new Worshipping Community Roll.  Everyone who is (1) baptised and aged 16 or over, and (2) has attended Minster services regularly for 6 months is eligible to join the new Roll (and ‘attend’ in this context can include joining the Minster’s services via our live-stream facility).

If you would like to join the Minster’s Worshipping Community Roll, applications forms are available from the Vestry and from the Chapter Clerk (chapterclerk@yorkminster.org) and can also be downloaded HERE.

The Worshipping Community Roll is primarily an electoral register. We hold elections of lay people to represent us on the York Deanery Synod every three years – the next election will be held in April/May 2026.

The governance reforms introduced by the 2021 Cathedrals Measure also require Chapter to review the role and membership of the representative groups through which we consult members of our Community and involve them in our engagement work and wider ministry. We have created a new group charged with building up the worshipping community at York called the Community Matters Forum. Elections to the Forum are held every three years – the next election will be held in September 2027.

The Forum’s Terms of Reference are available HERE.

For more information about our Worshipping Community Roll please contact Andy Oates, Chapter Clerk, at 8-9 Minster Yard, York, YO1 7HH (email chapterclerk@yorkminster.org or direct line 01904 557210).

The Forum’s primary purpose is to build up the community of York Minster both numerically and as disciples of Jesus Christ, to be more fully the Body of Christ in serving all who worship and visit the Minster, supporting the residentiary clergy in delivering our ministry and mission to the city, diocese and Northern Province.  The Forum’s Terms of Reference are available HERE.

As we begin this new and exciting chapter in the life of the community, we commit ourselves to the ambitious aims of the Forum’s Terms of Reference:

1.  To represent the views of Minster worshippers on matters concerning the Minster and the life of its community to Chapter via the Residentiary Chapter Canon nominated for that purpose by Chapter, who will act as a Co-Chair of the Forum, and as a member of Chapter’s Senior Executive Team and as an Executive Chapter Trustee.

2.  To support the Minster’s residentiary clergy in the mission and ministry of York Minster.

3.  To represent the values, strategic direction and policy decisions of Chapter to Minster worshippers.

4.  To engage Minster worshippers in such activities as its Co-Chairs, the Minster’s residentiary clergy or Chapter from time to time determine, including discipleship courses, social events, quiet days and away days, and engagement with the wider local community, with a particular focus on building up a Minster worshipping community.

5.  To seek to engage with other cathedral communities in the Northern Province, to create a network, build relationships and share positive experiences and initiatives.

6.  To demonstrate a firm commitment to Chapter’s requirements on Safeguarding, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, and Health & Safety to assist Chapter in ensuring a secure and inclusive environment is provided for all through its adherence to all applicable legal frameworks and Chapter-approved policies and ways of working.

7.  To have responsibility for the delivery of the generous giving programme for the Minster’s regular worshippers in collaboration with Chapter’s Finance Department.

8.  To have responsibility for arranging monthly community conversations held as a forum for the sharing and disseminating of information and the opportunity to hear from Minster clergy, Minster staff, Chapter members and occasional outside speakers invited by the Co-Chairs.

9.  To have oversight of all sub-committees and working groups created under these Terms of Reference including the Social Action Group, Pastoral Care Group, Minster Walkers’ Group and Social Committee.

Could you be one of the Minster’s representatives on the next Deanery Synod?

Deanery Synod is a valuable forum for sharing information between churches locally, helping to shape and develop the mission of the Church by promoting mutual support and encouragement across the Deanery.

In the York Diocese, the primary task of our Deanery Synods is to be actively involved in the creation of each Deanery’s Mission and Ministry Plan and to fulfil the vision of our deaneries being a local network of churches that inspire, influence and lead mission and ministry.

More information about the Deanery Synod and its work is available HERE.

Deanery Synods are appointed on a three-year cycle. The next Synod will begin its three-year term of office on 1 July 2026. For each new Synod, we are invited to appoint up to three lay people from our Worshipping Community Roll to be the Minster’s representatives in the Synod’s House of Laity.

Our elected Deanery Synod representatives additionally become ex officio members of our Community Matters Forum, helping us to build fruitful connections between the work of York’s parish churches and the initiatives that the Forum is involved in here.

To take part in this election (as a Candidate, or to propose or second Candidates, or to vote if any voting is required) you must be a lay person, at least 16 years old, a regular worshipper at the Minster and your name must be on our current Worshipping Community Roll.

Candidate Nomination Forms are available from the Vestry and can also be downloaded HERE.

Completed Candidate Nomination Forms must be returned by 1.00pm on Thursday 30 April either by hand or by post to the Chapter Clerk, 8-9 Minster Yard, York, YO1 7HH, or by email to chapterclerk@yorkminster.org

If more than three valid Candidate nominations are received, Voting Papers will be issued to all the lay people on the Worshipping Community Roll on Tuesday 5 May. Voting Papers must be completed and returned to the Chapter Clerk by Wednesday 27 May.

All Candidates are invited to provide a short factual statement (100 words maximum) and a black-and-white passport-style photo to be issued with any Voting Papers. The brief factual statement is simply to introduce the Candidate, explaining how they are connected to the Minster. These short notes can be helpful in ‘putting names to faces’ but are not compulsory.

Candidates wishing to have a statement and/or photo issued with Voting Papers must send them to the Chapter Clerk before Nominations close on Thursday 30 April, ideally as email attachments please.

Please contact Andy Oates, Chapter Clerk, with any queries about this election at the Chapter Office, 8-9 Minster Yard, York, YO1 7HH (01904 557210 and chapterclerk@yorkminster.org).