Roles and Responsibilities in the Church of England

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, in Greece:

"There is one body, though it is made up of many parts. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body........you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

This description of God's people as being part of one body helps us to understand how the church works - there are many different people with many different jobs, just as a human body has different limbs and organs that do different jobs - but everyone has a part to play, and is valued. In one way we all have the same job - to worship God, to help other people to get to know God, and to care for each other, and for all God's people. These are just some of the people who are involved, in their different ways, in the work and worship of the church. Some are paid, many more are volunteers. Some are 'ordained' clergy, many more are 'lay' people.