Mr Nigel Williams, Diocesan Registrar, retires
Nigel Williams will be retiring as Registrar at the end of February. He succeeded his father as Diocesan Registrar and has served the Diocese of Monmouth as our Registrar for 26 years. He is an experienced lawyer with a wide knowledge of ecclesiastical law and he has chaired the Committee to revise (and reorder) the Constitution of the Church in Wales.
Nigel’s successor, Mr Tim Russen will take the oath of office on St David’s Day, 1st March.
Janet Bone asked Nigel to reflect on his long service as Registrar
Nigel is a founder member of the
Order of St Woolos
We see you at so many diocesan occasions, often in formal dress to read out official documents, but what does the Registrar actually do behind the scenes?
It does involve a lot of documents! As one example, the institution of a new incumbent requires the deed of institution, the mandate from the bishop to the archdeacon to carry out the induction, and the form of declaration to be made and signed by the cleric. The cleric has to produce his/her letter of orders for me to check that they are in order and a notice of intention to institute is sent to churchwardens to be exhibited at the church.
An important part of the Registrar’s job is record keeping. I keep the Bishop's Act Book up to date which is the definitive record of the Bishop's decrees, deeds, ordinations, institutions and so on. For instance, if a cleric loses letters of orders the Act Book is the source from which certification of ordination can be provided. I also keep the parish register of turns of nomination and incumbents/priests-in-charge.
What particular memories do you have?
I have many good memories because I have greatly enjoyed it. The most treasured are the people I have met and become friends with over the years, in particular the four bishops I have served who were all different, and all remarkable people.
On the 'downside' I remember the only occasion that I missed the Petertide ordinations. I had planned to fly home from holiday on the Friday but was strikebound in Nice!
Between you, how many years have you and your father served the diocese as Registrar?
I think my father did 25 years and I have done 26.
How have things changed since you first took on the role?
The ordination of women priests (which I welcomed) is obviously a noteable change.
But, over 25 years, things change gradually and sometimes unnoticed. Formality has given way to a more informal approach within the church and its hierarchy.
On a practical level, the computer and email has meant a major change to the way we produce documents and communicate – with a side effect that documents are longer and there are more of them because they are easier to produce and copy!
The rules and regulations of the Church in Wales can seem very bureaucratic and stifling to the lay parishioner (and clergy!) How does your faith inform the way you do the job of Registrar and are there conflicts between faith and duty?
I suppose I am biased because I live with it all the time, but every club has to have rules and a structure within which it works. I think that the laity (and clergy) have a better knowledge and understanding of the constitution and regulations than when I started. Certainly, petitions for faculties are mostly completed more efficiently and accurately than once was the case, for example.
I have found no conflict between duty and faith that I can think of. I suppose I have liked to think of it as a sort of 'lay ministry', if that is comprehensible in the context of the law!
What advice do you offer Tim as he succeeds you?
I have prepared a lot of notes for Tim (25 pages so far!) but I would not presume to give him advice. He will learn it very quickly and have his own way of doing it and I wish him all the enjoyment and fulfilment in it that I have had.
What are you looking forward to in your retirement?
I have nothing planned at the moment. Having given up private practice about six years ago I am partly adjusted to being at home more already. To keep the brain going I have started a Master of Laws degree in Canon Law at Cardiff University and it remains to be seen whether I have bitten off more than I can chew