About us
What The E.C.A. Does
The English Clergy Association represents the interests of the English Clergy, and provides advice, legal information and modest grants for holidays for clergy. The ECA has not only clergy, but also lay members.
The E.C.A. publishes the acclaimed members' journal 'Parson and Parish' edited by The Rev'd Alec Brown.
The Association is a Membership organization and although within the constraints of the fact that no staff are employed, its Officers do try to give help and information to anybody who requests it - even if the enquiry comes from abroad! The costs of the Association are largely those incurred by the publication of Parson & Parish, the journal of the Association published continously since 1938, and postage, telephone and various administrative and travel costs. Subscriptions and Donations are very important to maintain the work of the Association. Legacies are very welcome. The Association itself (unlike the Benefit Fund administered by the Association) is not, and cannot be, a charity.
Our Chairman is Dr Peter M Smith, LLB, PhD, FRHistS
The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, Bishop of London is the Patron of the Association.
Its President is Councillor Professor Sir Anthony Milnes Coates, Bt., B.Sc., M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.Path.
The Rt.Hon. the Lord Cormack DL, FSA is its Parliamentary Vice-President.
E.C.A. Members
The English Clergy Association is funded entirely by its members (paying £15 pa) and by donations and legacies.
Subscriptions should be sent to the Registrar, the Revd. Mark Binney,
St Andrew's Vicarage, 54 Pershore Road, Evesham WR11 2PQ
Cheques should be made payable to "The English Clergy Association".
Donations to the Association should be sent to the Treasurer, the Revd Canon
Peter Johnson, 4 St John's Road, Winsor SL43QN
Cheques should be made payable to "The English Clergy Association". Legacies should be expressed to be left to The English Clergy Association, 36 High Street, Silverton, Exeter, EX5 4JD for the purposes of the general funds controlled by the Council of the Association.
The Association also administers a Benefit Fund from which it makes grants to clergy of the Church of England who need a rest from duty. This is a separate fund, accumulated over many years, and is a Registered Charity (Registered Charity No 258559). This really does help to enable clergy and their families to take a holiday away from home and from the pressures of their workplace.
With respect to donations to the charitable Benefit Fund, a gift-aid form can be printed
via the link below which should be sent together with a cheque made payable to "The English
Clergy Association Benefit Fund". This should be sent to the Registrar, the Revd. Mark Binney,
St Andrew's Vicarage, 54 Pershore Road, Evesham WR11 2PQ
Talk by The Revd. Marcus Walker following the 2023 AGM
The most interesting talk given after the AGM on 13 June in St Martin-in-the Fields by the Revd Marcus Walker, Rector of Great Bartholomew's, London, and Chairman of Save the Parish, can now be accessed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/YXtsOhyxYME?si=-B9z8vifoB4wB-Or
Of course, the views expressed are those of Fr Marcus and Save the Parish, but we support Save the Parish in its campaign to highlight the importance of the parish in the Church of England and to raise important issues concerning the direction the Church of England is taking at the present time. We are very concerned that parochial clergy have largely been forgotten and in many places are not adequately supported. The removal of the parish church and parochial ministry from the heart of a community will, we believe, have a disastrous effect on the mission of the Church. I hope you will find this talk both challenging and thought provoking.
We are planning to devote more time to campaigning on behalf of our members. For more details, please refer to our campaigning page.