This Glossary provides a reference for acronyms that may be common currency for you but mean nothing to fellow members of the Hub in another denomination.
The ‘more..’ links take you to external reference sources.
If you would like to suggest/request another item to add to this list, please add it to the forum here.
| Acronym | Stands for |
| ABC | Archbishop of Canterbury (CofE) |
| ABY | Archbishop of York (CofE) |
| AD/RD | Area/Rural Dean (CofE) more… |
| ALM | Authorised Lay Minister (CofE) more… |
| AM | Authorised Minister of another denomination (Methodist) more… |
| APCM | Annual Parochial Church Meeting (CofE) more… |
| ASB | Alternative Service Book (CofE) more… |
| ASA | Average Sunday Attendance (CofE) more… |
| AVC | Additional Voluntary Contribution |
| AWA | Authorised Worship Assistant (CofE) more… |
| BAME | Black Asian and Minority Ethnic more… |
| BAP | Bishops’ Advisory Panel (CofE) more… |
| BCP | Book of Common Prayer more… |
| BHA | British Humanist Association (Humanists UK) more… |
| BMF | Baptist Ministers’ Fellowship more… |
| BMJ | Baptist Ministers’ Journal more… |
| BMS | Baptist Missionary Society more… |
| BSG | Baptist Steering Group more… |
| BU/BUGB | Baptist Union of Great Britain more… |
| BURG | Baptist Union Retreat Group more… |
| BUS | Baptist Union of Scotland more… |
| BUW | Baptist Union of Wales more… |
| CBT | Cognitive behavioural therapy more… |
| CCCW | Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing (CofE) more… |
| CCM | Clergy Conduct Measure |
| CCSL | Current Clergy Status Letter (CofE) more… |
| CDC | Clergy Discipline Commission (CofE) more… |
| CDP | Church Development Plan |
| CDM | Clergy Discipline Measure (CofE) more… |
| CECA | Church of England Clergy Advocates more… |
| CEEC | Church of England Evangelical Council more… |
| CFO/C | Civil Funeral Officiant/Celebrant more… |
| CHARM | Church’s Housing Assistance for the Retired Ministry (CofE) more… |
| CMD/CME | Continuing Ministerial Development/Education (CofE) more… |
| CofE | Church of England key terms more… |
| CPAS | Church Pastoral Aid Society more… |
| CPD | Constitutional Practice and Discipline (Methodist) more… |
| CRCW | Church Related Community Worker (URC) more… |
| CRR | Church Representation Rules (CofE) more… |
| CRT | Church Revitalisation Trust more… |
| CW | Common Worship (CofE) more… |
| D | Deacon (Methodist) more… |
| DAC | Diocesan Advisory Committee more… |
| DDO/DDV | Diocesan Director of Ordinands/Vocations (CofE) more… |
| DMPC | Diocesan (or Deanery) Mission and Pastoral Committee (CofE) more… |
| DSMPC | Deanery Standing, Mission and Pastoral Committee (CofE) more… |
| EBF | European Baptist Federation more… |
| FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions |
| FCFC/FCG | Free Church Federal Council/Free Churches Group more… |
| FD | Funeral Director |
| FODMAP | Healthy diet advice more… |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulation more… |
| HfD | House for Duty (CofE) more… |
| HLC | heating, lighting, cleaning (CofE) more… |
| HLF | Heritage Lottery Fund more… |
| HTB | Holy Trinity Brompton more… |
| IME | Initial Ministerial Education (CofE, often used with Officer) |
| IMHO | in my humble opinion |
| LEP | Local Ecumenical Partnership more… |
| LGBTQI+ | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex more… |
| LLF | Living in Love and Faith more… |
| LLM | Licensed Lay Minister/Reader (CofE) more… |
| LP | Local Preacher (Methodist) more… |
| LPA/M | Lay Pastoral Assistant/Minister: see also ALM (CofE) more… |
| LWL | Lay Worship Leader: see also ALM (CofE) more… |
| MAP | Mission Action Plan |
| MBTI | Myers-Briggs Type Indicator more… |
| MC | Methodist Church |
| MDR | Ministerial Development Review |
| MiT | Minister in Training (Baptist) more… |
| MP | Morning Prayer (CofE) more… |
| MPB | Multiparish Benefice (CofE) |
| MPC | Mission and Pastoral Committee also add A for Area and D for Diocesan or Deanery at the beginning AMPC / DMPC (CofE) |
| MRC | Ministerial Recognition Committee (Baptist) more… |
| MRDF | Methodist Relief and Development Fund (now All We Can) more… |
| MSE | Minister in Secular Employment (CofE) more… |
| MU | Mothers’ Union more… |
| NADAWM | National Association of Diocesan Advisers in Women’s Ministry more … |
| NAM | Newly Accredited Minister (Baptist) more… |
| NCIs | National Church Institutions (CofE) more… |
| NDA | Non-disclosure agreement |
| NDV | National Domestic Violence helpline more… |
| NOK | Next of kin |
| NSM | Non Stipendiary Minister/Self-Supporting Minister (CofE) more… |
| NST | National Settlement Team (Baptist) more… |
| OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder more… |
| OH | Other Half (spouse/partner) |
| OOP | Out of Pastorate (Baptist) more… |
| OP | original poster (in the Hub Forums) |
| P | Presbyter (Methodist) |
| PCC | Parochial Church Council (CofE) more… |
| PM | private message (between Hub members) more… |
| POT | Post Ordination Training |
| PTO | Permission to Officiate (CofE) more… |
| PVL | Pastoral Vacancy List (Baptist) more… |
| R&R | Recognised and Regarded minister of another denomination (Methodist) more.. |
| RA | Regional Association (Baptist) more… |
| RAG | Red Amber Green (traffic light signs) |
| RBMHS | Retired Baptist Ministers Housing Society more… |
| RC | Roman Catholic |
| RCACoE | Retired Clergy Association of the Church of England more… |
| RD/AD | Rural Dean/Area Dean, see AD/RD (CofE) |
| RFS | Reserved For Self (++Michael Ramsey time off diary slot) |
| RM | Regional Minister (Baptist) more… |
| RMTL | Regional Minister Team Leader (Baptist) more… |
| S | Supernumerary presbyter or deacon (Methodist) more… |
| SD | Spiritual Direction |
| SDF | Strategic Development Funding |
| SEC | Scottish Episcopal Church more… |
| SMM | Society of Mary & Martha (Sheldon) more… |
| SO | Standing Order(s), Methodist Church more… |
| SSM | Same-sex Marriage |
| SSM | Self-Supporting Minister/Non Stipendiary Minister (CofE) more… |
| SRA | Safeguarding Risk Assessment |
| TA | Transactional Analysis more… |
| TEI | Theological Education Institution (Theological College) more… |
| TI | Training Incumbent (CofE) more… |
| TOR | Terms of Reference |
| TR | Team Rector (CofE) more… |
| TV | Team Vicar (CofE) more… |
| TLS | Training for Learning and Serving (URC) more… |
| UPA | Urban Priority Area |
| URC | United Reformed Church more… |
| VP | Vice-President of Conference (Methodist) more… |
| WCR | World Church Relationships (Methodist) more… |
| WL | Worship Leader (Methodist) more… |
| YOI | Young Offenders Institution more… |
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