The standard notice period for clergy is three months. Curates in Part Time Ministry The length of expected curacy will normally be explored with the training incumbent when the learning agreement is completed. For curates able to more than three days per week to the parish, and willing to complete their portfolio within three years, it will be possible for the curate to be recommended for a subsequent post from April of IME 6. However, for most part time curates, a curacy of four will be desirable. For these curates, a revised learning agreement will be agreed in February of IME 6, and a final report requested in February of IME 7. In these cases, curates will continue to attend a reflection group in the fourth year of their curacy. In the Autumn of IME 5, the DDM will write to incumbents asking them to confirm their expectations with regard to their part-time curate. This is to allow for changing circumstances and to ensure that all parties are clear about the expectations going forward. The Formational Criteria Dispositions, understanding and skills It is helpful to remember that the Formational Criteria are fundamentally aspirational: they are to work and develop towards rather than criteria that can be ‘fully met’. This means that they should be used as a vocational tool to discern areas of and for growth and development during curacy and to provide the grounds on which to affirm the readiness of ministers to take up assistant minister, ordained pioneer minister or incumbent status posts in the Church of England. The Formational Criteria are organized under seven headings: Christian faith, tradition and life Mission, evangelism and discipleship Spirituality and worship Personality and character Relationships Leadership, collaboration and community Vocation and ministry within the Church of England
Either In consultation with your training incumbent, identify a developmental need in your church/parish. Work with a group of lay people to respond to this need and facilitate something new in the life of the church or parish (E.g. develop a new act of worship, a mission project, youth work). Reflect on the mission/pastoral/theological basis for your initiative, on any group dynamics that surfaced and how you managed them. Or Write a reflection on your own leadership style and what you have learned through your curacy. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your preferred way of doing things, and what might you seek to change or develop in the future? Or Are ministers leaders? Discuss, with reference to the leadership of Jesus, other biblical examples of leadership, and any current position papers from the Church of England. G. Vocation and Ministry within the Church of England Formational Criteria for ALL curates Additional Formational Criteria for selected for potential post of responsibility Ordained ministers are firmly convinced of their calling to ordained ministry, realistic about its challenges, and continue to ask important questions about their role as deacon or priest in the church of God. They … Incumbents are ready for, and open to, exercising a ministry of oversight and vision as priests in the church of God. They … are able to articulate their calling to discipleship and to ordained ministry as a deacon or priest within the Church of England. take a lead role in working with partners, representing the church in public life, including, where possible, working with other faith leaders. understand the sacrificial and corporate nature of their role in ministry and mission as a deacon or priest within the breadth and diversity of a mixed economy of traditional and fresh expressions of church. Ordained ministers are rooted in the traditions and practices of the Church of England and in the spiritual life of the communities they serve. They … Incumbents exercise appropriate accountability and responsibility in faithfully and loyally receiving the authority of others, consistent with a position of responsibility. They … are able to represent the church in public life and engage in partnerships across wider groups of parishes, including, where possible, working with churches of different denominations and traditions and other faith communities and their leaders. know and understand the legal, canonical and administrative responsibilities of those having oversight and responsibility. show sophisticated skills as reflective and reflexive practitioners and the capacity to develop these further to
Dudley, C S & Ammerman, N (2002) Congregations in Transition, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc Hopewell, J (1987) Congregation: Stories and Structures Philadelphia: Fortress Press Mission Theory and Practice Avis, P (2005) A Ministry Shaped By Mission London: T & T Clark. David J, (1995) Transforming Mission: Paradigm shifts in Theology of Mission, London: Orbis Chester, T & Timmis, S (2007) Total Church: a radical reshaping around gospel and community. Nottingham: IVP Chester, T (2004) Good News to the poor: Sharing the gospel through Social Involvement. Nottingham: IVP Cray, Graham et al, (2004) Mission-Shaped Church, London: Church House Publishing Croft, Steven ed. (2008) Mission-Shaped Questions: Defining issues for today’s church, London: Church House Publishing Davie G (1994) Religion in Britain Since 1945 Oxford: Blackwell Geisler, N and Geisler, D, (2009) Conversational Evangelism: how to listen and speak so you can be heard, Harvest House Ireland, M and Chew, M. (2016) How to do Mission Action Planning, London SPCK Jackson, R (2002) Hope for the Church: Contemporary Strategies for Growth London: Church House Publishing. Jackson, R (2005) The Road to Growth: Towards a Thriving Church London: Church House Publishing. Warren, R,(2004) The Healthy Churches Handbook, London: Church House Publishing Discipleship Cooling, M, (2005) Creating a Learning Church, Oxford: Bible Reading Fellowship Astley, J, Francis, L & Crowder, C, (1996) Theological Perspectives on Christian Formation, Hereford, Gracewing C. Spirituality and Worship Note: This is not my list, but taken from Israel Galindo, the Associate Dean of Lifelong Learning at Columbia Seminary. It looks like a good place to start! Five Classics Augustine, Confessions Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God Thomas Merton, The Seven Story Mountain