The diocese understands that EfD:
- happens best in a natural setting
- recognizes the wisdom that exists already in the learners
- is concerned to build up people’s confidence in their abilities and faith
- sets academic learning in a holistic framework
- involves a dynamic interaction between individual and institutional perspectives
- requires flexibility in content, style and practicalities.
It is committed to developing EfD and in conjunction with Durham diocese intends to appoint an EfD officer in 2007 to ensure that:
- ways are found to recognize and honour the discipleship which is fostered, often unselfconsciously, in everyday conversations
- education is seen not in terms of empty vessels waiting to be filled but of living expressions of Christian discipleship, having a range of convictions, longings, experiences, perspectives and questions to share with others as part of faith’s adventure
- encouragement may be offered for people to develop confidence in their own faith and their ability to live it in their contexts
- there will be:
- robust engagement with people, ideas and issues
- potential for eyes to be opened to new ways of understanding and practice.
- a clear path between academic learning and the issues and questions of daily life and faith
- 5. learning is seen in terms of enabling the Church to recognize personhood in all contexts and of enabling Christian individuals to embrace a sense of corporate belonging and commitment
- 6. any learning programmes offered by diocese, deanery and local church, such as a Bishop’s Certificate course, will recognize that different people are looking for and needing different approaches and understandings, determined by cultural contexts as well as individual dispositions.
Within the "Whole People of God" the LMG has a particular role in focusing the local congregation's prayer and service on ways of broadening and deepening their love of God in action. It suggests priorities for the local church's agenda and sets up appropriate resources, support and training to stimulate and sustain people in living out their faith. It also seeks to model in its own life the collaboration it commends to the wider church and community. The central tasks of the LMG are therefore to:
- equip church members for discipleship in a fast moving and changing world by identifying their faith needs and setting up appropriate resources and training for them
- co-ordinate and advance existing ministries
- present to the PCC suggested priorities for future action in accordance with its understanding of the requirements of God’s Kingdom
- offer the fruits of considered reflection on the church’s and community’s needs and activity.
Ordained ministers, stipendiary, non-stipendiary or local, are ministers of word and sacrament, and all receive the same ordination. The distinctiveness of OLM is in being called out from the community within which they serve, and their training and licence are based on that assumption.
OLM is, therefore, marked by:
Catholic order in the service of the local church and community
The collaborative ministry of the local church
A commitment to working in teams
Diocesan strategy is committed to collaborative working between lay people and clergy. All OLMs and those who work with them share the tasks of ministry within the Local Ministry Group (LMG). The style and shape of an OLM’s ministry will be determined in large part by the nature of the local church’s commitment to collaborative working and to the sharing of responsibilities for its ministries.
The selection process for OLM training involves:
- local church nomination through the LMG and PCC
- diocesan sponsorship through the DDO, interviews with three diocesan selectors and the Bishop
- a national selection conference.
Candidates should be part of a LMG, prepared and eager to work together with others, and they should be respected by the wider community.
OLMs in Training are part of the North East Institute for Theological Education (NEITE), which comprises Durham and Newcastle OLM and Reader Training Courses and NEOC. Initial Ministerial Training (IME) is a six or seven year programme, culminating in the award of Durham University's Higher Education Diploma in Theology and Ministry, although ordination would normally take place after two or three years’ IME. Training involves a series of modules, study days and residentials designed to meet the students’ individual and contextual ministerial needs. Everyone is helped to select modules and the ordinand takes these alongside training set up by the Local Ministry Group.
Reader Ministry is one among a variety of ministries which together enable the church to fulfil its mission in the world. The distinctive characteristic of Reader Ministry is that it combines an affirmation of lay ministry with a vocation to preach, teach, intercede, distribute the Holy Communion and lead non-eucharistic worship and appropriate parts of the Holy Communion service. Readers also undertake pastoral and educational work in their parishes according to their gifts, local needs and agreement with their vicar or priest-in-charge. They are licensed to officiate at funeral services on coompletion of designated training from their vicar or priest-in-charge and from the diocese.
Readers can serve as bridges between church and community and between clergy and laity, and they need to be team players if they are to exercise this ministry effectively. Selection and Training for Reader Ministry must do justice to all aspects of reader ministry. Readers need to be articulate in their preaching and teaching, yet both preaching and teaching should be firmly rooted in their Monday to Saturday lives.
The selection process for Reader training involves:
- local church nomination through the PCC
- diocesan sponsorship through the annual Selection Day, usually a Saturday in early May.
Candidates should be prepared and eager to work together with others, and they should be respected by the wider community.
Readers in Training are part of the North East Institute for Theological Education (NEITE), which comprises Durham and Newcastle OLM and Reader Training Courses and NEOC. Initial Ministerial Training (IME) is a six or seven year programme, culminating in the award of Durham University's Higher Education Diploma in Theology and Ministry, although commissioning would normally take place after two or three years’ IME. Training involves a series of modules, study days and residentials designed to meet the students’ individual and contextual ministerial needs. Everyone is helped to select modules, and Trainee Readers take these alongside appropriate parochial work to develop their ministry.
