Equipping God's people in Discipleship and Ministry

Equipping God’s people in Discipleship and Ministry

All Christian people have a calling from God to know and love him more, and to serve others in his name. Through a range of learning opportunities we seek to equip you in your faith and ministry development, to fulfill your calling to Christian discipleship and mission.

Preparing for Ministry:
It’s Your Calling is open to anyone who feels God’s call on their life to discover who they are in him and what he might be calling them to do. You may be challenged to try something new, or be confirmed in your current areas of ministry. Vocations advisers work with individuals who are exploring the way in which God may be calling them into a specific area of ministry. Click here to find out more.

Mission shaped ministry (see Mission & Community Engagement)

Courses in theology and ministry:

Bishop's Certificate

Introduction

The Bishop’s Certificate is  diocesan course that offers a foundation in Christian Ministry. It equips people for active discipleship and effective ministry

It is a two stage programme, designed in line with similar programmes which are validated by higher education institutions at levels 4 and 5, for those wishing to critique and further their understanding of their Christian faith, discipleship and calling, as well as for those who intend to candidate for Licensed Lay Ministry.

The first stage of the programme - Certificate in Christian Ministry - is open to anyone who has attended It's Your Calling and who has an active involvement in their local church, or offers a distinctive Christian perspective in another setting, and who wishes to gain knowledge and skills to give a firm foundation to their Christian life and service.  It also gives opportunity to explore other areas of ministry under the guidance of your parish priest.

The second stage of the programme – Licensed Lay Ministry – is open to those who are recommended and selected for training as Licensed Lay Ministers.  It is designed to equip lay leaders to be ‘people of mission,’ both in fulfilling ministry tasks within the church and by taking an active role as Christians in society.  In preparing people for ministry leadership roles within and on behalf of the church, the Licensed Lay Ministry training offers a foundation in theology with opportunity to develop ministry skills in different contexts.  Critical reflection on practical experience in the context of theological studies equips people to fulfil a range of ministry leadership roles, developing Lay Ministers who will be:

- Theologically articulate

- Educators with particular areas of missional and/or ministerial responsibility

- Leaders in mission and ministry, sharing the role with incumbents or other diocesan officers

Programme aims

The purpose of the programme is to enable and equip participants to:

develop understanding of mission and ministry through theological study and practical experience
undertake structured ministerial experience to acquire and develop a range of skills
integrate the academic study of theology and ministry with pastoral and missiological practice
communicate the Christian faith through word and action, within an understanding of various models of mission and their context
grow in self awareness and appreciate diverse expressions of ministry as the outworking of the Christian life
clarify their vocation and identify their calling to specific expressions of ministry
establish the practice of theological reflection in relation to their experiences in ministry
develop in their prayer lives and spiritual formation

Structure of the programme

Stage One – Certificate in Christian Ministry - is open to anyone who has attended It’s Your Calling and has the support of their incumbent.  It comprises 4 modules in the first year of training and two modules in the second year.

By the end of this stage (Certificate in Christian Ministry) participants will be able to:

communicate the Christian faith in a variety of ways according to context
engage with the Bible in order to explain key themes and ideas contained in it
relate their study of theology and the Bible to the practical contexts of Christian ministry and mission
contribute to a variety of tasks in Christian ministry as reflective practitioners
apply knowledge of the different ways in which people learn to their own and others’ learning
interpret Christian faith in a pluralist world
identify different approaches to theology, biblical studies, ecclesiology and missiology
demonstrate a maturing faith and an awareness of their own and others’ spiritual formation

Participants who successfully complete and exit the programme at this stage will be awarded a Certificate in Christian Ministry.   It will equip them to undertake a local ministry role agreed with their incumbent.

Stage Two - Licensed Lay Ministry

The second stage of the Foundation in Christian Ministry programme is for those preparing for Licensed Lay Ministry in the Diocese of Rochester.  Entry to training for Licensed Lay Ministry is through recommendation by your incumbent and PCC, and a selection panel which takes place towards the end of the first year of the first stage of the programme.

This stage comprises 2 additional modules in year 2 and four modules in year 3.

By the end of stage 2 (Licensed Lay Ministry) participants will be able to:

demonstrate the skills and qualities required for effective leadership including being able to nurture and envision others
work effectively alongside others in Christian ministry and learn from feedback
use their knowledge and understanding to undertake a range of ministry tasks
speak with confidence about their vocation, and understand its implications for their contribution to church life
contribute to strategic development in the parish/ministry setting
make use of a range of approaches and resources for dealing with issues which arise in Christian mission and ministry
communicate and apply theological learning in an integrated manner

Application Forms and Notes for Applicants are now available from the Formation and Ministry Departement - training@rochester.anglican.org

To read an article published in the Rochester Link by Bishop James about Lay Ministries please click here

For Courses and Resources for Education for Discipleship please click here

Lay Funeral Ministry

Our first Lay Funeral Minister was licensed in 2018. Lay people licensed for this ministry will have the Bishop’s certificate in Christian Ministry (or something equivalent ) as well as to successfully complete our module in Bereavement and Funeral Ministry. Bereaved families are at a very vulnerable time, and the Bishop’s licence (like a Diocesan Kitemark) is a reassurance that they can trust the minister to have been trained and nominated and have the backing of the Diocese.

Lay funeral ministers will usually be licensed to their own parish, but might be available to take funerals across the deanery. For more information click here

Contact

For further information, or if you would like to talk through any of the discipleship and ministry development options available to you, please contact: training@rochester.anglican.org