Field Education Handbookfor Postulants for Priestly Ordination

in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land

As at May, 2018

Table of Contents

Field Placement Purpose Statement 3

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General Information 4

Information for Supervisors 8

Information for Parish Formation Teams 16

ToolsLearning Covenant Template 21Liturgies of Welcome and Leave-taking 23Parish Formation Team Report Form 26Sermon Evaluation Template 28Pastoral Visit Verbatim Template 29Mid-term Evaluation Form 30Final Evaluation Form 31Time Tracking Sheet 32Resources for Help/Support 33

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Purpose statement: Field Education in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land

The goal of field placements for those in formation for priestly ministry is the development of an integrated pastoral person, committed as a disciple of Jesus Christ to the mission of the Church, and to provide the experiential context for ministerial learning.1

In a field placement we seek to foster pastoral and personal integration of theology, and develop knowledge, attitudes and skills to effectively minister in the Church. 

The objectives are to provide structured, supervised pastoral experiences that

1) develop personal identity as a minister;

2) introduce postulants to a range of settings and ministries, experiencing the breadth and depth and richness of the Anglican tradition;

3) teach, practice and encourage a habit of theological reflection, and

4) encourage postulants to integrate their academic learning and spiritual formation with the practice of ministry.2

5) allow for the practice of ministry in such areas as Christian Education, liturgy, preaching, administration, outreach, and community life

1 The Catholic Association for Theological Field Education.2 Adapted from Christ the King Seminary, Buffalo NY

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General Information

The next few pages outline the general shape and expectations of the field education program in Rupert’s Land. In recent years, postulants for ordination as priests in this diocese have come with a variety of educational backgrounds and ministry experiences, so some flexibility is intentionally built into this process so that postulants can reap the greatest possible benefits from participating in it.

All field placements are arranged by the Diocesan Ministry Developer in consultation with the Bishop and the Diocesan Priestly Ministry Team. Where a field placement is undertaken as a requirement for a postulant’s theological education, the field education coordinator for the relevant college will also be involved in the conversation, and may have different/additional requirements to those laid out here (see below).

Shape, Time and Content

A postulant will normally complete three field placements before ordination as a priest, each in a different ministry setting. Often, the first field placement is completed in the postulant’s home parish, and the final placement may take place during the year one spends as a transitional deacon. (While the word ‘postulant’ is used throughout this document, then, it would apply equally to deacons in their final placement.)

Each placement will involve approximately ten hours a week and be of a duration of at least eight months (usually September through April), and is to include participation in the liturgies and life of the parish over at least one of the Christmas and Holy Week/Easter seasons. Each placement will include two week-long vacation periods.

It is expected that postulant and supervisor will meet weekly for one hour for supervisory sessions (see below).

Over the course of the three placements, postulants should have participated in:

- preaching at least monthly at each placement site, with formal sermon evaluations

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- Christian education leadership (i.e. - Bible study, confirmation class, baptismal preparation), including evaluation by participants, in at least one placement site

- parish administration, including observation and reflection on vestry meetings, annual general meetings, and corporation meetings (as appropriate), in at least one placement site

- liturgical leadership (i.e. – reading scripture, administering chalice, setting the altar for Eucharist, leading prayers of the people), ideally without displacing members of the parish who might normally take part in these roles, in each placement site

- pastoral visiting, either with an experienced pastoral visitor or on his/her own, with some reflection on visits, in at least one placement site

- outreach and missional ministries (i.e. – food and clothing banks, neighbourhood meal programs, evangelism initiatives), in at least one placement site

- general ministry of presence at parish events (dinners, bazaars, coffee hour) at each placement, in each placement site

Remuneration

The postulant is not normally remunerated for their work in a parish. However, reimbursing the postulant the usual travel rate for travel undertaken on behalf of the parish’s ministry is appropriate.

Coordinating with Theological Colleges

Many theological colleges require field placements similar to those required by the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. Generally field placements undertaken under the auspices of a theological college will meet the requirements of the Diocese; however, it is the postulant’s responsibility to ensure that placements they undertake over the course of her/his formation satisfy the requirements of both diocese and college. This includes giving the college permission to share field placement evaluations with the diocese.

Learning Covenant

Learning goals will be identified by the postulant in conversation with the diocesan ministry developer, shaped in part by recommendations from the

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ACPO discernment weekend and, where applicable, in consultation with the field education director of the postulant’s theological college. The postulant’s learning goals will form the basis on which a Learning Covenant between postulant, ministry developer and supervising priest will be based. The Learning Covenant will shape the activities undertaken by the postulant in the placement setting, although additional learning activities may certainly be assigned by the supervisor. It may be appropriate to review the Learning Covenant at the mid-point of the placement to ensure it remains consistent with the postulant’s learning goals. The Learning Covenant is to be submitted to the diocesan ministry developer no later than two weeks after the commencement of the placement.

Supervisory Sessions

The weekly supervisory session is a key component of field education. This time, one hour every week, should be carefully guarded in the calendars of both postulant and supervisor and rescheduled where emergencies arise.

During this time, the postulant will present a recent ministry experience, issue or question for conversation. This may include, for example, reviewing a recent sermon, pastoral visit, conversation with a parishioner, or observations at a vestry meeting. The supervisor will assist the postulant to reflect upon that experience or issue both in terms of the postulant’s ministerial functioning (how well did they do? what would they do differently than what they observed? what skills/training have they brought from prior work experience that could be helpful here?) and theologically (where was God in this experience? what scripture passage/theological theme might speak to this situation? what is the postulant studying in academic theology classes that seems relevant here? how does this call for prayer?).

Note that it is the responsibility of the postulant to prepare the content for each supervisory session, and the responsibility of the supervisor to guide the process of reflection.

Additionally, this would be the time when the supervisor would raise any questions, concerns or issues she or he has observed in the postulant’s ministry, which again would be reflected upon both in terms of the postulant’s ministerial functioning and theologically.

Ministry Student Formation Team

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In each placement site, the supervising priest will bring together a Formation Team (formerly known as Parish Support Teams) who will meet approximately monthly with the postulant to provide a lay perspective on the postulant’s ministry and to assist the postulant in getting to know the parish. Please see the section on Ministry Student Formation Teams for more information. (Note that this section has been drafted to be a self-contained document, suitable for passing on to members of the Formation Team.)

Being Part of the Team

For the time they are serving in a parish, the postulant should be seen as a colleague in ministry, albeit one who is part-time and still in formation. Helping to convey this sense of collegiality would appropriately include:

Liturgies to mark the beginning and ending of the ministry relationship

The postulant’s name, position and contact information being available on weekly service bulletins, websites, newsletters

Introduction to the postulant in a newsletter, and in person at services and parish events

Where possible, and where the postulant’s learning goals make this desirable, a space to work, access to phone/voicemail/internet, a mail slot in the office, keys to spaces needed to carry out his/her ministry

Space to store vestments and/or the ability to borrow vestments from the church as needed

Evaluation

The diocesan ministry developer will meet with the postulant and supervisor at the midpoint of the placement period to informally review how things are going. At the end of the placement, the Formation Team will be asked to provide feedback on their experience of the postulant’s ministry, and postulant and supervisor will complete the final evaluation process found at the end of this handbook.

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Information for Supervisors

Supervisors of postulants completing a field placement perform (at least) five functions:

1) Role model, for the postulant either to emulate or in contrast to whom to shape their own ministry style

2) Mentor, to guide and support learning3) Task supervisor, to assign and evaluate functioning at the various

tasks of ministry as part of the overall ministry of the parish4) Monitoring the work of the Student Formation Team5) Diocesan link, providing feedback to the relevant diocesan structures

about the gifts, learning edges and growth of the postulant

Supervisors will need to give attention to all of these functions throughout the placement.Below you will find some information about best practices of mentoring, one of the more complex functions supervisors will carry out, all of which would be applicable in the role of supervising a postulant in a field placement setting.

Introduction to MentoringMentoring is one of the most effective and therefore most common methods of adult education and professional development. Pairing someone with less experience in a given field with someone with more experience, in various formal and informal ways, has tremendous potential to reap great results in the formation of needed skills, attitudes and knowledge in our postulants.

Mentorship is not about creating a clone of the mentor. Each person whom God has called to ministry has their own unique, God-given gifts for that ministry, and the goal of mentorship is to release and strengthen these gifts.While the benefits of a mentoring relationship are obvious for the postulant, there are also many advantages for the supervisor in participating in a field education program. Many mentors appreciate the opportunity to pass their knowledge and experience on to others, and derive significant satisfaction from helping someone else grow in their gifts. Indeed, mentoring a postulant can give the mentor an opportunity to reflect upon and thereby grow their own gifts in ministry and leadership. By participating in a program like this, mentors will also play a significant role in building the Church for the future.

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Adult EducationMentoring relationships always have growth and learning as their goal. When working with adults, growth and learning takes place most effectively when the learner shares responsibility for setting learning priorities, finding resources and reflecting upon the lived experience of the learning process.As adult learners, our postulants come to us with background knowledge, with already-formed habits, and with possibly unexamined assumptions. This knowledge, experience and set of assumptions have served them well enough to this point that a change has not been made. For this reason, it’s helpful to remember that all learning is in effect re-learning, a letting go of old presuppositions and patterns of behaviour in order to integrate new knowledge into one’s practice of ministry. 

In much adult education, lived experience forms a primary resource for the learning process. Yet experience alone is a poor teacher; it is rather reflection upon the experience that allows for growth and development. As a supervisor, your primary role is to assist your postulant to reflect upon their experiences of ministry, to ask questions, to assist them to ‘sit at the feet of their own lives’ and be taught by them. You will help your postulant to discern what God has sought to teach them through their experiences, in ministry and in the other areas of their lives, that can be brought to the fore to help to shape their skills for ordained ministry.Tips for Successful Mentoring

1. Maintain open channels of communication. This may seem obvious, but making yourself available to your postulant, and keeping the supervisory hour sacred, sends a strong message about how invested you are in his/her growth and learning.

2. Use your pastoral skills. Much of mentoring involves active listening, asking probing questions, leaving silences for reflection and the like, techniques that are well known to you in your pastoral work. Mentoring is not primarily a pastoral relationship, but the process of mentoring uses many of the same tools as pastoral care.

3. Confidentiality is important. Supervisors certainly have the role of reporting to the diocesan ministry developer about areas of concern, areas of growth and learning, and questions about the readiness of the postulant for ordination. Yet for a mentoring relationship to flourish postulants need to have some sense that they can discuss with you their challenges and questions, and that this is a safe place to do that. This balance will take discernment and open communication; being clear about what information will be kept confidential from the beginning of the relationship will be critical to building a relationship of trust.

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4. Keep notes. In your role as a supervisor, you will be asked at the end of this program to help in evaluation, and your notes throughout the process help you to track your postulant’s progress.

5. Be conscious of cultivating an environment for learning. Where you meet (a coffee shop, your office, a theological college) will have an impact on how your conversations unfold. Whether you choose to pray together at the outset and close of your conversations, and whether you are wearing casual, business or clerical attire will also shape the conversation. There is no right or wrong here but it will help to be aware of how your postulant responds to these sorts of variables so that you are making conscious decisions rather than simply allowing things to happen haphazardly.

6. In supervisory sessions, ask a lot of questions, such as: When was the last time you failed? (Often someone who never fails is someone who never tries anything new.) Who is your role model for ministry, and what about that person do you most admire? What makes for a good leader in government, in business in education (particularly helpful in their previous career area), and (how) is that like or unlike what makes for good leadership in the Church? Your role is in large part to facilitate reflection on the lived experience of the postulant in order to assist them to intentionally grow ministry skills.

The Learning CovenantYou will find a template for the Learning Covenant in this handbook. In addition to the required responses there (which will be shared with the Bishop and members of the Diocesan Priestly Ministry Team, formerly the Diocesan Discernment Group on Ordained Ministry), you might wish to establish a covenant with your postulant that covers some of the following:

what are your goals and objectives together? what learning opportunities and experiences will the postulant

commit to following in order to grow in his/her ministry skills?  what learning tools and resources will the mentor contribute and/or

find in order to assist the postulant in ministry growth? what will confidentiality mean for this partnership? what will the

supervisor need to report to the diocese, and what will be kept confidential between postulant and supervisor?

how will you evaluate progress together? when will you take the time to do this?

what practical ground rules will you abide by? Are there subjects for conversation that are off-limits? What will happen in the case of a conflict? Who is responsible for confirming meetings? Will you pray together? Who will pray? Will you read scripture together? Who will

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choose the scripture passage? If you’re having coffee or a meal together, who is covering expenses?

Mentoring Across DifferencesThere are several areas in which a supervisor and a postulant might be different; age, gender and culture are the three most common, although different church experience can also play a role. Mentoring across differences requires some care, but it also offers some rich resources for conversation from which both mentor and postulant can reap bountiful fruit.

Age DifferencesThere are two main ways to seek to understand the differences that age can make in understanding different approaches to leadership and to ministry. The first is to look at the phases of human development as we age, as identified by psychologists such as Carl Jung and Gail Sheehy. The second is to look at generational characteristics (Boomers, Gen X and Millenials), which are most appropriately applied to those who were born and raised in the Western world. Both approaches can be helpful in understanding postulants who are of a different age than their mentors.Postulants in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land have been as young as their mid-twenties and as old as their early-sixties. There is a huge spectrum of human development represented here, and it can be helpful to understand in broad strokes the kinds of life tasks faced in different stages.

Young adults, those between the ages of 18 and 30, are seeking, in psychological terms, to establish their independence from their families of origin. Yet there is often some ambivalence in this task, as the difficult and sometimes hurtful experiences of independent adulthood can prompt many to return home to the safety of family. Mentoring in this phase of life needs to affirm the steps towards independence; where the mentor is older (which will most often be the case), there needs to be awareness of the possibility of transference, that is, does the postulant see you as a parent figure? This is not necessarily problematic if handled with intentionality and care.Those aged roughly 30 through 45 are in the time of their life of establishing themselves. It is a period of establishing deep relationships (whether friendships or life partnerships), yet can also be marked by a resistance to these through self-destructive behaviours. They are often establishing careers and families, and the busyness of this period of life tends to consume, even as they are able to make deep commitments to individuals and groups outside of themselves. Mentoring someone in this phase of life should include awareness of the increasing need for meaning and desire for deep dedication to something outside of oneself.

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Those in their middle years, roughly 40 through 60 years of age, begin to feel a new freedom to explore their inner life. As children grow and leave home, and often as parents die, however, a crisis of meaning and even identity can take place. There is a quest for wholeness during this period, often accompanied by a need to change direction in life (sometimes characterized as a mid-life crisis). Mentors should be aware of the self-doubt that can accompany this phase, reminding postulants of their abilities demonstrated in the past that can be brought to bear on new tasks and challenges.In later adulthood, there is often a desire to “give back,” a concern for legacy left for following generations and to use one’s experience and influence to make a difference in the world. People at this stage of life may not be as “formable” as those who enter ordained ministry in younger years, but they bring a huge wealth of experience. Mentoring people in this stage of life, then, will often be most successful when it seeks to draw out and apply past experiences in new contexts, and to draw on this desire to serve in ways that impact the future.

Millennials are generally understood to be those who came of age in this millennium, those born between the years 1980 and 2000 (although dates vary from source to source in each of these “generation” identifiers), who have never known a world without computerization in all parts of their lives. Millennials tend to be overachievers, seeking constant feedback as they tend to set high standards for themselves. Their desire for work that connects to deeper meaning means that they are deeply committed to constant growth and learning, which can mean that they will be asking for your advice and feedback more often than you might expect. The Book of Alternative Services has been the dominant liturgical resource for most of them for their entire remembered experience of the Canadian Anglican church, and both a shrinking and aging church population and women as priests and bishops have always been assumed for them. As a mentor, your work with millennials will go more smoothly if you can treat them as colleagues in ministry rather than assigning them tasks without a rationale, and if you give them a voice in how their ministry development work unfolds.Generation X, born roughly between the years 1965 and 1980, tend to have a distrust of institutional authority that can be expressed as cynicism or as a drive to take on individual responsibility for their own success. They are entrepreneurial, and seek to produce work that is of lasting value, often as part of a team. If born and raised in Canada, they saw the introduction of the Book of Alternative Services, the ordination of women (although some don’t remember it), and have never known anything other than a church in

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decline. Mentoring Gen X postulants will likely be most effective if you can provide support and suggestions, perhaps sharing your own experience or sources of further information, and then give them the freedom to pursue their goals. Feedback for this generational cohort should be specific (“nice job” isn’t going to communicate what they need to hear), and should be in response to clearly-articulated goals and expectations.The Baby Boomers were born in the post-war period (approximately 1946 through 1964), and were raised through tough economic times with fairly traditional values. In the church, they knew the “golden era” as their formative years. They tend to be optimistic, competitive, and idealistic (this is, after all the generation that came of age at Woodstock). Lifelong learning continues to be a priority for the Boomers, who respond best to mentors who connect with them on both a personal and professional level. They respond well to challenges and fresh ideas, tend to resist any expressions of cynicism, and will welcome the opportunity to focus on past professional accomplishments and how these apply to this new area of work.

Cultural DifferencesIt would be impossible to outline even a sample of the differences in different cultures from around the globe, but a degree of intercultural awareness is critically important for both mentor and postulant to get the most from the supervisory relationship where different cultures are involved. The tools and models of ministry drawn from a “Western cultural” approach may not always fit the values and practices of other cultures. Additionally, the concept of leadership and what makes for a great leader can vary substantively across cultural differences. For both of these reasons, it will be vitally important for mentors to be aware of their own cultural biases and filters, and to come to understand something of the cultural background of those they are mentoring.That said, part of the task of almost all field education is to prepare our postulants to become ordained leaders in this context. This might, then, be an excellent opportunity for postulants who come to us from other cultures to come to understand some of the cultural expectations of clergy in this part of Canada. (Note that Indigenous postulants preparing for ministry in Indigenous contexts will of course need a different kind of mentoring, but one that is no less self-aware in terms of intercultural competency.)

Difficulties in the mentoring relationship arising from cultural differences most often take one of two forms. The first arises from cross-cultural communication. This may have to do with language or accent differences, or with the interpretation of the meaning of silence or body language. In some cultures one seeks to impress someone in a position of authority, such as a supervisor, and so negative experiences or failures are simply not shared. In

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some cultures, sharing personal information in a professional relationship such as this would be greatly frowned-upon; in others, building a relationship of any duration without sharing this background would be considered impossible. The second set of difficulties most commonly arising from cross-cultural differences has to do with the supervisory relationship itself. Some cultures highly value hierarchy, and you may be perceived as an authority figure; in some cultures, direct communication with an authority figure is seen as disrespectful. Some cultures highly value formality in professional relationships, others less so (does one address the supervisor by a first name or by title, and how one dresses for a professional meeting between supervisor and postulant, for example).

Cultural differences are only a problem when they lead to misunderstandings. If someone avoids looking you in the eye, that might be a sign of shyness, or of deep respect, or of a lack of respect, or of someone who is trying to hide something. As a supervisor, it will be important for you to begin to understand how your own cultural background might predispose you to misinterpret your postulant’s intentions.One helpful tool here can be the Cultural Dimensions website, created by sociologist Geert Hofstede (https://www.geert-hofstede.com/countries.html). The site gives insight into cultural understandings in such areas as power difference, directness of communication and risk tolerance. If you and your postulant are from different cultures, it might be interesting to have a conversation about each of your own cultural backgrounds has shaped your understanding of ministry.

Gender DifferencesWhile women have been ordained in Canada for more than forty years, there are still differences in how people perceive men and women in leadership, in ordained ministry, and as mentors or postulants. Mentoring someone of a different gender than you calls for some sensitivity and awareness of some of these differences (and will be even more complicated when someone identifies as transgender). As with all of the categories of difference it is patent that these portraits are generalizations, yet that does not make them unhelpful in assessing the dynamics of the mentoring relationship. Researchers have noted that mentoring an “alpha” type, male or female (although significantly more “alpha” types are men), is most effective when specific approaches are used. Alphas are driven personalities who tend to be self-confident, ambitious, with an urgent sense of mission and an insistence on top performance from themselves and those with whom they

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work. Because they have achieved some measure of success using strategies familiar to them, they are often resistant to supervision or any other suggestion for change. Mentoring alphas is most effective when their competitive streak and drive for success is engaged. In particular, alpha males can often be assisted to further their personal growth and skills development by supervision that is strong enough to stand its ground yet also demonstrates care; often the resistance to change is rooted in a fear of taking the risk of change.Most women have been socialized to care more for relationships and process than for any end goal. They are more likely to seek the input of those around them, to build a consensus before acting and are often less comfortable giving ‘orders’ to those who follow them. Supervisors of postulants who have been socialized in these ways will want to encourage them to take ownership for their own ideas and for the growth they want to see.

It is also true that women in ministry are still perceived differently from men. As supervisor, you might help postulants who are women to reflect on that and craft appropriate responses to it. For example, in preaching women are sometimes criticized for having ‘shrill’ or ‘squeaky’ voices, and where a man might be admired for his assertiveness a woman may be criticized as pushy. Most men have been socialized to present a less emotional face to the world; most women feel freer to exhibit emotions and, for example, to cry when something deeply touches them. It will be helpful to keep in mind when supervising that tears are not to be feared nor to be viewed as evidence of someone who is “too” emotional, but rather a sign that deep inner work is happening, and this is a good thing.

Mentoring Across Difference: GeneralPeople are individuals, made up of far more than their age, gender and culture. One’s family of origin, life experiences and individual personality will often override or work alongside these factors in how they function. Nonetheless, mentors can be most effective when they actively look for clues that their own perspective is different from that of their postulant, and use these differences as subjects for conversation together rather than seeking to transform the postulant’s point of view into their own.

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Information for Parish Ministry Student Formation TeamsField education is a critical part of a person’s formation for ordained ministry in the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. Field placements give students an opportunity to put their academic learning into practice, and to reflect with both an ordained supervisor and a group of lay people about their work in ministry.

The Ministry Student Formation Team (formerly Parish Support Team) plays an important role in assisting the student to understand how their work is perceived by members of the congregation. The Team helps the congregation to know the student and their learning covenant, and helps the student reflect on their progress on the goals identified in the covenant itself. The Team will reflect upon the student’s work with him/her, will offer support, suggestions, and feedback, and will ultimately report to the Diocesan Ministry Developer about the placement.

Composition

The team will consist of four to six lay members of the congregation. The priest who will be supervising the student is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the Formation Team is brought together and doing its work. While other clergy (deacons, honorary assistants, etc.) may be involved in training the team for its work, or as informal mentors for the student during their placement, it is important that this team be comprised of lay people so that postulants benefit from having a purely lay perspective on their ministry.

Membership on the team may be in part driven by the student’s learning goals, as expressed in their field placement covenant. For example, a student seeking to grow their pastoral visiting skills might be assisted by Formation Team members who have done pastoral visiting; one who wants to learn how to set the altar for communion might appreciate having a member of the altar guild on their Formation Team; a student who wishes to grow in intercultural competence during their field placement would be well served by a Team that reflects some cultural diversity.

Formation Teams might helpfully include members with some experience of working with student learners in other contexts (teachers who have worked with student teachers, nurses who have worked with nursing students, an electrician who has worked with an apprentice, for example). Such people could bring an understanding of the kind of “on-the-job” learning that is taking place during field placements.

Students completing a field placement might also benefit from having Formation Teams that include a diversity of people within the parish: men

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and women, older and younger, newer members and longer-term members, and so on). This would allow for a greater diversity of viewpoints in the feedback the student receives.

Commissioning

It is appropriate that a field placement be marked liturgically with a commissioning of both the student and the members of the Formation Team. Where possible, the Diocesan Ministry Developer might be invited to participate in this commissioning service, in which case the priest-supervisor would also be commissioned. This commissioning would ideally take place during the main weekly liturgical celebration of the parish as early in the placement as possible. There is a sample commissioning liturgy available to priest-supervisors.

Meetings

The Formation Team will meet six times with the student over the course of the field placement (generally, September through the end of April). The first meeting will also include the priest-supervisor, as will another meeting at the mid-point of the placement (January or February).

At the first meeting, there will be some orientation to the postulancy process in Rupert’s Land; it might be advisable for the Diocesan Ministry Developer to also be present at this meeting to assist with this task. In general the first meeting will be focused on getting to know one another and on the student’s learning covenant (each Team member should have a copy of this), to ensure that all members of the Formation Team are familiar with it. Also at the first meeting, a Chair of the Formation Team and a Recorder will be selected.

At subsequent meetings, the agenda will include checking in on the work identified in the learning covenant: is the student doing what they said they would do? How is it going? What are they learning? The agenda will include prayer together for the student (the chair or his/her designate would prepare this). If the student has preached since the last meeting, some evaluation of the sermon will be shared (using a form to be supplied by the Diocesan Ministry Developer). The agenda could also include questions for conversation like:

- What is the difference between lay and ordained ministry? How do we see this difference in our parish?

- What kind of leader is needed in the church today? Is this different from the kind of leadership we would want in business or government?

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- (To the student: ) What have you read/studied lately that has interested you? Do you see yourself using it in ministry? Does it seem relevant to our own parish?

- What kinds of prayer do you use? What feeds your soul? What helps you to grow closer to Christ?

- What happened in worship last Sunday? What was good and life-giving? What could we work on together to make better?

- What is it about the Anglican tradition that speaks to you, that draws you and keeps you here?

There is room for significant creativity here, and ideally the conversations will be around the areas defined by the student’s learning covenant. (For example, if the student worked on a particular piece of ministry since the last meeting, that would be an important area of focus for the Team meeting.) These questions need not be for the student alone to discuss (although the chair would need to be attentive to be sure that the focus remains on the student and on supporting their formation for ordained ministry). Rather, these conversations should engage all members of the team, and will be a good opportunity to observe how the student interacts in such a group setting.

The final meeting of the Team and student will be a review: how has the student met the learning goals they identified in their covenant? What might the student want to focus on in a future field placement, or what further support might they want to seek out as they begin ordained ministry? As well, a review of the team’s work would be appropriate: when did the Team feel their role was helpful, when did the student appreciate the feedback of the Team?

Reporting

The Team recorder will record just a sentence or two outlining the highlights of each meeting on a form provided by the Diocesan Ministry Developer. At the end of the field placement, this form and the final review (on a form provided) will be submitted as part of the overall review of the placement. The final review will be seen by the student before it is submitted.

Triangulation

Triangulation occurs when one person will not communicate directly with another but instead draws a third person into the communication, thus forming a triangle. It is an unhealthy pattern of communication that often manifests when open disagreement is feared.

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Formation Teams (as well as priest-supervisors and students) will need to be aware of the potential for triangulation to take place during the course of a field placement. Any communication that is intended for the priest or student that comes to a Team member should be redirected: “I believe that is an important piece of feedback; you should go directly to x to share it with them.” If the person balks, it will be important for Team members to be clear: “I will not share what you have told me with x, you need to do that yourself.” Avoiding triangulation is an important part of encouraging healthy communication patterns within the parish.

Vocabulary

In meeting with the student, members of a Formation Team might hear them use words or phrases that could be unfamiliar. While it is always appropriate to ask the student to stop and explain (being able to explain church-words is an important skill!), here are some that might be of help:

Covenant: the learning contract agreed to by the postulant, priest supervisor and the diocesan ministry developer. The covenant should shape all ministry in which the postulant engages during the field placement.

Aspirant: a person who has applied to become a postulant but has not yet been approved.

Postulant: a person who has been approved for ordination in the future. Note that being a postulant is not a guarantee of eventual ordination.

PMT: the diocesan Priestly Ministry Team, comprised of clergy and lay people from around the Diocese of Rupert’s Land. The PMT meets monthly to track progress of individuals seeking priestly ordination and oversee the process. This group was formerly known as DDGOM, the Diocesan Discernment Group on Ordained Ministry.

Liaison: a postulant’s link person to the PMT. The postulant and liaison meet periodically to keep lines of communication open, to keep PMT up to date on the postulant’s progress and to answer any of the postulant’s questions about the process.

Deacon (vocational): a person ordained to a particular ministry of servanthood, seeking to serve Christ in the poor, weak and vulnerable on behalf of the church and bringing the needs, hopes and concerns of the world to the attention of the church. Vocational deacons are generally not paid for their work and come under the direct jurisdiction of the bishop.

Deacon (transitional): a person who has been ordained a deacon, as above, but who will eventually be ordained a priest. (This is part of our Anglican

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heritage, shared with other “catholic” churches, and ensures that priestly ministry is grounded in service to others.)

M.Div.: Master of Divinity, the master’s level professional degree most often required prior to ordination as a priest. Many M.Div. programs require field placements, and so some students will be seeking to satisfy both school and diocesan requirements in their field placement.

B.Th.: Bachelor of Theology, an undergraduate level degree that may be used in place of the above

CPE: Clinical Pastoral Education, a program run through institutions (usually hospitals but sometimes jails) in which participants learn pastoral care skills as well as self-awareness. It is generally required prior to ordination as a priest.

ACPO: The Advisory Commission on Postulants for Ordination. This discernment process is run through the Province of Rupert’s Land (a grouping of dioceses in western/northern Canada), and includes an assessment weekend where applicants receive a recommendation that they become postulants (or not). Often participants are also given feedback on areas for work, and these areas may form part of a student’s learning covenant. (Note that there are two additional kinds of ACPO assessment: ACPO/D for those discerning a call as vocational deacons and ACPO/L for those discerning a call to ordination as members of a Local Collaborative Ministry team.)

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Diocese of Rupert’s LandCovenant Agreement

for Ministry Student Placement – Part 1

I. Student and Placement Information

Name:

Telephone Number:

Email Address:

Start date: End date:

Location:

Supervisor: Email:Phone:

Chair of Parish Formation Team: Email:Phone:

Coordinator: The Rev Heather McCance, mindev@rupertsland.ca, 204-451-4380

II. These are the gifts, skills, experiences the student brings to the placement (to be completed by student):

III. These are the learning goals that the student wishes to address in this placement (to be completed by student).

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IV. These are tasks and learning opportunities through which the student may achieve their learning goals (to be completed by student and supervisor). (Be as specific as possible.)

Regular Supervision Day/Time:

Two week-long vacation periods will happen during these weeks:

We understand and appreciate the responsibilities of entering into this covenant agreement.

Student:______________________________________ Date:________________

Supervisor: ___________________________________ Date:________________

Coordinator:___________________________________ Date:________________

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(Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services of the Anglican Church of Canada)

Liturgy of Commissioning for Ministry Students in Field Placements

This commissioning is to take place following the sermon (and creed) and before the Prayers of the People at a primary worship service of the parish.

Presider: Brothers and sisters in Christ, we are all baptized by the one Spirit into one body, and given gifts for a variety of ministries for the common good. Today we welcome NN as our ministry student, and pray for her/his ministry among us. N will be with us for (length of time), and will be ministering with us through leading Christian education, assisting in worship, pastoral visiting and preaching …. (describe in broad terms the areas of ministry in which the student will be engaged, these are examples).

(To congregation): Is it your will that N fulfill this ministry?

Congregation: It is.(To the ministry student): N, you have been called to this ministry. Will you, as long as you are engaged in this work, perform it with care to the honour of God and the benefit of the Church?

Student: I will, with God’s help.

(To the congregation): Will you, the members of (name of parish) uphold N in this service?

Congregation: We will.(It may be appropriate for members of the parish formation team to also be commissioned at this time. A similar form may be used, describing the ministry of those people so that members of the congregation are aware of their work and role. In some contexts it may be appropriate for members of the support team and/or churchwardens to surround the ministry student or lay hands on his/her shoulders as the presider leads the following prayer.)

The presiding minister continues Let us pray.Blessed are you, gracious God, our creator and redeemer.In every age you call people to ministry in your name.May the work of this your servant so build up your ChurchThat we may faithfully serve you and show your love in all the world.Blessed are you, O God, now and for ever. Amen.

N, the Lord enable and uphold you in this ministry. Amen.The service continues with the Prayers of the People, during which intercessions for the ministry student might appropriately be included.

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(adapted from Saying Goodbye: A Time of Growth for Congregations and Pastors by Edward A. White)

A Liturgy for the Closure of the Ministry of a Ministry Student in a Field Placement(It is intended that this liturgy would take place following the celebration of the Eucharist, immediately before any closing blessing, closing hymn and dismissal.)

Presider: On date, NN joined us as our ministry student. Over the past # months, s/he has (briefly describe some highlights of the student’s ministry). Now the time has come for her/him to leave us and to move to the next place of ministry to which God is calling her/him. (If that is known, it could be named here.) Today we give thanks for the life we have shared with N in Christ and pray for her/him as s/he leaves us.

Student: I thank (church name), its members and friends, for the love, kindness,

and support shown me these past months.I ask forgiveness for the mistakes I have made.I am grateful for the ways my ministry has been accepted.As I leave, I carry with me all that I have learned here.

People: We receive your thankfulness, offer forgiveness, and accept that you now leave to minister elsewhere.We express our gratitude for your time among us.We ask your forgiveness for our mistakes.Your influence on our faith and faithfulness will not leave us at

your departure.

(A candle is presented to the student.)

Presider: Accept this candle as a remembrance of the ministry we have shared together.

Light it in your next place of ministry.Remember that, in the light of Christ, we are all one. Amen.

(Members of the parish support team may gather around the student, and where appropriate, lay hands on her/his shoulders during the following prayer.)

Presider: Let us pray.We thank you, gracious God, for enriching us with the gifts of your

Spirit.Today we send forth N in your name;Guide her/his steps,

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and with the power of your grace strengthen her/him in spirit.Make her/his words the echo of Christ’s voice, so those who her her/him may be drawn to your love.Through her/him, may your Holy Spirit touch the hearts of all s/he

meets.We ask this through Christ the Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,One God, now and forever. Amen.

Student (to the congregation): May the Lord be with you this day and always.People: N, may the Lord be with you, this day and always.

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Diocese of Rupert’s LandReport Back Form

Ministry Student Placement: Parish Formation Team

Student and Placement InformationName: Telephone number:Email: Start date: End date:Location:Supervisor:Formation Team Chair:Ministry Developer: The Rev. Heather McCance

The Parish Formation Team is an essential component in the development of the Ministry Student. As the student works towards achieving their learning goals, the Formation Team provides helpful feedback and assistance where appropriate. The team consists of 4-6 lay members of the parish, selected by the placement supervisor. During the placement it is expected that the Ministry Student will meet with the Team at least six times. A brief description (2-3 sentences/points) of the conversations that take place is to be recorded here. At the conclusion of the placement, a longer, final commentary is to be provided that reviews the entire placement, and then this form is returned to the ministry developer. This is intended to be transparent; all recorded comments should be shared with the student.

Comments from Meeting 1, date:

Comments from Meeting 2, date:

Comments from Meeting 3, date:

Comments from Meeting 4, date:

Comments from Meeting 5, date:

Final meeting and final comments, date:

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How did the student develop in the areas of ministry they specified in their learning covenant?How was the student received by members of the parish? Would she/he be accepted as a priest?What areas might you suggest for focus in further field work or in future ministry settings?What would you like to say to the student?

To be signed by:

Formation team members:

_________________________________________ ___________________________________

_________________________________________ ___________________________________

_________________________________________ ___________________________________

Student: ______________________________________ Date: _______________________

Supervisor: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________

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Sermon Evaluation Form

To be completed by members of the congregation immediately after the conclusion of the service, and returned to the student, who will discuss these with the supervisors and ministry student formation team.

1. In one sentence, what did you hear the preacher say?

2. Was it worth saying? Was it relevant to you and/or those around you?

3. Was it faithful to the passage of scripture? What did it teach you about this Bible reading? Did it connect with the liturgical season/feast day (where appropriate)?

4. Did the preacher's eyes, body, and voice help or hinder your receptivity to the sermon? Explain.

5. Was the sermon engaging? When did you feel connected to what was being said?

6. Please use the reverse side of this page for any additional comments.

Pastoral Visit Verbatim Report

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The one-on-one nature of pastoral visiting can make it a difficult part of ministry to discuss or evaluate. This form may be a helpful tool if a postulant wishes to bring an experience in a pastoral visit to a supervisory session, or simply for review on her/his own. Other forms may be used. In general, completing the verbatim as soon as possible after a visit is most helpful.

1. Reason for presentation: what issues did this visit present that you want to focus on?

2. Background information:a. Date of visit:b. Length:c. Location:d. Background information on the individual being visited (using

an alias if appropriate):

3. Prior to the visit: have you visited/met this person before? What background do you have together? What prompted this visit? What are your hopes or concerns about it beforehand?

4. Verbatim report of the visit: Re-create the dialogue of the visit as closely as possible, identifying yourself and the other by initials, and including any silences, pauses or gestures. Also note your own inner dialogue in brackets; where and why you were confused, hurt, delighted, etc.

5. Pastoral/Theological/Relational Reflection: What was happening here in each of these areas? What did the other person want/get from the encounter? Where was God? What did it raise for you? How do you see your role as a pastor in this encounter? Would you do something different next time?

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Mid-Term Evaluation

This will be a very informal evaluation, a conversation with the diocesan ministry developer that covers the following.

Student: Supervisor:

Date:

1. Review the Learning Covenant. Which of the learning tasks have been accomplished? Which are ongoing? Which are yet to be started? Are you on track? Should any changes to the Covenant be made?

2. For the student: What have you learned so far, about this parish, about yourself as a minister?

3. For the supervisor: What strengths can you affirm in the student? What would you hope to see him/her focus on for the rest of the placement?

4. How is work with the Parish Support Team going? What is helpful there? What needs attention?

5. How are you working together, in public and in private? What is helpful for each of you in this supervisory relationship?

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Final Evaluation

About two weeks before the end of the placement, both postulant and supervisor should independently answer the following questions, and then exchange answers. Your final supervisory session will be a discussion about your answers. Copies of each evaluation are signed by both and submitted to the diocesan ministry developer within two weeks of the completion of the placement.

1. For each learning goal identified in the agreed-upon learning covenant, assess the learning and growth that has taken place.

2. How has the postulant’s ministry been received in the parish?3. How has this been a helpful placement site? What has contributed to

this being a good site for learning? Were there factors that were unhelpful?

4. How was feedback given and received?5. Describe the relationship between postulant and supervisor: what was

helpful, what changes might have made things better?6. Assess the postulant’s growth and competency both in the practice of

ministry and in reflecting theologically upon the practice of ministry. How has academic theological learning been integrated into ministry practice?

7. Overall, identify the postulant’s greatest areas of strength and areas where further development would be helpful.

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Time Tracking Sheet

While ministry is not a 9-to-5 job, this field placement is intended to take an average of ten hours a week. Activities like preparing for a sermon or to lead a Bible study group, as well as pastoral visiting, may not be seen by others. A tracking sheet might be a helpful tool to ensure that balance is taking place. Note that generally travel time from home to the parish is not tracked, but that travel time from the parish to another ministry site is (i.e., for a pastoral visit). This might be a tool for the student alone or for use with the supervisor and/or parish formation team.

Week of (dates):

Date Activity Time spent

Total time for this week:

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Resources for Help and Support for Postulants

It is our hope and prayer that relationships between postulants and supervisors and within field placement settings are relationships of mutual respect and support.

Sometimes, though, postulants find themselves in need of additional resources when things go wrong. Depending on circumstances, there are several people you might call upon for support and help.

1) The placement supervisor. Always try to work things out between the two of you before seeking outside help.

2) Your spiritual director and/or home parish priest. These people can give you an outside perspective on your difficulty, pray with you and for you, and help you develop your response to the trouble.

3) The diocesan ministry developer: The Rev. Heather McCance, 204-451-4380 or mindev@rupertsland.ca. Heather can work with you and your supervisor to manage problems within the field placement, with the Parish Formation Team or, if required, to arrange for a different placement.

4) Executive assistant to the Bishop: Susan Suppes, 204-992-4212 or exec.asst@rupertsland.ca. Susan has worked with postulants and clergy for years and her listening ear and practical common sense can be really helpful in thinking through a problem.

5) Your liaison person to the Priestly Ministry Team. This person can help you understand the postulancy process and your place in it, provide a listening ear and outside perspective, and bring any of your concerns or issues to the PMT.

6) If applicable, the Pastor for Healthy Communities, the Rev. Mary Holmen, phone number. If the problem you’re encountering has to do with sexual misconduct of any kind, this is the person to call.

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