AUTHORISED LAY MINISTRY

2017-18

IntroductionThe Authorised Lay Ministry course for 2017-2018 comprises a series of core and additional components. The additional components or modules will be open to anyone to undertake as a stand-alone module as part of continuing ministerial development, for general interest or as means of equipping themselves further for a particular area of ministry in which they might already be involved.

All modules will take place at St John’s Church, Westhead Avenue Littleworth, Stafford (ST16 3RP), starting at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated.There are also study-at-home modules, which can be completed at any time, and for which the material is available free of charge.

To book a module please contact Julia Cunningham, Training Co-ordinator at Vocations & Training, Diocese of Lichfield: email - julia.cunningham@lichfield.aniglican.org; tel - 01543 306223.(Address: St Mary’s House, The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD)

Authorisation

Candidates for Authorised Lay Ministry must undertake all of the core components which includes a series of ‘Ministry Observations’ at the start of the second Term. Candidates will also be required to complete a project on their chosen area of ministry over the course of the year.

Cost2

The cost of the pgoramme for those training for Authorisation is £100. For those taking the modules independently, the fee per module is stated in the module information.

Programme outline

TERM 1Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 19 September 2017 To include elements of ‘Getting to Grips with the Gospels’

‘Pastoral Care’ with the Revd Jane MorrisWednesdays 11, 18 October and 1 November 2017at Cotes Heath Rectory, ST21 6RS

‘Dementia Friendly Worship’ with the Revd David PrimroseSaturday 28 October 2017 - 10am-3.30pm at St Thomas’ & St Andrew’s, Doxey ST16 1EQ

Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 28 November 2017 To include elements of ‘Getting to Grips with the Gospels’

TERM 2Core component (): Ministry Observation to be undertaken during the course of the month of January 2018

Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 16 January 2018

‘Chaplaincy Everywhere’ with the Revd Bill MashTuesday 6 February, Saturday 10* February - 2 sessionsTuesdays 13, 27 February and 6 March*venue for this day: St Thomas’ & St Andrew’s Doxey, Stafford ST16 1EQ

Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 20 March 2018

TERM 33

Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 17 April 2018

‘Bereavement Care’ with Dr Lindsey HallTuesdays 15, 22 May and 5, 12 June

Core component (): Assignment to be completed by 31 May 2018

Core component () with Dr Lindsey HallTuesday 19 June 2018

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Study-at home Modules

Text 4 TodayAims:

To discuss the nature of the biblical text, and how it can be studied and interpreted with integrity today

To understand the importance of the form, authorship, readership and context of scripture

To use commentaries discerningly, understanding the different approaches and viewpoints at work

To recognise what we bring to the text, affecting our interpretation of it

To bring all these elements to bear in our personal reading and interpretation of the Bible for today.

Session 1: Opening up the Bible Session 2: What kind of writing? Session 3: The bigger picture Session 4: So what’s really going on? Session 5: Readers and writers Session 6: Beginnings Session 7: The quality of mercy Session 8: The Word revealed

Key Text: A work book is provided for this module: Text 4 Today

Other books/articles /resources of interest: Walter Brueggemann, The Bible Makes Sense, Westminster John Knox Press, revised edition 2001.Morna D Hooker, Beginnings: Keys that Open the Gospels, SCM Press, 1997. Morna D Hooker, Endings: Invitations to Discipleship, SCM Press, 2003.Eugene H Peterson, Read this Book: The Art of Spiritual Reading, Hodder & Stoughton, 2006.

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On Earth as in Heaven

Aims: To Engage with God’s transformation of the world and

enable others to understand and participate in this To reflect theologically on our own, and our church’s,

response to the relationship between God’s kingdom and the world

To understand and interpret some of the issues, priorities and concerns of contemporary culture

To engage with current biblical and theological interpretations of the contemporary world

Session 1: Our Father in Heaven – Christians and the WorldSession 2: Hallowed be Your Name – Matters of TruthSession 3: Your Kingdom Come (1) – Interpreting God’s KingdomSession 4: Your Kingdom Come (2) – the Kingdom and PoliticsSession 5: Your Will be Done – Society and Popular Culture Session 6: Our Daily Bread – Society, Nature and CreationSession 7: Forgive Us Our Debts – Christians and the Economic OrderSession 8: The Time of Trial

Key Text: A workbook is provided for this module: On Earth as in Heaven: Interpreting and Transforming God’s world

Other books/articles /resources of interest: Brueggemann, Walter, Texts Under Negotiation: The Bible and the Postmodern Imagination, Fortress Press 1993Mursell, Gordon, Praying in Exile, Darton, Longman & Todd, 2005Newbigin, Lesslie, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, SPCK, Third edition 2004Schori, Katharine Jefferts, The Gospel in the Global Village: Sharing God’s Dream of Shalom, Canterbury Press 2009

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Pastoral Theology

IntroductionThis module will explore some key issues in pastoral theology, including different models of pastoral care based on Jesus’ ministry and the Bible. The module will also examine understandings of personhood and consider what is needed to encourage human flourishing. We will explore some insights from psychology and connections with spirituality and finish by setting a vision for pastoral care in our context.

Session 1: Models of Pastoral Care (i)Session 2: Models of Pastoral Care (ii)Session 3: Cultures of careSession 4: Human flourishing and personhoodSession 5: Psychology and spiritualitySession 6: Setting a vision for Pastoral Care

Key Text: Robert Dykstra (2005) Images of Pastoral Care, Chalice Press

Other books/articles /resources of interest:Paul Ballard & Stephen R Holmes (2005) The Bible in Pastoral Practice, London: DLTRichard Gula (1996) Ethics of Pastoral Ministry, New Jersey: Paulist PressKate Litchfield (2006) Tending My Flock: Sustaining Good Practice in Pastoral Care, Canterbury Press

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Core component () to include:

Getting to Grips with the Gospels

Aims: To reflect on what the Gospels mean for us today To explore the distinctiveness of the four Gospels To think about ways in which we share the Gospel stories

today To explore the richness of the Christmas and Easter

narratives

Sessions will include elements of:

Matthew’s New Law Mark’s Urgent Message Luke’s Radical messageJohn’s Transformative message

Key Text: NRSV Bible, Gospel Parallel or synopsis of the Four Gospels

Other books/articles /resources of interest:

Edward Adams Parallel Lives of Jesus: Four Gospels, One Story, (2011) SPCKRoger Van Harn and Colin Gunton (eds) Theological Commentary on the Lectionary Volumes 1 and 2 (2001) Continuum

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() Ministry Observation During the month of January, you are required to spend eight hours observing and experiencing a form of ministry relevant to the area of your project, and the proposed area of your future ministry. The aim of this is to see first-hand how other people are engaged in this area of ministry and to learn from what they are doing. You could spend the time in another church, community project, shadowing a minister. As long as it is practical and will inform your project, there is scope for the observation to happen in many different contexts.

In order to put arrangements in place, you need to propose somewhere for your placement and advise Lindsey Hall by 3 November 2017. The observation can be done at any times during the week but you should spend a minimum of eight hours involved in the placement.

Some ideas for observations:

If your area of ministry is focused on pastoral care, you could:• work with a pastoral care minister, a clergy person or

someone else regularly carrying out pastoral care;• join a parish for specifically care-focused activities such as

lunch clubs, dementia-friendly services, etc;• visit a care home for services or other open events; • work with a hospital visitor.

If your area of ministry is focused on leading worship, you could:• visit a church where they have very different sorts of

services from what you are used to;• attend Messy Church or Fresh Expressions of Church who

gather together in a different way from traditional congregations;

• work with a Reader or clergy person.

You need to clarify three clear aims for your placement, that you hope to get out of the time spent.

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() AssignmentThis project is for those who are completing the course to be authorised as a lay minister. The completed project should be submitted to Julia Cunningham at St Mary’s House by the 31st May 2018. You may be required to do work as part of individual modules, particularly the distance-learning modules. You can re-use this work as part of your final project if it is appropriate to do so.

PROJECT

1. CHOOSE A TOPICFor the project you need to select one area of ministry. This should be an area that you are already working in or intend to work in. It could be fairly broad (for example ministry with pre-school children) or more specific (for example Mission and Ministry at St Luke’s Playgroup). On the whole, the more focussed your topic is, the easier it will be to decide what to include in your project.

2. VISION STATEMENTThe first section of your project should be a vision statement. In it you should outline why you think this ministry is important; in what ways it is growing the kingdom of God; how it is helping others in their journey of discipleship; what your hopes and dreams are for this area of work; how you see God at work in this particular are of ministry.(500 – 800 words) – To be submitted by 31st January 2018.

3. A BIBLE STUDYThe second section of your project should be a Bible Study. To do this you need to choose a passage which you see as being relevant to the area of ministry you have chosen to explore for your project. You should write about:20

The context of the passage (which book is it on, what comes before and after it, does it refer to or resonate with any other parts of the Bible?)

Interpretations of the passage (what are the different ways in which it might be read?)

What it means to you (how do you understand it, why is it important to you?)

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What it says about the area of ministry you are exploring (does it motivate you for ministry, offer a vision, principle, story of transformation, etc)?

(1000-1500 words)

REFLECTION ON CHOSEN AREAThe third section of your project is looking at the ministry itself. Here you can include details of events, relationships, work that you have already done, or has already happened in this area, and offer some reflection on them. You could do this by describing an event, and then commenting on how it went and to what extent it matched up to your vision for this area of ministry. You could also write about a relationship that you have invested in as part of ministry, a partnership that has been growing in this area, or any other aspect of ministry in your chosen area. You should select three or four examples to describe and then reflect on. You can include items from the event as part of your description – advertising fliers, service sheets, photos, etc.(1500-2000 words)

4. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF MINISTRYThe Fourth section of your project is an evaluation of the area of ministry, focussing on what you think the biggest challenges and opportunities are in working in this area. You should try and discuss at least three challenges and three opportunities. (500 words)

5. TAKING IT FORWARDThe final section of your project should describe how you intend to take this area of ministry forward. You can do it as bullet points, or you might wish to write them as SMART goals.

Specific – what, where, when?Measurable – how will you know your goal has been reached?Attainable – is it possible given the resources we have?Realistic and Relevant – does it further your vision for ministry?Time-based – when will you aim to have met your goal?

Stating not just what we would like to do, but how and when we will do it means we are much more likely to achieve those goals. You should aim to have three or four goals which summarise what you want to do in the short and medium term in this area of ministry. (250 – 400 words)

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The word counts suggested are for guidance only. The most important thing is that you complete each section in a way which engages with the question set and which helps you and your parish or community in thinking about this area of ministry. Whatever books or resources you have used as part of this work should be acknowledged in a list of resources at the end of the project.

You will be allocated a tutor to work with on your project. There will also be a session introducing the project and helping you to get started with it.

Optional ModulesPastoral Care

Aims: This module explores what is distinctive about Christian pastoral care, some of the distinctions between offering pastoral care on behalf of the church and friendship or other forms of professional care. We will also explore power dynamics in pastoral care and reflect on our own presence and impact as care givers.

Session 1: Christian Care: offering God’s care to othersSession 2: The limits and possibilities of pastoral careSession 3: Recognising the power of powerSession 4: Being the pastoral carer: presence and reflection

Key Texts: Joretta L. Marshall Caring When it’s tough to care http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=300

George Hunsinger Paying Attention’http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=3437

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Other books/articles /resources of interest:Alastair V. Campbell (1986) Rediscovering Pastoral Care¸ London: DLT

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Chaplaincy Everywhere

Aims: To understand the role of chaplaincy within the context of

mission To see how chaplaincy can strengthen and challenge the

church To explore how to develop the role of chaplaincy in your

community

Chaplaincy, as a faith-based response to a rapidly changing world, is a growing and creative dimension of the church’s life. “Mostly, people are looking for someone to listen to them. Someone willing to grant them time, to listen to their dramas and difficulties” (Pope Francis)Session 1: Caught up in the mission of GodSession 2: As Christ in the world Session 3: The Spirit of ChaplaincySession 4: The Cloak of ChaplaincySession 5: What Chaplains do; bringing it all togetherSession 6: Chaplaincy in today’s world – a look at our context

Key Texts: Chaplaincy Everywhere - The Chaplaincy Team

Discipleship and Ministries Cluster (Methodist Connexional Team)Miranda Threlfall-Holmes and Mark Newitt Being a Chaplain Other books/articles /resources of interest:Victoria Slater Chaplaincy Ministry and the Mission of the Church Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch The shaping of Things to come: Innovation and Mission Neil Hudson Imagine Church – Releasing Whole-Life Disciples

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Bereavement CareAims:

To understand some common elements of bereavement To recognise the work and process of grief To develop skills to offer appropriate support to the

bereaved

Session 1:  A People of Loss: the universal experience of bereavementSession 2:  Stages of grief Session 3:  Complicated  and abnormal griefSession 4: Helping someone to say goodbye

Key Text:

William Worden Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy (2009 4th Edition) RoutledgeElisabeth Kubler Ross On Death and Dying (lots of editions)Other books/articles /resources of interest:

Some useful resources on www.grief.com and www.ekrfoundation.org

There are two additional modules related to Lay Funeral training:

The Hidden Mission of Funerals

Led by The Revd George FisherOne session:Date: Monday 13 November 2017: 2pm-4pm

Venue: St John’s Church, Littleworth, Stafford ST16 3RP

Death Confident Congregations18

Led by The Revd David PrimroseTwo sessions:Dates: 10 and 24 January 2018: 2pm-4pm

Venue: Hill House, Vicarage Lane, Bednall, Stafford ST17 0SE

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