Local Ministry Teams

 

Collaboration is of the essence in all Christian Ministry and it does not depend on the establishment of an LMT though they provide an opportunity and framework, which parishes and ecumenical groups may choose to use when it’s considered helpful in furthering mission and ministry.

 

A LMT is a group of trained lay people and clergy sharing responsibility for the work that Jesus has called them to and making sure that it actually happens. Research shows that in some cases a LMT will be small group of people working with the clergy to provide day to day ministry while some parishes will develop a sophisticated leadership team model with department heads who coordinate ministerial and liturgical activities. 

 

However, as those who live, work and worship in parishes already know, each one is different and therefore every LMT will be different, there is no one model that fits all. They will, vary according to local need, circumstances, and resources and include a variety of people. 

 

A helpful working definition of what a LMT is: 

 

"a group of people who are recognised by the congregation as people with talents to work collaboratively with the clergy to develop the vision of the parish and meet the developing need for ministry in the parish. Each member of the team has different gifts, hence a different ministry, but together they will enable more people in the congregation to develop their discipleship and offer their talents in ministry".

 

Or as Robin Greenwood (The Ministry Team handbook p.xviii) Local Ministry Teams:

 

"are to be agents of the development of everyone drawing gifts and vocations from among all church members. And because lay and ordained people increasingly share the leadership of the church, the team acts as a sign to the community that it is not "the vicar" who is the church, but all of us together".

 

Why have a Local Ministry Team?

When setting up an LMT it is important to recognise, value and support existing patterns of ministry, the ordained stipendiary, non-stipendiary and retired clergy, Readers, Pastoral Assistants, Parish Evangelists, Children and Youth Workers and Church Army Workers, and also the unsung heroes who are not in diocesan authorised ministries, but non the less important to the mission and ministry of the local parish.

 

However, there are in many parishes rich resources of yet untapped gifts and talents that have not been encouraged or enabled. Many feel that they do not have the right skills or lack confidence. The development of LMTs and the training offered at the local level offers a mechanism whereby people can explore in safety what their gifts are and how they can be used in God’s service.

 

An LMT helps unleash God’s gifts within all baptised Christians, so that each may value, and be valued, and the church become increasingly an outward looking community. LMTs are not, as some would see it, a reaction to a problem, but rather a positive response to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. They are a call to every Christian to own the ministry Jesus is calling them to and to pray together.

 

There is evidence that, local people are keen to take on responsibility for the life and ministry of their church and in establishing LMTs the Diocese is creating an environment in which that can happen.

 

We want to encourage parishes to consider:-

STAGE ONE: Exploration

Please note that various stages of exploration may happen simultaneously. It need not be a long or drawn out process.

 

An informal discussion between the Parish Clergy and a member of the Parish Development team.

 

Clergy discuss with the PCC or other appropriate bodies (DCC, Team Council, Standing committee) and begin to raise awareness and interest. (For PCC also read DCC or other councils). The PCC may set up a steering committee and begin to consult and inform the congregation. 

 

A member of the Parish Development team, the clergy, steering committee or PCC consider how to proceed towards a Local Ministry Team.

 

A member of the Parish Development team and Team help lead a vision building exercise to set priorities for mission and ministry. This might include a four-week course exploring the themes – Your Church Now – Where is God calling your Church to be? – What leadership does your church need? Is God calling you?

 

The clergy and PCC meet to discuss the range of skills/qualities needed and the number of people required to help fulfil the vision. At the same meeting, the parish clergy and members of the PCC should be invited to submit names of those considered suitable bearing in mind the qualities and skills required. The spread of people should reflect, as near as possible, the make up of the congregation and wider sociological, economic, ethnic and cultural background of the community. 

Aware of the nominations, the Parish Priest should invite people to serve on the Ministry Team. The clergy in consultation with the PCC, a member of the Parish Development team and possibly others (Churchwardens) should draw up terms of reference for the Ministry Team, which will include responsibilities, expectations and training.

 

STAGE TWO – Training

As a LMT would be formed to respond to a parish's vision, it is inevitable that each team would have different training requirements. As far as it is possible, it is intended that the training, provided by the Mission and Ministry Department should be locally based so that laity and clergy can learn side by side, not least in terms of "Team Building Exercises". This would encourage a feeling of mutual experience and shared ownership of the new team. It is also hoped that as part of the shared experience, members of the LMT would find regular opportunities to pray together.

 

Training can help turn good intentions into a practising model of ministry.

 

A member of the Parish Development Team will arrange for CRB checks for all members of the team (this is a requirement)

 

As members of the LMT begin working together they should identify what training they require. During the first year of development members of the LMT may wish to consider: 

 

Lay people – attend the “The Certificate in Christian Development” or units of it.

 

Lay people and Clergy together – spend time working with a Team Consultant on team building exercises.

 

Clergy through CME and other means to engage in additional training and education as appropriate and agreed with the CME Officer.

 

If these do not meet the training needs of the team, other opportunities should be explored in consultation with a member of the Parish Development team.

 

Following the first year, members of LMTs should consider:

 

Engaging in training courses offered by the Diocese to strengthen and enable specific areas of ministry. (i.e. bereavement visiting, marriage preparation, baptism visiting, evangelism, youth and children’s work, mission to the wider community, issues relating to interfaith, race awareness, ecumenism, conservation and accredited ministries such as outlined elsewhere).

 

Work with the "Team Consultant" who will monitor the teams' and arrange an annual review.

 

Identify/highlight ongoing training/development needs.

 

STAGE THREE – Commissioning

Should a LMT be authorised or commissioned by the Bishop? This is always a difficult question to answer and in trying to do so we would not want to imply that "real ministry" is only that which is accredited or commissioned, or that those working in informal teams are any less important or of different status. It is likely that different teams will be recognised in different ways appropriate to the parochial context. The advantage of commissioning is that it enables the team to function in a more formal way even if the personnel in the team change. For example, during the interregnum the team would have permission to continue to deliver ministry, and other parochial groups such as the PCC could not, at that stage, change it. Any newly appointed incumbent would need to be appointed on the understanding that they were happy to work with the LMT they inherited, even if it were subsequently changed or redeveloped at the end of the commissioning. As the development of a LMT can affect the relations and responsibilities with existing parish groups, communication and clarification of roles must be considered carefully.

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