Courses and learning
God calls people to a wide range of ministries, lay and ordained, in our church and in our everyday lives.
Youth and children’s ministers, evangelists, missionaries, Readers, pioneers, and community workers are generally lay ministers, though some may be ordained. Read on to explore the training opportunities the diocese provides.
Lay learning
Walking Together in Faith
The diocese also offers training to lay members of the church. This might be to encourage them into lay ministry or even to consider ordination. But equally, it could be to develop their faith journey as followers of Jesus Christ. We are committed to the idea of being a church of missionary disciples and we stress the importance of the discipleship of all Christian people and a faith lived out seven days a week.
For clergy
Training for curates (IME2)
Curate learning, formation and development is strongly valued and affirmed in our diocese. In IME Phase 2 curates receive day-to-day training, supervision and reflection on ministry in their chaplaincy.
Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD)
Training available for clergy within the Diocese in Europe or across the Church of England. Where the MDR review process highlights a common desire for training on certain issues, relevant online workshops and seminars are arranged by the Diocesan Director of Ministerial Development.
Further lay training
Spiritual Director Training
The diocese offers an online formation course on becoming a spiritual director. The course is run in partnership with Sarum College, Salisbury. It runs over two years with two-day teaching modules every two months. There is also ongoing teaching and support between these sessions.
Promotional events with more details about the course and pre-course interviews usually take place in the autumn, with the course beginning the following spring. Anyone connected to a chaplaincy in the diocese interested in the course should contact the Ministry Team Administrator: polly.freeman@churchofengland.org
Promotional events with more details about the course and pre-course interviews usually take place in the autumn, with the course beginning the following spring. Anyone connected to a chaplaincy in the diocese interested in the course should contact the Ministry Team Administrator: polly.freeman@churchofengland.org
Lay learning
This multimedia course, Walking Together in Faith, is open to all lay members of the church – whether they are simply looking to learn more about the Christian faith or exploring the possibility of formal lay ministry. It is divided into four modules, each comprising five units. The modules run consecutively over a 12-month period.