Initial Ministerial Education 4-7 (curacy)

Initial ministerial education 4-7

Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 February 2012 12:26

Who We Are

Director

Oversees training development for three years for all curates in the diocese and tutorials for Church Army evangelists.

Revd Chris Stebbing
Director of Initial Ministerial Education 4 – 7
St John’s Vicarage
91 Manor Oaks Road
Sheffield
S2 5EA

0114 2727423
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Group Tutors

Lead monthly tutorial groups for curates and evangelists for mutual support and theological reflection.

Rev Richard Parker
104 Hawshaw Lane
Hoyland
Barnsley
S74 0HH

Telephone: 01226 749231

The Rev Judith Trickett
The Vicarage
493 Herringthorpe Valley Road
Rotherham
S60 4LB

The Rev Phil Batchford
The Vicarage
115 Upperthorpe Road
Sheffield
S6 3EA

Telephone: 0114 276 7130

Assistant IME 4-7 Officers

Organise two residential conferences a year for curates and visit six months after ordination and midway through the second year.

The Revd L M Wells
The Vicarage
17 Ashland Road
Sheffield
S7 1RH

Telephone: 0114 2509716
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The Revd Jan Foden
The Vicarage
Barnby Dun
Doncaster
DN3 1AA

Telephone: 01302 882835
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The Revd Gary Schofield
Wales Vicarage Manor Road
Wales
Sheffield
S26 5PD

Telephone: 01909 771111

What We Do

Research shows how crucial is the experience of the first three years of ministry - a ‘make or break time’….Bath and Wells diocese talks of curates ‘on loan’ from the diocese to the parishes.

In the Parishes

Most of the training takes place in the parishes with incumbent or line manager.
Every curate with their training incumbent completes by the end of September in the first year a Working Agreement, a Training Plan derived from a Checklist, an agreement to ‘An Accompanied Conversation’ (a chosen third person to give support to the relationship between curate and incumbent). Every curate in their first year also completes a Parish Survey which is submitted to Sheffield Hallam University. Before priesting an Appraisal Form goes from both the curate and the incumbent to the Bishop of Sheffield

Tutorial Groups

IME 4 - 7 organises monthly Tutorial Groups for curates and Church Army evangelists with approximately ten people in each group. These groups include people from all three years unlike some dioceses. This gives maturity and experience in the group for handling issues and giving each other support. The disadvantage is that skills belonging to each year cannot so easily be programmed in – there is bound occasionally to be some dislocation between the years accentuated by choices they can make on topics to discuss. The Tutorials meet mostly from 12-3.00 pm and include time for sharing and support, and time for doing theology around a chosen topic or one of the member’s situation.
Three times a year the tutorials are extended from 10-3.00pm for a Day Conference in September and June and a Quiet Day in March. Resourcing from the Church Army is often used.

Residential Conferences

IME 4 - 7 organises a weekend residential conference in each academic year. From the autumn of 2008 some of the IME 4-7 Training for years 2-3 will take place within the Yorkshire Regional Training Partnership alongside curates from other Dioceses. Modules will be accredited to HE level in Church in Local Context and Leadership and Change in Church.

Induction Days

IME 4 - 7 organises a first induction day for curates and incumbents in the week following ordination.. This is for curates and incumbents and covers Working Agreements, Training Plans derived from a Checklist, ‘An Accompanied Conversation’, a Parish Survey, Appraisal forms prior to ordination to the priesthood, and issues to do with child protection, personal finance and clergy housing. A further induction day for curates and Church Army evangelists is held in September and includes a tour and talk on the work of Sheffield Cathedral by the Dean, a tour and profile of the diocese, and a tour and introduction to the Diocesan Office at Diocesan Church House in Rotherham.

Incumbents Training Day

This is held in May of each year with the Bishop of Doncaster and introduces new training incumbents to material to be presented at the first Induction Day. The afternoon has a review of the year for training incumbents completing their first year.

Pastoral Care

IME 4 - 7 organises pastoral care by a visit from the Director to every curate and evangelist and their spouse/family before they come to the diocese. An Assistant IME 4 - 7 Officer visits every new curate six months after ordination to pick up any questions around the Working Agreements, Training Plans derived from the Checklist. ‘Accompanied Conversation’, Parish Survey, and Appraisal Forms. The Director visits every new evangelist six months after commissioning. Otherwise the pastoral care of Evangelists is largely through the Church Army network. Pastoral care is also exercised within the Tutorial Groups and by the Tutors. A further visit to curates is made by an Assistant Officer in the Spring of the second year and in the third year becomes part of the Episcopal Review process leading to a first appointment. The Bishop of Doncaster also visits during each of the years

Church Army

The Area Co-ordinator for the Church Army has day to day and overall care of the evangelists and a similar system to the Diocesan clergy Working Agreements, Training Plans derived from a Checklist, ‘Accompanied Conversation’, Parish Survey and ‘Appraisal Forms’. The Co-ordinator works closely with the Director and the IME 4 - 7 Team as well as the Diocesan Director of Ministry.

CME

IME 4 - 7 dovetails into the work of the Diocesan Director of Ministry who has charge of the further skill training needed for first incumbencies or similar posts.