Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
proposed above, carefully coordinated
and supported, look like for some
individuals on note and on trial?
Paragraphs 143.1-143.3 below offer
three scenarios.
143.1 Ama is able to commit to a number
of Saturday study days, and is wellmotivated
to work independently
between sessions. She attends an
introductory study day (perhaps with
her Pathway Mentor), coordinated
by the Discipleship and Ministries
Learning Network’s regional staff
team, and designed to help her
explore a sense of call to preach. It
also introduces available pathways,
study methods, and reflective practice.
Further modules are delivered via
quarterly study days over two years,
again coordinated by the regional staff
team. In between, Ama keeps in touch
with others via an online discussion
forum, and is supported locally by her
Pathway Mentor and Preaching Mentor
as she prepares her portfolio for
assessment.
143.2 Wes decides that weekday evening
sessions will work best for him.
He feels daunted by the prospect
of study as he left school at 16,
and wants the support of regular
sessions. He works through the
introductory module on a one-toone
basis with his Pathway Mentor.
Members of his housegroup decide
that they want to be involved with and
support his formation and training,
so they commit to study with him
in some of their meetings over the
course of a year. They are interested
in the modules that explore the
Bible and biblical interpretation,
the Christian story, and aspects
of spirituality and discipleship.
Wes’s Circuit works together with a
neighbouring Circuit, with support
from the Discipleship and Ministries
Learning Network’s regional staff
team, to offer modules on preaching
(offered as a ’refresher‘ for existing
preachers as well) and practical
skills for worship (offered for Worship
Leaders and Local Preachers,
as well as some exploring these
ministries). Wes is also able to attend
a continuing development study day
in another nearby Circuit, which looks
at issues of Christian ethics and faith
in the workplace. All these various
elements feed into Wes’s preparation
of his portfolio.
143.3 Liz already has a theology degree
which has given her a good grounding
in biblical interpretation and Church
history. She attends an introductory
session run in her Circuit as an
exploration day, and then meets
with the Pathway Mentor to discuss
her formation and training. They
look over the module materials that
cover “Bible and interpretation”
and “The Christian story” (these
are illustrative module titles), and
decide that Liz does not need to
study these, but that her portfolio
will be able to demonstrate her prior
learning. However, Liz decides that
she would like to take two extension
modules that would deepen her
understanding of prophecy and
Methodist origins. The Discipleship
Conference Agenda 2012 701