Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
more locally in ‘regional’ areas,
and the capacity to deliver learning
programmes well. This points to the
need for investment to be made in
regionally deployed personnel, rather
than buildings. A common factor in
the current training regions that feel
they are functioning less effectively
is the lack of capacity to cover the
geographical area equally well.” A
District leadership team wrote of the
importance of “access to a multidisciplinary
team of skilled people
who will work in churches and Circuits
in partnership with the District Chairs
and other officers. Methodism has
always faced the dangers of such
people and resources being too thinly
spread and isolated; the quality of
the resources available to the Church
will be greatly increased if they are
genuinely part of a collaborative
team, but this requires considerable
ingenuity to achieve.”
164 We recommend that regional teams
should normally be made up of five
full-time posts. It will be important
for these five postholders to work
closely together, acting as a team
and providing a coherent service
to the region. A submission made
by a District officer during the
consultation period noted that “the
plan for an integrated approach
within teams across larger areas
than current Districts is... to be
welcomed, provided that this retains
the recognition that there are differing
skills which are needed in these
teams. We will need collaborative,
interdisciplinary teams in the regions,
recognising and playing to different
strengths, expertise and gifts,
matched to the varying needs of both
the wider Church and the specific
localities.” However, it is also possible
to affirm five core areas of expertise
within the regional teams, and we
consequently recommend configuring
the five regional posts as follows:
164.1 A post focusing on the development
of lay ministries and roles: helping
to train, form and equip those who
exercise lay ministries and roles
within the lives of Circuits and Local
Churches, with a particular focus in
the first instance on the initial and
continuing development of Local
Preachers and Worship Leaders;
working carefully to support and
collaborate with volunteers and officeholders
(such as Circuit and District
Local Preachers’ Secretaries).
164.2 A post focusing on the development
of ordained ministries and roles:
helping to train, form and equip
those who are preparing for diaconal
and presbyteral ministry (as student
ministers and probationers),
supporting the continuing
development of those who serve in
Circuit appointments, including as
Superintendents, and accompanying
those candidating for ordained
ministry; working carefully to support
and collaborate with volunteers
and office-holders (such as District
Candidates’ Secretaries).
164.3 A post focusing on the development
of the gathered ministry of the church
Conference Agenda 2012 709