Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
Course (SWMTC). The Committee
is confident that, within the wider
Network, including through the posts
within the regional teams focusing
on the development of ordained
ministries and roles, capacity will
be available to support the types of
pathways which are currently being
offered through these institutions
– specifically, pathways for student
ministers studying on a part-time
basis alongside other work or family
commitments. The Committee would
not wish this recommendation to
be seen as an adverse judgement
about the quality of the formational
pathways offered within these
institutions at present. However,
the incorporation of the pathways
currently offered through these
institutions within the Network (a)
will establish more robust Methodist
formational communities than those
currently experienced by some of
the student ministers on these
pathways; (b) will bring a reduction in
the number of independent partners
involved in a number of connexional
processes (eg candidating, the
allocation of student ministers,
student minister and probationer
oversight), thus making those
processes more streamlined and
efficient; (c) will enable resources
which are currently dedicated towards
the maintenance of capacity within
these institutions as their governing
bodies direct to be used more flexibly
within the Network; (d) will make
it easier to share and distribute
some of the resources which are
current exclusively developed and
made available for student ministers
more widely. The Committee hopes
that bonds of colleagueship and
collaboration can be developed
between regional teams and these
institutions, and, in doing so, echoes
the hopes for such links mentioned
in the submissions made by some of
the institutions concerned during the
consultation period. The Committee
has assessed the risks and costs for
the Methodist Church of withdrawal
from the institutions concerned,
and consideration has been given
to the impact of withdrawal on
the institutions themselves. In
both cases, the Committee is
confident that its recommendation
is sound and reasonable. The
Committee records its thanks to
ERMC, SEITE, STETS and SWMTC
for their ready partnership with the
Methodist Church, and will wish to
express its gratitude through other
representations over coming months.
Hartley Victoria College, Manchester,
the York Institute for Community
Theology and the Urban Theology
Unit, Sheffield
207 The Committee also recommends
that the Methodist Church should, in
an organised and structured manner,
move to end its activities at Hartley
Victoria College, Manchester, the York
Institute for Community Theology and
the Urban Theology Unit, Sheffield,
and move to incorporate their
activities within the Discipleship and
Ministries Learning Network. The
rationale for doing so is similar to
728 Conference Agenda 2012