Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
Overview of the Report
1 Part 1 of the report is concerned
with the context for The Fruitful
Field project. Section A (paragraphs
3-5) briefly introduces the report’s
scope and mandate. Section B (6-
24) roots our task of discernment in
reflection upon scripture in the light
of the tradition of the Church and our
present experiences and contexts.
Section C (25-47) outlines the origins
of The Fruitful Field and describes
the processes which the Ministries
Committee has implemented
since the 2011 Conference, which
included a consultation period
during the autumn of 2011. Section
D outlines the current provision
which the Conference sponsors and
supports in the fields of formation,
learning, training, theological
education, scholarship, research and
development. This section describes
the pathways, opportunities,
programmes and resources which
are currently offered (49-55), the
expert staff and the institutions,
colleges and centres which support
this provision (56-82), and the overall
budget for this area (83-85). Section
E outlines the financial, infrastructural
and educational challenges and
opportunities faced by the Church
in this area (86-111). Section F
outlines the ways forward explored
by the Ministries Committee during
the current connexional year. This
section includes extracts from a
consultation document published in
October 2011 (113) and from the
Committee’s interim response to the
consultation published in February
2012 (114). Those who have already
read the consultation document and
the interim response will be familiar
with much of the content of sections
D-F. The inclusion of these sections
within this report formally places the
information before the Conference.
2 Part 2 of the report outlines
the Ministries Committee’s
recommendations. Section G
outlines the primary and overarching
recommendation, namely the
establishment of the Discipleship
and Ministries Learning Network,
whose purposes (117-126) are the
support of discipleship development,
ministry development, and church
and community development across
the Connexion, and the nurturing of
scholarship, research and innovation.
This section also identifies the values
of the Network (127) and some of its
early goals (128). A redevelopment
of pathways for Local Preachers
and Worship Leaders within the
context of the Network is explored
(132-147), as is the opportunity
for the Network to participate
within a developing ecumenical
Higher Education partnership with
the Church of England (148-156).
Section H outlines the recommended
structure of a staff team to support
the Network’s activities. The ways
in which the staff team will work
regionally (163-171) and in centres
(172-177) are explored, as is the
make-up of the Network’s coordinating
team (178-179). Implications for
the Connexional Team which flow
644 Conference Agenda 2012