Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

57. The Fruitful Field Project
54.3 Continuing development in ordained
ministry: These pathways are enabled
both through grants (annual grants
to Districts, and application grants
to ministers and probationers
studying for Higher Education awards)
and through connexional courses
(including courses in supervision
skills for Superintendents, the annual
Superintendents’ conferences, and
pathways for ministers from other
denominations or Partner Churches
selected to serve the Methodist
Church).
54.4 Continuing development for Local
Preachers: Although appointment
as a Local Preacher is not subject
to any formal review, all those
admitted as Local Preachers
from September 1995 onwards
undertake to “participate in a
programme of continuing Local
Preacher development.” The
type of programme is not further
defined, and provision of suitable
opportunities varies greatly across
the Connexion.
54.5 A number of focused programmes
and courses are supported, including:
Core Skills for Churches, for children’s
workers (launched in 2006); Creating
Safer Space, Foundation Module,
for office-holders who require
safeguarding training (2011); Disciple,
a course designed to nurture and
deepen discipleship through Bible
study (1993); Don’t Panic, for church
stewards (1998); Encircled in Care,
for pastoral visitors (2007); Mission
Shaped Intro (MSI), an introduction
to Fresh Expressions of Church;
Mission Shaped Ministry (MSM), for
those launching and leading Fresh
Expressions of Church; Spectrum,
for youth workers (1996); Step
Forward, a course for small groups
(2009); Talking of God, a course
on faith-sharing for individuals and
congregations (2011); and What Shall
We Do Now?, for those working with
older people (2002).
54.6 World Church-related pathways: These
include pathways for those selected
to become Mission Partners, and
for leaders from overseas Partner
Churches sponsored for study in
Britain as part of the Scholarship
and Leadership Training programme.
54.7 The Oxford Institute of Methodist
Theological Studies: The core activity
of the institute, governed by a British
Committee and a committee based
in the United States of America,
constitutes a week-long conference,
gathering scholars from around the
world for lectures and working groups
in a variety of areas, including biblical
studies, theology, history, worship,
liturgy, evangelism, mission and
ecumenism.
54.8 Research opportunities: Connexional
resources support a number of
research activities, which have a
particular focus on contemporary
issues of local, national and global
significance for the Church and
society. See in particular paragraphs
82.13 and 82.18 below.
662 Conference Agenda 2012