St Mary Redcliffe Church Parish Magazine, February 2019

from the diocese of bristol
This month read a précis of an article currently online at Bristol
Diocese website, and a call for Licensed Lay Ministers...
GOD WITH US: UNDERSTANDING FAITH JOURNEYS
https://www.bristol.anglican.org/news/2018/12/12/understanding-faith-journeys/
THE 2018 FAITH JOURNEYS RESEARCH conducted for the Church
of England explores how people become aware of God’s presence,
are attracted to it, respond to it, and are ultimately transformed by it.
Research shows that everyone’s faith journey is unique, complex, contextual
and influenced by cumulative and intertwining factors in a process occuring
over time. Six common stages of journey are identified (each providing
the basis for the next albeit some may be transposed or omitted), as is the
need for appropriate nurture at each point. Stages are as follows:
1. Context — awareness: As people journey through life their worldview is
shaped by their context: their history; family, friends and communities; home
and environment; activities and interests; media they are exposed to and
consume. Contexts are always changing. Most people are at this stage.
2. Catalyst: Something may stimulate someone to re-shape their worldview;
this may become a catalyst in finding faith. Common catalysts include: crises;
transition points in life; encounters with others and/or church; seasonal events.
3. Initial engagement: initial engagement with the Christian faith may take
many forms but the experience needs to be positive and nurturing; negative
experiences or those that fail to nurture may take a person back to the context
stage and delay engagement with faith for years, or even a lifetime.
4. Ongoing engagement: a period of intentional activity and behavioural
change in which people searching for meaning are attracted by seeing the
love of God in practice. Three main styles of engagement: relational (female
bias: emphasis on building relationships); experiential (as befits individual
context: e.g. going to church; Bible study group); intellectual / rational: (male
bias: often self-motivated with minimal direct influence from others/church).
5. Belief, belonging, commitment: the point at which people are are confident
in their faith, want to belong (or more actively belong) to a Christian community;
feel confident in talking to others about their faith and have a relationship with
God that is sustainable beyond the context of the local church.
6. Transformation: The transformed person becomes an active follower of
Jesus Christ. There is a need to nurture and release people at this stage to
ensure their talents are discerned and used well in the local context and to
preempt any sense of disillusionment or other negative affect.
— For the full article please visit Bristol Diocese online using the link on the page opposite
ARE YOU CALLED TO BE A
LICENSED LAY MINISTER?
LICENSED LAY MINISTRY
(Reader Ministry) is nationally
recognised as a highly significant
ministry for the Church of England
today, and is a vital part of Bristol
Diocese’s strategy for ministry and
mission in the 21st century. It is for
this reason that we invest significant
time, effort and commitment to
developing this ministry, and encouraging
vocations to this specific call.
Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs) are
significant, valuable members of ministry
teams. Some are in full time work, some
retired, some in positions of leadership
within industry, some full-time parents
or carers. All are trained and equipped,
canonically authorised and episcopally
licensed, and freely give their ministry
as people knowing they are called by
God to this vocation.
Licensed Lay Ministry is exercised
in diverse ways — not necessarily
restricted to the congregational life
of the church community — and to
kingdom-wide service and connectedness,
in areas and relationships beyond
intentional Christian gathering. Some
of our LLMs have significant involvement
in mission and outreach, schools
work and witness, offering a ministry
of the word and pastoral responsibility
in opportunities for making connections
both within and outside of the
church beyond the traditional model
of preaching and teaching.
LLMs go through a structured training
programme of theological study (usually
Exploring Christianity) and a Formation
year, where areas of Leadership,
Pastoral Ministry and Preaching and
Leading worship are developed. The
local community is an important part
of the formative journey, and the support
of local learning groups during this
stage is key to individuals growing into
the ministers God is calling them to be.
COULD THIS BE YOUR STORY?
Am I Called to be a Licensed Lay Minister?
will be held on Monday 6 June 2019 at
7.00pm at the Diocesan Office, Hillside
House — come along to find out more.
Please book places using the link below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/am-icalled-to-be-a-licensed-lay-minister-registration-55269639981