Learning to be a pioneer
If you are looking for training in church planting or Fresh Expressions, try SEITE College’s ‘Pioneer Ministry’ training for something ‘distinctive’, in both ethos and approach.
New ways of doing Church are becoming stronger and growing in capacity, but choosing ministry in this field still presents challenges. It has often been the case, that unless you are in Winchester or Sheffield, two dioceses that embrace a missional ethos, people with a pioneer calling have been dissuaded from the path. Three issues include the fear of being labeled, underfunding for Pioneer training and lack of posts.
According to students facing the discernment process, ‘this is a traditional parish so be a parish priest’, is often the message heard. But if the lack of diversity for training is putting you off, being a pioneer doesn’t always lie in the training, says Jules Middleton, who is undertaking a three-year diploma at SEITE in ‘Theology, Ministry and Mission.’
Although she hasn’t taken the pioneer track at SEITE, Jules says there have been opportunities to bring this approach into her work through assignments and ministerial tasks, which her tutors have been very supportive of.
Jules says the discernment process for pioneer ministry is tough, and potential pioneer ministers need to prove their ‘pioneering-ness’ over and above the usual selection.
Choosing to go down a different training road hasn’t made any difference, says Jules, as the plethora of diverse assignments offered by SEITE have allowed her to be as pioneering as she likes.
“One Vicar friend of mine doesn’t like the title ‘pioneering’ as he thinks all Vicars should be pioneering - I totally agree but sadly they aren’t!”
However, she said that adding pioneering to the everyday while you’re in traditional ministry or training may allow for taking up a ‘Pioneering’ incumbency, if that’s the route you choose to take, though many people end up doing non-pioneering (in title) work, but still use their pioneering skills.
“I saw last week a chap licensed in a pub! Brilliant! This is exactly what we need. If people don’t come to church, lets go to where they are. I used to be a big fan of the parish model but more and more I think we need to look outside of this.
“We need to reach out to them, where they are at. To reach them in new ways, to bring the gospel to them in a way they can relate to. Some of course may attend a traditional service and meet God there, but many won’t, and at the moment I’m not sure the church has really grasped this.” She said.
Dr Beth Cope, who is currently training to be an ordained Pioneer Minister at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, says her training emphasises an ability to minister in creative and non-standard ways and develop innovative approaches to problem-solving and thinking.
Alongside her training, Beth has been part of a small team initiating a potential Fresh Expression of Church in the new housing where she lives. This has seen the team spending time in their local community offering hospitality while listening to people’s stories on deckchairs at parks and community events.
“Out of this has grown a group committed to ‘exploring community and where life-stories interweave with the stories of Jesus.’ Unlike conventional ‘outreach projects’, however, focus is on ‘going out and staying out’,” she said.
If you are interested in InterFaith, or Global Christianity, The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, offers a wide range of courses. Cathy Mark, an MA Ordinand, spoke to us about benefiting from the Black Theology Programme at Queen’s.
Cathy has been able to benefit from the Black Theology Seminars, which she says help to develop a wider picture of how other theologies and global perspectives are understood.
She said her training has covered a wide spectrum from traditional theology, the Islamic faith, Judaism and to interfaith dialogue, which she says is useful as more parishes are engaged in multifaith conversations.
“I have a keen interest in interfaith dialogue and working with diverse communities, whether that’s ethnic or socio economic and it’s helpful being able to think about things through black and liberal theological perspectives because people come from a wide range of the church, not just the Church of England.”
The College offers a placement module, which Cathy undertook at Aston and Neechels, which she said offered her a different Church context and represented a broad base of theological diversity. This allowed her to think about how to engage with particular doctrinal differences.
Cathy is keen to be a part of a broader understanding and a broader representation of church and she believes there are opportunities. Despite ethnic underrepresentation within the Church of England Cathy believes ‘things are happening’ for those from diverse backgrounds.
“Some parishes have a big number in their congregations who are from ethnic minorities and there’s a disparity if you have a white leadership team. I’m hoping to be able to contribute in some way but not sure how at the moment.”