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Dressing the Easter cross at Dobwalls United Church
Easter flower arrangement display for all the village to see at the local shop in Dobwalls
These letters were published by the Methodist Recorder.
They are reproduced here by permission, and as an encouragement to our Circuit and others who may be already working as a Team, or thinking of doing so.
Team Ministry approach empowers and energizes.
I read with interest David Lumley’s letter (Recorder February 19) The Liskeard and Looe Circuit has for some years now practiced a team ministry approach to respond to the now, as it seems to us, chronic shortage of Ministers. The team philosophy has empowered and energized lay people to support their ordained colleagues, with all members of the team involved in the appropriate apportioning of the work.
This enables the ordained Minister to pursue his or her own calling in ministry to the benefit of the whole circuit, playing to the individual minister’s strengths, in the confidence that other roles are covered by the members of the team.
The team approach has the added advantage of providing pastoral support and care of the ordained ministry at a time when the calling may be perceived as a task which has much in common with making bricks without straw. This democratic approach, under the leadership of the superintendent minister provides for accountability in a sensitive, structured and non- threatening way.
I commend this method to the Connexion, recognizing that each circuit would necessarily result in a slightly different form to best meet its own particular challenges and opportunities.
It is working for us and is a way forward for both circuits and ministers to consider, for those who have the courage to change and find within themselves a fresh expression of what it means to be a circuit, or a minister, in these challenging times.
Iris Bray, Circuit Steward, Liskeard and Looe Circuit.
They are reproduced here by permission, and as an encouragement to our Circuit and others who may be already working as a Team, or thinking of doing so.
Team Ministry approach empowers and energizes.
I read with interest David Lumley’s letter (Recorder February 19) The Liskeard and Looe Circuit has for some years now practiced a team ministry approach to respond to the now, as it seems to us, chronic shortage of Ministers. The team philosophy has empowered and energized lay people to support their ordained colleagues, with all members of the team involved in the appropriate apportioning of the work.
This enables the ordained Minister to pursue his or her own calling in ministry to the benefit of the whole circuit, playing to the individual minister’s strengths, in the confidence that other roles are covered by the members of the team.
The team approach has the added advantage of providing pastoral support and care of the ordained ministry at a time when the calling may be perceived as a task which has much in common with making bricks without straw. This democratic approach, under the leadership of the superintendent minister provides for accountability in a sensitive, structured and non- threatening way.
I commend this method to the Connexion, recognizing that each circuit would necessarily result in a slightly different form to best meet its own particular challenges and opportunities.
It is working for us and is a way forward for both circuits and ministers to consider, for those who have the courage to change and find within themselves a fresh expression of what it means to be a circuit, or a minister, in these challenging times.
Iris Bray, Circuit Steward, Liskeard and Looe Circuit.
Reply
Three cheers for Liskeard and Team Ministry
Three cheers for Iris Bray and the Liskeard and Looe Circuit. (Recorder March 12) Her commendation of team ministry represents one of the most hopeful and positive letters in your column this year.
More than 30 years ago, the best advice I ever received from the Rev Dr John Vincent was the suggestion that if you wanted to make a difference to the Church’s mission you either had to be a particularly gifted individual or you had to get into team ministry. So for the last 29 years I have served in formal teams in Barnsley, Salford and Bradford - very different from east Cornwall.
Mrs Bray’s 150 word testimony should be offered as a challenge to all ministers in training! Peppering our policy statements with the word “collaborative” is no substitute for full blooded teams.
I long for more ministers to discover that greater mutual accountability within teams of lay and ordained people is liberating for ministry and healing for the communities we serve.
It also cuts through what I judge to be the biggest problem of ordained ministry - a mismatch of expectations between minister and congregations. Alas there are those who think that accountability is simply a matter between them and God. I suggest that they misunderstand our Methodist tradition and in many respects they deny themselves the riches that God has to offer them. Perhaps the Church should offer them pilgrimages to Liskeard and Looe!
Rev Geoff Reid, Bradford
Three cheers for Liskeard and Team Ministry
Three cheers for Iris Bray and the Liskeard and Looe Circuit. (Recorder March 12) Her commendation of team ministry represents one of the most hopeful and positive letters in your column this year.
More than 30 years ago, the best advice I ever received from the Rev Dr John Vincent was the suggestion that if you wanted to make a difference to the Church’s mission you either had to be a particularly gifted individual or you had to get into team ministry. So for the last 29 years I have served in formal teams in Barnsley, Salford and Bradford - very different from east Cornwall.
Mrs Bray’s 150 word testimony should be offered as a challenge to all ministers in training! Peppering our policy statements with the word “collaborative” is no substitute for full blooded teams.
I long for more ministers to discover that greater mutual accountability within teams of lay and ordained people is liberating for ministry and healing for the communities we serve.
It also cuts through what I judge to be the biggest problem of ordained ministry - a mismatch of expectations between minister and congregations. Alas there are those who think that accountability is simply a matter between them and God. I suggest that they misunderstand our Methodist tradition and in many respects they deny themselves the riches that God has to offer them. Perhaps the Church should offer them pilgrimages to Liskeard and Looe!
Rev Geoff Reid, Bradford
