Local Ministry

The Theological Foundation for Local Ministry

In the past, many people saw ministry as the responsibility of the clergy – with church members at best simply ‘helping the vicar’ rather than seeing their involvement as ‘ministry’. Today, it is commonly recognised that all Christians – ordained and lay - share in ministry as a members of the Body of Christ through their baptism. Through baptism all are co-workers for the kingdom of God and the tasks of ministry are distributed throughout the entire Church. The specific gifts that people have and therefore the functions that different people exercise will vary and need to be discerned, but the principle of shared ministry in a local church is now well-established.

Varieties of Form in Local Ministry

Local Ministry takes many forms. Many parishes will have some sort of ‘ministry leadership team’ which may well include not just the clergy and licensed ministers (e.g. Readers) and /or paid church workers (e.g. Youth workers), but also other lay leaders from the church. The team meets regularly and will discuss, plan and oversee aspects of the ministry and mission of the church in the community. Its role is distinctly different from that of the PCC Standing Committee which is often more focused on the legal and statutory requirements of the PCC, the finances and building concerns and setting the agenda for PCC meetings. Nevertheless a ministry leadership team will always be accountable to the PCC.

Other churches will be familiar with teams within their congregation – the worship team, the pastoral visiting team, the ‘welcomers’ or sidespersons’ team, the ‘children’s workers’ team, the flower arrangers team and so on. These teams may be no more than a rota of people co-ordinated by a ‘leader’ – and may not even see their function as a ‘ministry’. But they may have a much stronger sense of being a team – perhaps meeting regularly to plan and discuss their particular ministry in the church.

There will of course be many other ministries exercised informally and by individuals in every parish. Some parish churches may also work in partnership with other denominations in their local context. Others will work as groups of parishes. Some ministries may not be recognised or seen as ‘ministry’ either by the ‘do-ers’ or by the wider church and community – for example churchyard mowers or church cleaners or magazine distributors may feel the term is too ‘grand’. But recognised or not, these manifestations of local ministry are the salt or the yeast of which Jesus spoke – small but significant signs of the presence and growth of God’s reign in every place.

The Diocesan Local Ministry Scheme

To reflect and to encourage the development of Local Ministry, the Diocesan Local Ministry Scheme was given the support of Diocesan Synod in October 1998 and was revised in 2005. It owed its origins, in part, to some of the Diocesan Goals for 1997 - 2002:

• developing parishes to be more outward looking
• encouraging the sharing of good practice
• increasing growth and understanding and knowledge about the Christian faith and life
• developing Local Ministry Teams

The Scheme offers a variety of opportunities for parishes, Team and Group Ministries, 'clusters' of parishes, deaneries and ecumenical 'groups' to explore ways of working together within their local communities and churches. At the same time it provides resources, support and oversight of training.

Local Ministry Teams (LMTs)

In particular, the formal Local Ministry Scheme provides a framework for establishing a mandated Local Ministry Team (LMT). This is a more formal Team which the experience of the past few years has proved to be thoroughly beneficial in some parishes and multi-parish benefices. It always includes the clergy and any other licensed ministers, but also draws in other lay members. Not every parish will feel this is the right option for them, but for some an LMT will provide a public sign of the nature of ministry as being shared by both lay and ordained people. Those who are members of the LMT know that they have been called by God, approved by the parish or benefice and mandated by the bishop to exercise ministry. It can be this that gives confidence both to the members themselves and to those to and amongst whom they may minister. Exactly what ministry is exercised varies – for some LMTs it is the oversight role of a Ministry Leadership Team as described above. For others there is a clearer focus on pastoral ministry – together the LMT co-ordinates and develops this, often carrying it out as well as drawing others in. Thus it sustains and widens ministry rather than making ministry exclusive to the LMT. Other LMTs also share in planning the calendar of special events – whether that be services (such as festivals or e.g pet service or civic service) or community outreach occasions and projects such as church fete or church café – and thus have a clear mission role too. While the LMTs’ roles differ, it is however important to note that a formally mandated LMT continues throughout and beyond a vacancy, thus providing clear continuity.

There are currently ten formally mandated Local Ministry Teams in the Diocese.

For more information on the following topics please click on Local Ministry Teams on the navigation bar on the left:

• How to become a mandated LMT
• LMT consultants
• Support for LMTs

Resources

The following support material is downloadable:

Growing Together introductory booklet Sept 11.pdf 266.59 kB