The Diocese of Norwich

IME 4-7 Handbook
for Curates and Training Incumbents

2013 Cohort
Preliminary Edition

Contents

Introduction to your curacy 2

IME 4-7 dates (2013 cohort) 3

IME 4-7 assessment schedule 5

Ministry Portfolio: requirements for interim assessment 6

MinDiv Learning Outcomes for IME 8

Learning Outcomes: Audit and Planning Grid (sample pages) 17

Working Agreement and Annual Learning Plan 19

Annual Learning Plan – an illustration 30

Ministry Journal template – for a study / training event 35

Ministry Journal template – for an event in ministry 37

Supervision Record template 39

All resources will be available to download and use, from
www.dioceseofnorwich.org/churches/training/curate-training/

Information about your Curacy

Welcome to your curacy in the Diocese of Norwich. We are delighted that you are here, and we pray that these foundation years of ministry will be a time of fruitful learning and great blessing for you, for those close to you, and to those you minister with. There will be many, some completely unknown to you, for whom you will help ‘keep the rumour of God alive’.

Most clergy appointments in the Church of England are subject to the Common Tenure legislation which came into force in January 2011 (www.commontenure.org). As an Assistant Curate in a title post, you have 'qualified common tenure', as your curacy is a fixed-term post for training purposes under Regulation 29. This applies to both stipendiary and self-supporting (NSM and OLM) curates.

This means that:

·  your curacy is primarily for training and formation, in the context of parish ministry;

·  you cannot stay in this post indefinitely;

·  you must participate in training, reviews and assessments as required by the Diocese in order to fulfil the training expectations of IME 4-7 (the second stage of Initial Ministerial Education), and thus demonstrate that you have successfully completed your title post.

In addition to your Licence received at ordination, you should have received a Letter of Appointment from the Bishop and a Statement of Particulars. These documents outline the parameters of your appointment and any specific requirements on you for the period of the curacy. The Statement of Particulars also outlines the basic expectations which you may have of the Diocese and the Church of England while you serve in this post.

Your title post is for a maximum of 48 months from the date of ordination as deacon. Stipendiary and other deployable curates may not move to a full Common Tenure post until 36 months have been served AND they have satisfactorily completed the training requirements of IME 4-7. Locally deployable curates, who will remain in the same benefice, transfer to full Common Tenure at the end of the 48 months, having satisfactorily completed IME 4-7. In certain circumstances the bishop may allow an extension, particularly where there has been a substantial disruption to the curacy for example through illness or family upheaval.

My role is to co-ordinate the various partnerships that underlie your training and formation in IME47. I am available at all (sensible!) times to advise, help and support both training incumbents and curates in their work together.

David Foster
Bishop’s Officer for Ordinands and Initial Training
Diocesan House
109 Dereham Road
Easton NR9 5ES


01603 882337 / 07919 017075

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IME 4-7 dates: 2013 Cohort

a)  Reflective Practice Group

The cohort meets together for lunch, worship and shared theological reflection on the experience of diaconal ministry. To enable all categories of curates to participate together (Stipendiary, NSM, OLM, OPM), we meet 09.30 – 15.30 on Sundays – a regular working day for all of us - at Diocesan House:

·  20th October; 24th November; 19th January; 23rd March; 18th May

The Reflective Practice Group for IME 4 is led by the BOOIT. Please ensure, as far as possible, that you are not scheduled for any further ministry engagements on these dates.

b)  Training / Study Days

Stipendiary curates are expected to attend six training / study days during the year. At least three should be from the following list of IME 4-7 days, which are for all curate year groups. The remainder should be from the diocesan CMD provision listed in Clergy and Reader Learning, or the Cathedral learning programme. Course fees for these will be paid from the IME 4-7 budget. Please note that places may be limited on some diocesan / Cathedral courses.

Other ministry categories: NSM / OLM to attend at least four days, at least two from the following list; OPM to attend at least six days, at least two from the following list.

Days (or equivalent) from other training providers may be counted by agreement with the BOOIT, although there is no guarantee that these can be paid from the IME 4-7 budget.

All IME 4-7 days start at 09.45 for 10.00, and end not later than 16.00.

A structured reflection on the day’s learning, using the Ministry Journal template or equivalent, should be completed for each day attended and will form part of your Ministry Portfolio.

·  Tuesday 05 November
Churches and schools – developing effective partnerships
Led by the Diocesan Education Team and practitioners
Venue: Diocesan House, or as notified

·  Saturday 11 January
Pioneer practice for every curate
Led by Revd Heather Cracknell and others
Venue: Cringleford Primary School / Community Centre, NR4 7JR

·  Saturday 01 March
Made in heaven: ideas for marriage ministry
Led by Revd Chris Ellis and others
Venue: St Matthew's, Thorpe Hamlet, NR1 4JJ

·  Friday 09 May
Working with children and young people
Led by Diocesan Children, Youth and Families Team
Venue: Horstead Centre, NR12 7EP www.horsteadcentre.org.uk
NB: At the end of the training day families are welcome at the Centre for a range of activities suitable for various ages and a BBQ.

c)  Other dates

·  Diocesan Clergy Conference
09-12 September, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

·  Michaelmas Ordination Retreat
25-28 September, Belsey Bridge

·  Safeguarding Training
Tuesday 15 October 10.00-13.00, Diocesan House

·  Working Together (2): Curates and Incumbents
Thursday 14 November, 10.00-15.30, venue to be advised

·  Presiding at Holy Communion
An evening in May / early June with the Precentor, at the Cathedral

·  Petertide Ordination Retreat
02-05 July 2014, Belsey Bridge

·  Michaelmas Ordination Retreat
01-04 October 2014, Belsey Bridge

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IME 4-7 Assessment Schedule

Curates ordained in 2012 were the last with the option of starting validated courses with Anglia Ruskin University, delivered locally through Norwich Diocesan Ministry Course. As we await the arrival of Common Awards through the University of Durham, due for 2014, our arrangements for IME 4-7 remain in transition with differing arrangements for all three year groups.

The programme for diaconal, interim and final assessments and reviews will be as follows:

Cohort / Diaconal Review
Sponsoring Bishop
Incumbent reference / Interim Assessment
BOOIT / Final assessment and review
BOOIT /
Sponsoring Bishop
Incumbent reference
2011 Petertide / Complete / Complete / March-April 2014
2011 Michaelmas / Complete / January-February 2014 / July-August 2015
2012 Petertide / Complete / May-June 2014 / March-April 2015
2012 Michaelmas / Late Summer 2013 / January-February 2015 / July-August 2016
2013 Petertide / Late Spring 2014 / May-June 2015 / March-April 2016
2013 Michaelmas / Late Summer 2014 / January-February 2016 / July-August 2017

The process is designed to be complete within 34 months for stipendiary curates, to enable them to move to an incumbent-level post between 36 and 48 months after ordination. For OLM curates, the final assessment and review falls shortly before the end of the fourth year after ordination, when the curacy formally ends; although they may ask to follow the stipendiary timetable. Non-stipendiary curates may choose either timetable.

The assessment process is triggered by a letter from the BOOIT, inviting you (for the diaconal review) to submit a diaconal year review to your sponsoring bishop and arrange a date to meet him, or (for interim or final assessment) to choose a date to meet the BOOIT. All required work should be submitted to the BOOIT two weeks before the agreed date. In the case of a final assessment and review, your Sponsoring Bishop will be notified of the date and you will be contacted to arrange a final review meeting with him.

The Ministry Division Learning Outcomes for IME form the framework for assessment. Assessment is on the basis of references and reviews, a portfolio of work submitted by the curate, and interviews with the BOOIT and Sponsoring Bishop.

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Interim Curate Assessment

The interim assessment takes place during your second year, or no later than the third year for NSMs / OLMs (see assessment schedule).

The assessment is on the basis of a broad portfolio of work drawn from your curacy so far, linked to the Learning Outcomes for IME 4-7. It is expected that you should spend 15% of your ministry work on structured reflection, reading, training and writing, and allowance for this time must be made in your working agreement. The assessment will hopefully confirm that you are on track to complete the training requirements of your curacy within the specified period, and / or help to flag up any specific action needed.

For your interim assessment a portfolio should be submitted to the BOOIT, not later than two weeks before your appointment, with the following documents:

1.  The diaconal year review written for the end of your diaconal year.

2.  Your incumbent’s reference for the end of your diaconal year.

3.  A reference from a lay person within your congregation (eg church warden)

4.  The practical theology assignment submitted following your presentation to the cohort Reflective Practice Group, together with any mark or comment sheets which have been returned to you.

5.  Your supervision records since October 2013, showing evidence of shared endeavour, fruitful reflection on the experience of ministry and proactive forward planning of ministry experience and learning [NB see example template]

6.  Six entries from your Ministry Journal demonstrating structured theological reflection on a range of events and experiences in your ministry, highlighting in particular engagement with new areas of work beyond or at the boundaries of your previous experience. [NB see example template]

7.  The text of a sermon which you have preached within the last three months, together with an outline of the context and a rationale for the choices and decisions made in preparing the sermon. The sermon should preferably be the full text which you prepared, or a transcript. If your preaching style is to preach from notes or headings which would not fully convey the sermon, you may submit either n audio or video recording as well as your notes.

8.  The text of an address given at either a wedding or funeral in the last three months (six months for NSMs and OLMs). This should include both the element of personal tribute or particular remarks addressed to the couple, as well as the more Gospel oriented words (or both parts, if separated during the service). Again, an outline of context and a rationale should be included.

9.  An evangelistic or mission initiative in which you have been involved in the last six months. This should be described on no less than one and no more than two typed sides of A4, including the target group, methodology, aim and outcome. Any accompanying material should be included, especially to demonstrate your own involvement in planning and/or delivery.

10.  You should write up details of a pastoral encounter, describing the person met with, your perception of their needs, how this came about, your involvement, and any follow up. You should reflect on the visit in terms of any Gospel imperatives, the Church’s mission, your vocation as a priest and any particular challenges. Please note that this should be anonymised such that the identity of the person concerned is not divulged. The ideal length of the written piece is one to two sides of A4 (typed).

11.  An order of service which you have devised in the last three months. The service itself should be submitted but no further analysis is required, other than an explanation of context or congregation, if that is not immediately obvious.

12.  Structured reflection on your learning from at least six [NSM / OLMs: at least four] Study / Training Days, using the Ministry Journal template or equivalent.

13.  A cover sheet cross-referencing the Ministry Portfolio contents to the Learning Outcomes for IME 4-7.

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Min Div Learning Outcomes in full[1]

At selection, candidates should: / At the end IME,
all curates should: / In addition, future incumbents should: / Essential knowledge and understanding / Range /
Vocation
Be able to speak to their sense of vocation to ministry and mission, referring both to their own conviction and to the extent to which others have confirmed it. Their sense of vocation should be obedient, realistic and informed. / V1 Be able to give an account of their vocation to ministry and mission and their readiness to receive and exercise ordained ministry as a priest within the Church of God. cfQM1 / Demonstrate capacity to bear a public and representative role in ministry and mission, and a readiness to exercise oversight and leadership in their ordained ministry. / Firm in their personal sense of their calling of God to ordained ministry. / Works out vocation to ordained ministry in church, community and personal settings.
V2 Demonstrate proficiency in a broad range of skills and abilities needed to exercise public ministry and leadership of a local church, and the ability to do this in relatively unsupervised settings. Show developed skills as an effective reflective practitioner. cfF2, QM4 / Demonstrate proficiency in the skills needed to exercise leadership and supervision of others in a position of responsibility by being able toshow sophisticated skills as an effective reflective practitioner and the capacity to develop these further. / Principles of acting as a reflective practitioner, using of variety of disciplines eg theology, psychology. / Reflection in a range of disciplines eg theology, psychology, sociology: applying these skills in a variety of church and community settings
Ministry within the Church of England.