Vision for Ordained Ministry

Each Course which trains candidates for ordained ministry is required by the Church of England and the Methodist Church to set out its vision for ordained ministry in the Church today. We set out below a summary of the NOC vision.

Mission: The Church needs an ordained ministry which is able to identify, name and proclaim the activity of God.
Working Together: An ordained ministry which recognises and is able to work with the ministry of the whole people of God.
Representative: An ordained ministry which is able to focus, represent and interpret the ministry of the whole people of God.
Service, Word and Sacrament: An ordained ministry which has the service of humanity, the proclamation of the Word and the celebration of the Sacraments as its three primary duties.
Stillness: An ordained ministry whose activities are based on an inner stillness and surrender to God.
Prophetic: An ordained ministry which is critically committed, and which is able to speak with courage on behalf of God.
Diversity and Integrity: An ordained ministry which can work with ease and integrity in churches which have a variety of beliefs and practices.
Gender, Race and Class: An ordained ministry which is fully representative of the whole of humankind.
Change: An ordained ministry which is able effectively to manage change.
Theology: An ordained ministry which is able to reflect theologically on the whole of human experience.