Patterns of Ordained Ministry
All the churches with which we work have a variety of patterns
of ordained ministry. In the
Church of England
there are three basic types — stipendiary, non-stipendiary
and ordained local ministry — within which deacons and
priests serve.
The NOC trains people for the stipendiary
ministry which, within it, has a huge variety of
different forms of ministry such as parish ministry, chaplaincy
and various specialist ministries.
An Ordained Local Minister is trained through
his or her local parish with the specific brief to work within
the local setting after ordination. To begin training for this
ministry the candidate must be specifically nominated by their
local parish. The NOC works collaboratively with diocesan schemes where this type of
ministry is practised.
Non-stipendiary ministry is a form of ministry
which is not limited to the local church. Normally when people
train for non-stipendiary ministry they do not return to their
local church but are expected to begin their ordained ministry
elsewhere. There are two basic forms of this ministry. The first
is as an assistant minister with a congregation, the second is a
form of ministry sometimes called Ministers in Secular
Employment (MSE) and is for those who wish to exercise their
ordained ministry in their secular place of work or elsewhere
in a specifically secular context.
The Methodist Church
recognises two orders of ministry — Presbyter and Deacon.
The NOC is involved in training candidates for both of these
orders of ministry. Within the presbyteral ministry there are two
forms — Itinerant and Minister
in Local Appointment. An Itinerant minister has a stipend
and is expected to go wherever the church needs him or her once
they are trained, whereas the MLA exercises the presbyteral
ministry specifically in their own local circuit. The training for
both of these forms of ministry is to the same standard.
Methodist candidates for ordination training must already
be Local Preachers and engaged in or have
recently completed Foundation Training. The
NOC works with other institutions in the provision of
Foundation Training which incorporates practical placement,
academic study and a programme of vocational discernment.
None of these ministries is
part-time: ministry touches the whole of your life.