Ministry
consultants might work with people:
• who want to reflect on their ministry at any stage
• who are new in post
• whose ministry is undergoing transition
• who want to work at the management of their roles and
tasks
• who face challenging situations
• who are working to build up a ministry team
• where teams are in transition (particularly as they
include new members)
Crucially,
ministry consultancy is:
• about developing your ministry
• catalytic – providing space for creativity
• encouraging and affirming about your role and ministry
• challenging in order to help you think issues through
It
is not, therefore:
• a management or disciplinary process
• primarily therapeutic
• hands-on engagement by the consultant
Key Aspects of the Scheme
•
Ministry consultancy is complementary to other aspects of the
support and encouragement provided by the diocese (e.g. the
ministry of Bishops, Archdeacons and Rural Deans, professional
development groups, episcopal review, spiritual accompaniment,
etc). Consultancy is, however, completely separate from these
other systems – no information will be passed on to others
by the consultant.
•
Ministry consultants offer a critical friendship: working with
the minister to provide support, but also to offer apposite
questions and suggestions about the person’s ministry.
The aim is to offer focused active listening which creates a
safe environment in which a minister can consider the direction
of their ministry.
•
The scheme is based on consent: the request for a ministry consultant
comes from the person with whom they will work (although perhaps
at the suggestion of others). There will need to be mutual agreement
between ministry consultant and minister that they can work
together, which is established early in the process and can
be ended at any time.
•
Ministry consultancy is confidential: what is discussed between
minister and consultant will not be shared with anyone else
(except in the rare instance of someone being at risk of harm).
