The Diocese of Southwark is blessed to have, at time of writing, 76 curates ministering with us. Right across our diocese, in parishes of all shapes, sizes and styles we have amazing people offering astounding gifts. They are, on the one hand, continuing their training as part of phase 2 of Initial Ministerial Education (IME 2). The training began at their theological course and continues over the three years after their ordination as a Deacon. On the other hand, they are authorised ministers of Word and Sacraments and bring their varied gifts, skills, and life-experience to the day-to-day life and work going on in our parishes. It is in the everyday realities of parish ministry that our Curates will meet and serve Christ in the hopes, hurts and needs of God’s people. They will share in the services, preach, lead groups, visit, teach and just be with people. Everything they do will be help them develop practical wisdom of what it means to thrive as a minister of the Good News today.
My role, as Lead for IME 2, is to help and assist all that to happen. The Vocations department have the huge task of making the initial placements for the Curates with suitable Training Incumbents (TI) and parishes. I have a hand in training the Training Incumbents to create happy, healthy, and fruitful curacies. To support and enrich the learning that goes on in the parish, which is the primary location for training, we have a three-year program that provided space for the Curates to reflect on what they are experiencing in the parish and how it compares to what they learned in college.
I have been in post for one year and one week. The first six months were in lockdown it was a bit of a surprise at Easter meeting some of the curates for the first time in real life. My wife, Ellen, is the Dean of King’s College London and we moved back to the UK last year after spending 16 years away – 12 in Vancouver, Canada, and 4 in San Francisco. Part of what I bring to this role is my 31 years experience in a wide range of different ministry settings over several diocese in three provinces. I have also worked as an Organisation development consultant with congregations.
In the Diocese we have a small team of people who help guide the curates. Each Area has an Area Director of IME who meet regularly with the Curates and TIs; we all work together to offer support and, where necessary, trouble-shoot.
It is a wonderful gift to be with our Curates as they gather online or onsite here at Trinity House each month (as well as visiting them in their parishes). They bring new insights, new wisdom and learning. They bring fascinating and rich life-stories and backgrounds. They inspire in me renewed hope for our Church, not for what they will bring in the future, but for all the ways in which they are living out the Gospel today.
Learn more about Curates, and the IME Phase 2 Programme, on the Curates page of our website.
