The Bishop of Southwark has appointed The Revd Jeremy Clark-King as Director for Clergy Formation and Initial Ministerial Education (IME) in the Diocese of Southwark together with a Residential Canonry at Southwark Cathedral. He is currently Lead for IME 2 – the training of curates – in the Diocese.
This new role brings together Vocations, and the training of curates, with the Director of Ordinands role, which Jeremy will also cover, succeeding the Revd Canon Leanne Roberts. Jeremy said, “There are points in the journey from the initial sense of vocation to three to four years of a curacy and finally to the first appointment that are very critical. Bishop Christopher has been wanting for some time to bring these important stages of the journey together in one team and department.”
Working alongside the Revd Canon Wendy Robins and her team in Discipleship and Lay Ministry, the initial work of Vocations is to help people discern what God is calling them to in living out their ministry as baptised Christians. Those who are called and selected to be Lay Ministers will have their training arranged, and will be supported, by Wendy and her team. Those who are called to Ordination will be supported by Jeremy and his team through their selection process, initial training at a college or course, ordination, and their training in a parish as an assistant.
He continued, “This means that we will be working with people from their initial vocation awareness through to being fully trained parish clergy. We will know them better because we will have been working with them for seven to eight years on their journey.”
The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, welcomes the appointment, “Jeremy Clark-King brings many years of experience of working with ordinands and clergy from their initial calling to missional leadership as parish priests. He has a passion for teaching, learning, formation and development. I am delighted that he will be taking on this exciting new role,” he said.
Jeremy will lead a team of four, the Assistant Director of Ordinands and Assistant Director of Vocations, the Revd Raymond Baudon, working with the Team Administrator, Sue Stewart and the next IME2 Coordinator. “Although we are a team of four, it’s actually a much bigger team,” he explained. “The task is only possible in collaboration with the wider team of Vocations Advisors, Area Directors of Ordinands, Examining Chaplains, Area Directors of IME, and all the training incumbents of which there are currently over seventy,” he continued.
The Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Martin, said, “We have stated our strategic priority to increase curates and enhance our pipeline of ordained frontline parish ministry, seeking leadership that will reflect the diversity of local communities which our parishes serve. Jeremy’s appointment to lead the restructured team – with his extensive experience in different contexts- is an important step towards achieving this.”
Jeremy has over 30 years of ordained leadership in the Anglican Communion in diverse types of ministry in six dioceses and three countries. “This has given me a deep understanding and appreciation of the riches we have and the challenges we face. I am skilled at working with individuals, congregations and organisations to enable them to see their strengths and development needs,” he said.
Jeremy will also take on the role of Canon Treasurer at Southwark Cathedral and Bishop Christopher will license him on 11 September. “This means I will take a full part in the life of the Cathedral community as Residentiary Canon and I look forward to that greatly” he said.
The Dean of Southwark, The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, said, “I am delighted that Jeremy has been appointed to this new post and as Canon Treasurer at the Cathedral. He will bring his skills and experience to our ministry and the work of the Chapter.”
