Christian ministers are first and foremost Christian disciples. Ministry therefore embraces all aspects of Christian living, including prayerful theological reflection on the practice of ministry.
Explore this section for details and downloads about how new ministers and their training incumbents are supported.
Key contacts for IME (Initial Ministerial Education):
IME Officer: Vacant
DDO: Sue Willetts - sue.willetts@leicestercofe.org
SSM Officer: Vacant
Administration: Claire Stapleton - claire.stapleton@leicestercofe.org
Year Group Conveners:
Year 1: Gareth Hutchinson - gareth.hutch@yahoo.co.uk
Year 2: Jenny Ridge - revjenny@holyapostles.co.uk
Year 3: Rowena Bass - rowenabass11@gmail.com
Ministry for today’s world
Alongside inherited Anglican expressions of ordained ministry and spirituality, new ways of embodying the Church’s life and mission are emerging.
IME Phase 2 (formerly 4-7) takes these changes into account. The previous life experience of a newly-ordained minister is highly valued, but there will also be focus on a minister’s ongoing growth in personal maturity, discipleship and the development of skills appropriate to ordained ministry in the Church of England in the current context.
Objectives of Continuing Ministerial Formation
- To provide training incumbents and curates with the resources of a structure enabling the training experience for both parties to be a creative, rewarding and fruitful experience.
- To provide a clear outline and structure to curates and their training incumbents of the areas and topics to be covered.
- To acknowledge prior learning and experience.
- To see training as a partnership between the diocese and the local congregation and to give real responsibility to the latter, and affirm the central role of the training incumbent in particular.
- To offer a process of assessment based on the continuing conversation with partners rather than a hierarchical judgement, and to ensure that pastoral support and encouragement is available to all partners in this process.
- To recognise and value the role of lay people, both within the church and beyond, in assessing the development of newly-ordained ministers, thereby acknowledging the nature of the life and mission of the Church, both as people of God and as engaging in its mission in God’s world.
- To promote a model of collaboration in training which can be developed and adapted in other areas of life and ministry.
Information for Curates and Training Incumbents is contained in the IME Phase 2 Handbook 2022 - 2023 and additional forms and resources are available at Resources for Curacy.
If you are interested in becoming a training parish and Training Incumbent there is further information on the page Becoming a Training Incumbent.