Being Church and Circuit

This section gives some idea of some of the training opportunities around being Church. It is not exhaustive – do contact the District Office (admin@sheffieldmethodist.org) if you have a specific type of training request.

Safeguarding

Creating Safer Space (Connexional safeguarding training framework): There are two modules, Foundation (two and half hours), and the Advance Module (day).
Alison Hill
safeguarding@sheffieldmethodist.org

Foundation Module safeguarding training is mandatory for those people in roles identified in the following link, and is also Sheffield District Safeguarding policy. Any questions about attendance please contact your circuit safeguarding co-ordinator who will advise
Local circuit safeguarding officer

Advance Module safeguarding training is mandatory for those in the roles identified in the following link, and includes all ministers, local preachers & worship leaders, lay workers with children and vulnerable adults, District Policy Committee members and circuit safeguarding co-ordinators.
Val Higgins – District Admin
val@sheffieldmethodist.org

Recruiting and Appointing Lay Workers

Consultancy on recruitment and appointment requirements and best practice
District Lay Employment Advisor
employment@sheffieldmethodist.org

Lay employees orientation

Methodist structures, doctrines and history; lay employment; performance management, pastoral care, spiritual development and vocation.
Learning Network
Rachel McCallam
mccallamr@methodistchurch.org.uk

Lay Leadership Skills

Communication skills, team building, leadership skills, managing volunteers, managing meetings
Learning Network -Rachel McCallam
mccallamr@methodistchurch.org.uk

Line management of lay employees

Roles, responsibilities, definitions of line management/supervision, induction and probationary periods and performance management.

Line Management Network support group

Learning Network -Rachel McCallam
mccallamr@methodistchurch.org.uk

District Lay Employment Advisor

employment@sheffieldmethodist.org

Resources for Church Stewards

Includes a downloadable pdf guide; from the Methodist Church website

https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/office-holders/church-stewards/resources-for-church-stewards/

Circuit Steward training

A new 4 session modular course which can be run alongside Church Steward training
An interactive course in which there is much to be learnt from fellow participants.
Rachel McCallam
mccallamr@methodistchurch.org.uk
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/office-holders/circuit-stewards/induction-pack-for-circuit-stewards/

Church and circuit reviews

Tools for reflection on where churches 'are at' and planning for the future development.
The Evangelism and Growth section of the Methodist Church Website has a variety of tools to help with this, including: Our Church's Future Story which is particularly helpful for conducting a church or circuit review and for encouraging church members to dream together. It comes in the form of a set of cards for use by a facilitator – perhaps a presbyter, local leader or outside mentor. Hard copies of Our Church's Future Story are available for free from Methodist Publishing.

Learning Network

Rachel McCallam
mccallamr@methodistchurch.org.uk

Mission Planning Toolkit site:

https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/leading-churches-into-growth/write-a-great-mission-plan/mission-planning-toolkit/

Our Church's Future Story pdf link
https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/11810/our-churchs-future-story.pdf

Chaplaincy Everywhere

A course for those wanting to explore the diverse nature of chaplaincy, reaching out to different communities, with practical examples as well as biblical reflection.

Free to download at:
www.methodist.org.uk/chaplaincyeverywhere

Being an Inclusive Church

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Toolkit is designed to support the discipleship and mission of the Methodist Church and enrich the life of the Church. The toolkit seeks to equip Methodists to go beyond legal compliance, being based on the principle that all humankind is made in God's image, and therefore worthy of dignity and respect.
Available from the Methodist Church website:
EDI Toolkit
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/guidance-for-churches/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/edi-toolkit/

Being a welcoming Church

First Impressions Count is a freely downloadable workshop designed to help churches reflect on the welcome that a visitor experiences when they first walk into a church. Designed for a 2 ½ hour training session, the workshop is divided into three sessions: creating a welcoming building, being a welcoming people, and welcoming through inclusion. First
Available from the Methodist Church website:
First Impressions Count
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/guidance-for-churches/welcome-and-invitation/first-impressions-count/

Membership training

Compass is a short course that introduces the Christian faith to those who wish to explore its meaning. Like any compass it relates to a particular map and the one intended is Christian discipleship in the Methodist Church.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/exploring-personal-discipleship/theological-depth/compass/

Leadership training

This transformational leadership pathway introduces six core practices that are essential to seeing transformation in local Methodist churches. They are presented in a numbered list here for the sake of simplicity, but in reality, the practices overlap and merge, with some requiring continual practice.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/our-work-in-britain/evangelism-growth/leading-churches-into-growth/nashe-methodistchurchorguk/

Pastoral Care and Visiting

Encircled in Care – a training resource for pastoral visitors

Dying to serve? A Pastoral Care workbook – Some thoughts about the costs of pastoral ministry -
& some ideas for staying rooted in God

Out of print – a copy can be requested from the District Office
admin@sheffieldmethodist.org

Request copies from District Office

Positive Working Together

The Growing Through Change and Conflict programme aims to offer support and training to leaders in churches as they try to recognise and respond to conflict.
Bullying and Harassment -This one day programme promotes good working relationships and ways to manage bullying within the life of our churches and faith communities.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/guidance-for-churches/positive-working-together/training-in-positive-working-together/

Mission-shaped Ministry Course online

mission shaped ministry is a one-year, part-time course which takes people on a learning journey as part of a supportive community, training them for ministry in fresh expressions of church. The msm online course is hosted by Simon Goddard. The teaching team is ecumenical in nature, drawing upon the expertise of leaders within the fx movement.
https://fxresourcing.org/msm/

https://fxresourcing.org/msm/msmonline/