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What
is Ordained Local Ministry?
OLM is a
pattern of ordained ministry that emphasises the importance
of the LOCAL situation.
Those
selected for this route to the deaconate and the priesthood
will be trained on Southwark's OLM Training Scheme.
But
…..why local?
OLM is LOCAL
because women and men are selected and trained to serve in
the situation they know best - their own parish, team or
group.
OLM is LOCAL
because congregations play a significant part in the
discernment, selection and training of these ordinands …
The
church is selected as much as the candidate. As the
congregation and the candidate are in this together there
must be a pattern of collaborative ministry: that is, a
ministry that encourages all God's people to recognise
that they are called to minister and that ordination is
only part of this ministry.
OLM is LOCAL
because the official Selection Conference is administered
and held locally …..
The
process of selection is set up within the diocese and all
OLM candidates attend the same Selection Conference,
specially designed for them.
OLM is LOCAL
because the training is local …
Throughout
the training, which lasts just over three years,
candidates will be supported by and share some of their
training with the parish "Ministry Team". They
will also have the support of a Pastoral Tutor.
The
Weekly Meetings take place at the Scheme's own base in the
London Bridge area with residential week-ends (four each
year) at the Diocesan Retreat House near Redhill, Surrey.
The
Scheme has its own staff and local management answerable
to the Bishop of Southwark and welcomes people from all
Christian traditions. We particularly welcome applications
from minority ethnic people, as they are currently
under-represented in ordination training.
OLM is LOCAL
because it aims to include every locality within the Diocese
…
The
approach of the training is experiential: that is, it aims
to draw on the candidate's own experience of faith and
life; affirm it, build upon it, add to it while all the
same time applying it to their local situation. With this
approach the route to ordination is open to people whose
formal education might appear limited.
'Faith in the
City' argued for the Ordained Local Ministry as a:
"symbol
of the official church's support for and promotion of
local, outward-looking and participating churches.
Recognising the leadership and gifts of some local people
by ordination is an important sign of the church's
commitment to promoting a truly LOCAL church"
OLM is not a
replacement for traditional ordained ministry but can
successfully augment it. The New Testament speaks of
varieties of ministry including that which is locally based.
OLM offers
another way to complement the traditional pattern of
full-time, 'college' or 'course' trained, stipendiary
clergy.
If this route
to ordination to LOCAL ministry might fit your situation,
please contact
The Diocesan
Training Administrator
Ministry & Training Offices
Trinity House
4 Chapel Court
Borough High Street
London SE1 1HW
tel: 020-7939 9475
e-mail: sue.maree@southwark.anglican.org
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