Local Ministry
Gloucester Local MinistryIn 1994 the Diocese established Local Ministry in order to support those parishes exploring what it means for local congregations and their clergy to minister in partnership. Approximately half the parishes in Gloucester diocese are taking advantage of the support to help them as they try to develop shared ministry.
The essence of Local Ministry in Gloucester Diocese is the explicit recognition of the ministry of the whole people of God. Local Ministry is rooted and expressed in specific parish/benefice-based localities. There a team of lay and ordained work together to encourage and enable the sharing of the ministry of the local church.
It is important to emphasise that the Local Ministry team is intended to be a 'ministry catalyst' and is not there to do the ministry and mission on behalf of the local church.
The resources provided in Gloucester are recognised as being to nationally acceptable standards. Local Ministry teams receive the Bishop's mandate in a formal service of accreditation and authorisation.
Gloucester's Local Ministry Scheme is founded on the beliefs that:
1. God calls every person, through their baptism, to discipleship and ministry.
2. God equips each local church with the gifts that are needed for it to be the church in that place.
3. God's mission is shared in partnership with the local church, with clergy and congregation alike.
Who Creates A Local Ministry Team?
Local Ministry parishes are all very different from one another, so not surprisingly shared ministry looks very different in different places. Teams may be focused on multi-parish benefices or on single town units. In the diocese they span all traditions, sizes of churches, geographical locations. Some are ecumenical. Most teams have between 8 and 12 members, including clergy. Some are smaller, a few are larger.
Local parish churches gather together diverse people of various ages and at different stages of their faith journeys. Seeking to become a "ministering community" is a complex task that requires patience and persistence - a long-term change of culture rather than a "quick-fix" project or two!
The idea behind Local Ministry teams is that the people of the parish "call out" from amongst themselves to help them make the change. What all Local Ministry parishes have in common is clergy and congregation taking up the challenge together of working at being co-partners with God's activity in their local place. Learning together to have the confidence to allow God's Spirit to work freely.
"the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step..."
Chairman Mao
What Do Local Ministry Teams Do?
Some teams will need to co-ordinate a lot of different initiatives that are already under way. Others will be more-or-less the first people in their parish to discover what it is like to grow in a shared responsibility for ministry and learn how to do that practically before they begin to take others with them.
All teams have the same underlying job to do though: to learn how lay and ordained people can work together at sharing responsibility for ministry, and encouraging others to do that too. That way a team both acts as a model of and a catalyst to shared ministry.
"If you wish to travel fast, walk alone. If you wish to travel far, walk with others."
Chinese proverb
Is Local Ministry A Modern Idea?
It's as old as the church! The early Christian churches that were visited and nurtured by St Paul may well have looked like "ministering communities".
There is no static model of being church reflected in Scripture. The church had many different shapes - but what is common is that it consisted of a gathering of local believers who held a shared belief, who looked out for one another, who cared about their local community and who were concerned for fellow believers in far-flung places. In other words, a group of believers concerned together with both mission and ministry!
God gives special ministers "to equip his people for their work of ministry" Ephesians 4.11-12
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