The Church of England logoFaithWorshipLife eventsAbout the Church
Information Where to find us
Media Centre Home

OLM - A Ministry in Flux

The meeting of the House of Bishops in January 2007 discussed the paper 'OLM - a ministry in flux'.  This was not a formal review of these issues, but an worthwhile occasion to take stock and identify issues for further work.  Four specific areas for discussion are set out below. 

1. Convergence over locally-grown, locally-deployed self-supporting ministry.  The House acknowledged and welcomed the variety of approaches that is being taken in this area.  It particularly values the contribution of OLM to rediscovering the corporate dimension of vocation, the Church's call to the minister and the embedding of that call in the local church. 

2. Training that draws on regional and local strengths.  This was endorsed in the discussion and is of course very much in line with work currently being done in developing RTPs. 

3.  Including the cost of OLM training through Vote 1?  In the light of the other substantial pressures on Vote 1 (rising numbers in colleges and courses, the additional cost of pensions to dioceses), this issue will have to remain a medium term one. 

4.  Some flexibility in deployment – normally within the deanery?  There was some backing for this from some bishops, without there being a full discussion.  The Ministry Division will do some more work on this with some practitioners and will then take it back to the House in due course.

Click here to read the OLM Survey presented at the House of Bishops meeting in January 2007.