2010
Andrew James Sheldon
As It Was In The Beginning: Post-Ordination Formation In Ministry For The Missional Church
In the transition into a first congregation the newly ordained clergyperson is already beset with a variety of challenges having to do with a change in community, identity, and in many cases, location. Having arrived they will then discover that they are not as well prepared for the task as they would have thought. As such, it is vital that church judicatories sponsor post-ordination training programmes that regularly bring new clergy together for formation in ordained ministry. The learning should be grounded in professional activity, address the core competencies necessary to ordained ministry, be sensitive to the emerging learning needs of the participants, be facilitated by skilled peers, and encourage a practice of life-long learning. When applicable, attention should also be given to the training of competent supervisors. The ultimate purpose, of course, is that appropriately equipped clergy will be in a better position to promote and serve God’s mission in the world.