Day 4
First Ever Pioneer Ministry Report Outlines Action Packed Year
The first ever report of the newly formed Pioneer Ministry Council was presented to General Synod meeting online this evening (Tuesday May 14).
Proposing the report, Canon Dr Maurice Elliott said that with the introduction of Pioneer Ministry, the Church of Ireland had added to the heritage of Anglicanism which from its inception in the 16th century had represented a fruitful blending of the old and the new.
He explained that the purpose of Pioneer Ministry was to reach those with little or no connection to church. To assist this the plan is that newly emergent ministries should be missional, contextual, ecclesial and formational.
Dr Elliott recognised the work of Pioneer Ministry’s leadership team – the Revd Rob Jones, Archdeacon Barry Forde and Ingrid Brennan who he described as the “resource–fulcrum, the engine, if you like, that drives the entire project”. He said that they had been energetic and visionary but also prudent and mindful of the need for these new expressions of church life to move in lockstep with the wider Church. “Going forward, therefore, Pioneer Ministry will exist alongside diocesan and parochial structures, and in virtually every way it will be dependent upon these for its success and flourishing,” he commented.
He also thanked the bishops for their willingness to endorse the Pioneer Ministry project and the RB for its financial support.
The selection process has been carried out and those recommended for training by the Pioneer Council will commence a three year, context based certificate programme this autumn. This will be primarily delivered through Sheffield but with local inputs through CITI, he explained. Four projects had been initially selected, he said: from Dublin and Glendalough; Connor; Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe; and Down and Dromore. Four further candidates are being put forward for training for who no project grant funding is required.
Dr Elliott explained what Pioneer Ministry is and is not. He said it was not a “silver bullet for the challenges of decline” but it will seek to make a contribution towards the reversal of the trend. It is not an entirely delegated matter but is to begin to change to culture of the church and there is also a need for diocesan hubs. He said that Pioneer Ministry is not simply a source of funding for new church projects and it is not a pathway to ordained ministry.
He acknowledged the work of Bishop Alan Abernethy and Bishop Patrick Rooke in advancing Pioneer Ministry.
Seconding the report, Joe Kelly (Dublin and Glendalough) commended the enthusiasm and energy of to leadership team and the council. He highlighted the importance of collaboration with other recognised groups with experience in pioneering, particularly with prospect of partnering with Missional /youth Church Network and the possibility of starting a new community of faith to reach the younger demographic.
“The aim is also to discover their potential and make a positive impact in their parishes and communities. The Pioneer Ministry leadership team has already been having conversations with the MYCN and there are some great possibilities that the team will be working on over the coming year,” he commented.
Another exciting dimension he outlined was the ongoing work in dioceses in forming Pioneer Hubs which will help create awareness locally. A Pioneer Ministry Hub comprises a group of people approved by the Bishop who will champion, support and advocate for pioneer ministry in their diocese. He said that the first step in forming a Pioneer Ministry Hub was to set up a meeting with the leadership team through Ingrid Brennan which would help identify the starting point and support the development of a plan.
Discussing the report Archdeacon Peter Thompson said it was vital that Pioneer Ministry is a force for growth in the Church and not a parallel movement outside the structures of the Church.
Bishop Ferran Glenfield concurred with the Archdeacon of Armagh and to assure the connectivity of pioneer ministry hubs to the Church of Ireland. He said he visited a hub in Sligo which is part of the Sligo Cathedral Group of Parishes which is used by the parish. He said it is growing and they have been invited to run Alpha courses for Transition Year in all secondary schools in Sligo. From this a small number of exploration groups are taking place. He added that what was happening in the Sligo hub was being embraced by both the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic dioceses.
The Revd Rob Jones (Dublin and Glendalough) thanked all the dioceses for their openness and support of the leadership team in facilitating this across the island. He agreed that it was vital that Pioneer Ministry would be integrated from the very beginning.
The short video accompanying the presentation can be viewed below.
Pioneer Ministry – Post Synod 2024 from Church of Ireland on Vimeo.