Timeline of Stages

Ministry review and planning for mission

Before advertising and recruiting (see Mission and Ministry Reviews)

• Circuit conducts a review of mission needs and opportunities and discerns a model for its ministry. This will be in place for no longer than five years or until the stationing of ministers is expected to be considered, at this point another review will be conducted. The new model and mission plan should be communicated effectively across the Circuit.

Recruitment

Leading to appointment (see Recruitment)

• Circuit follows safer recruitment policy and lay employment or volunteer processes to appoint a successful applicant (see Lay Employment Resource or Recruiting Volunteers and Safer Recruitment Policy and Practice Guidance)
• If employed role, circuit uses ministry model from review to create a job description and uses this job description with the early competencies to create a person specification (see Templates and LLP Competencies Grid)
• If volunteer role, circuit uses ministry model from review to create the key responsibilities section of the role outline and uses this information with the early competencies to create the key skills and attributes (see Role Outline Templates and LLP Competencies Grid)
• Circuit assesses early competencies through interview
• Circuit appoints Local Lay-Pastor and issues a provisional licence for six month probation (See Written Statement of Terms and Conditions or Volunteer Agreement and LLP Employee Offer of Employment Template or LLP Volunteer Role Appointment Template) and ensures appropriate Safer Recruitment checks are completed (See Safer Recruitment Policy and Practice Guidance)
• Circuit registers Local Lay-Pastor with Ministries (Complete LLP-Registration and supply copy to Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team)

Probation

The initial probation period is set for six months, but may be extended if the Local Lay-Pastor has not completed the required training or is yet to meet all of the early competencies (see Probation).

• Circuit provides induction and ensures Local Lay-Pastor completes Safeguarding Training, receives relevant policies and is placed in reflective supervision (See New Employee Orientation)
• Local Lay-Pastor completes first two units at Cliff College (See Foundations: Mission and Ministry pathway)
• Circuit provides regular line-management meetings (Suggested Form: LLP-LM-Probation)
• Circuit conducts Probation Assessment Meeting (Complete LLP-Probation and supply copy to Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team)
• Circuit confirms the licence and extends it to the next ministry model review – no longer than five years from appointment (See LLP Employee Letter confirming Completion of Probation Template or LLP Volunteer Role Letter confirming Completion of Probation)

Core Development

First two years in post (see Core Development)

• Circuit conducts a commissioning service (a liturgy for the Commissioning of Local Lay-Pastors can be found on the Additional Methodist Liturgies page)
• Local Lay-Pastor completes the remaining four units at Cliff College (See Foundations: Mission and Ministry pathway)
• Circuit provides regular line-management meetings (Suggested Form: LLP-LM-Core)
• Circuit conducts Accreditation Assessment Meeting (Complete Form LLP-Accreditation and supply copy to Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team)
• Local Lay-Pastor receives a Certificate of Accreditation from Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team

Continuing Development

Ongoing development (see Continuing Development)

• Circuit continues to provide support through regular line-management meetings and an annual review (Suggested Forms: LLP-LM-Continuing and LLP-AnnualReview). A copy of the Annual Review should be sent to Ministries: Vocations and Worship in the Connexional Team
• Circuit provides Local Lay-Pastor with opportunities for development
• Local Lay-Pastor keeps a record of appropriate learning and development

Ministry review and further planning for mission

At the end of the initial appointment period (see Mission and Ministry Reviews)

• Circuit conducts a further review of mission needs and opportunities and discerns a model for its ministry. If this includes the continuation of Local Lay-Pastors then their appointments may be extended for up to another five years and the licence reconfirmed. This is subject to ongoing learning evidenced in Annual Reviews.