Mandatory EDI Training

Dear Friends and Colleagues,  

In my recent email to all ministers I mentioned the message to be sent to all Local Preacher Secretaries with regards to EDI training. It read: 

“Details on EDI training for Local Preachers will be sent to Local Preachers Secretaries in the coming weeks – a copy of this email will be placed on the Signpost for Ministry for your information.”  

In stating this I realise I have missed the implications for us all! I apologise for not pointing these out and for any delay in getting the information to you and your circuits. The full message from The Revd Jill Marsh the Inclusive Church Implementation Officer is laid out below. 

Paul Wood

Dear Friend, 

Our calling as preachers and ministers is to serve a ‘God for all’ and to preach a ‘Gospel for all’ and, as we continue to celebrate the incarnation, we’re reminded that God came to share our human life because of God’s great love for all people, made in God’s own image. We want all people to hear this gospel. 

Sadly, as we all must recognise, the Church doesn’t always put this all-inclusive love of God into practice and so our Strategy for Justice, Dignity and Solidarity helps us to live out what we preach.

https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/the-inclusive-methodist-church/ 

As part of this journey, the Methodist Conference in 2021 agreed that those in key roles in the church, including Ministers, Local Preachers, Circuit and Church Stewards and others should undertake some mandatory EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) training.  We hope that many others will also choose to do it, because equality, diversity and inclusion are not just legal requirements but vital to our discipleship, ministry and mission. 

The required training details are on the EDI Training webpage which you can find by following this link: Mandatory EDI training Also, on this link, you will see some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) which we hope will help:  EDI training FAQs 

There is a video on the webpage that explains what the training involves, and how to register.  The module is online and uses MCBX (the new Methodist online platform based on Theology X).  All this is explained in the video on the link above. 

As ministers, you can play an important part in this work by: 

• Raising awareness of this EDI training and encouraging people to begin the training across your circuit
• Considering using some of the EDI training materials in your Church and Circuit Meetings
• Thinking about how the circuit might offer the training collectively for those who don’t want to do it individually. LP Secretaries have been asked to think about this too.
• Helping your church and circuit to think through how you can keep a record of who has done the training and who still needs to do it.
• Putting EDI onto your agenda for each church and circuit meeting (as agreed at Conference 2021).  This year the mandatory EDI training might be the key focus but you will also find more resources to engage with at
  https://www.methodist.org.uk/about-us/the-methodist-church/the-inclusive-methodist-church/ 

Thank you so much for encouraging your lay employees and volunteer colleagues to engage positively with this training and with the conversations it will begin. 

Best wishes, Jill 

The Revd Jill Marsh | Inclusive Church Implementation Officer 
The Conference Office
+44 (0)20 7467 5265 [Direct Line]