Our Ministry Trainees’ time will be divided into three roughly equal parts:
• being taught the Bible (Training)
• teaching it to others (Ministry)
• assisting in practical tasks (Service)
In each, the exact opportunities will be tailored to the Ministry Trainee’s previous experience.

Training

Ministry Trainees will attend the Midlands Ministry Training Course which runs on Thursdays each week, over three ten-week terms (see the mmtc website for more). Currently this course is delivered in Birmingham, but during 2008-09, it may be that some teaching will happen more locally in Nottingham. They will also be encouraged to attend the 9:38 conference for ‘apprentices’ (see the 9:38 website for more details), and the Cornhill Summer School (held 30 June-04 July 2008; see the ProcTrust website for more).

Ministry Trainees will receive a fortnightly one-to-one with our minister and a weekly group training session (which will include guided reading and discussion of ministry issues as well as bible study). They will also join in the various training events and courses which are run throughout the year at Emmanuel. Alongside this, much also is ‘caught’ or learnt informally by involvement in daily church life and subsequent theological reflection.

Ministry

Ministry Trainees will each have one significant Bible-teaching responsibility which may be leading a weekly small group Bible study (with adults, or young people, or children), one-to-one Bible studies, and (where appropriate) preaching and giving talks.

We will also encourage our Ministry Trainees to take part in the leadership team of a CYFA (later teenage) or Pathfinder (earlier teenage) Venture during the summer school holiday (with time set aside for preparation and training during the year).

Because this is a training programme, in a second year (if such a step were considered appropriate) additional opportunities would be added, including the possibility of involvement as a trainer of others.

Service

Our Ministry Trainees will be trained and involved in various practical, administrative and physical tasks that help the church run smoothly. This experience allows for first-hand observation of a wide range of church activities, including some in which the Ministry Trainee would not be otherwise directly involved.