Safer Recruitment and Accreditation of Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneers
Paper H2 Assembly Executive 2022
1. Introduction
1.1 The United Reformed Church is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all within our church The United Reformed Church recognises the importance of carefully selecting, training and supporting all those with any responsibility within the Church.
1.2 Not all those who train on the URC CMS course will go on to seek Those who do will need to follow the process as outlined in point.
1.3 The process for accreditation is based on a similar process used for the accreditation of Assembly Accredited Lay It is therefore an established process.
2. What are Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneers?
Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneers will focus either
a) on cultivating new Christian communities such as Fresh Expressions or New Missional Communities through contextual mission in a local They will normally be based within a local pastorate, working under the supervision of the minister or interim Moderator.
b) engage in mission in a specific context to develop new Christian communities. While they may work in a pastorate setting, they may also work across multiple contexts or develop a new community outside the existing pastorate structure. They may be supervised by their minister or interim Moderator or by the person assigned by the Synod to give support and oversight.
c) engaging in wider new forms of While they may work from a pastorate setting, they may also work across multiple contexts or outside the existing pastorate structure. They may be supervised by their minister or interim Moderator or by the person assigned by the Synod to give support and oversight.
3. The process
3.1 Those thinking of becoming an Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneer should, where possible,
a) have completed CMS Certificate Course in Lay Pioneering through the Newbigin Hub or an equivalent training programme;
b) be a URC church member for at least one year;
c) contact the Ministries Office for a registration form plus copies of The Marks of Ministry of an Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneer and URC Guidelines for the Conduct and Behaviour of Lay Pioneers
d) have a conversation with their minister/interim moderator, Training Officer or equivalent and the Synod Moderator about their proposed sphere of ministry;
e) agree for their names to go forward to Church Meeting (or equivalent) for agreement;
f) agree for their names to go forward to the Synod Pastoral Committee (or equivalent) for agreement
3.2 The Synod Pastoral Committee should send in the Application Form with a copy of both the Church Meeting and Synod Pastoral Committee minute and complete their part of the Accreditation Form (known as the Green Form).
3,3 Once received the Ministries Office will:
a) Take up references;
b) should these no give cause for concern then the Ministries Office would organise the DBS/PVG; if there is a blemish this will be followed up the Ministries Office as per the usual
3.4 Applicants will
a) attend the in person You’re Welcome: An Ethos and History of the URC course held at Westminster College, Cambridge
b) will undergo safeguarding training and other mandatory training appropriate to their role as well as further training which the denomination shall determine from time to time.
3.5 Once 2.3 is completed, the Ministries Office will inform the Synod that a commissioning service may take place.
Last updated: December 2022