Ministry Support

Being yourself and being prayerfully open to all possibilities will help you discern God’s calling whatever stage in life you are at. For some, this may be the very beginning of your journey. Will you be called towards ordination or will it be one of the many lay ministries in the Diocese?

The Diocese of Norwich offers extensive support for clergy, including training and learning, wellbeing, counselling and sabbaticals. The Parish Support Team can also offer expertise and guidance for specific support.

The Covenant for Clergy Care and Wellbeing is the expressed view of the mind of the Church of England on issues relating to clergy care and wellbeing. The Covenant was made an Act of Synod at the February 2020 Group of Sessions of the General Synod. The Diocese of Norwich has a Clergy Wellbeing Group.

There are thousands of lay ministers using their gifts in a wide variety of different roles, serving alongside ordained ministers. Youth and children’s ministers, churchwardens, licensed lay ministers, and many chaplains, evangelists, missionaries and pioneers are lay people, who are not ordained.

Authorised Lay Ministers are people who are specifically authorised by the Bishop for a particular role. In the Diocese of Norwich, that could be as an Authorised Pastoral Assistant or an Authorised Worship Assistant.

A Licensed Lay Minister (or Reader) is a voluntary minister authorised by the bishop to teach and preach, conduct worship and assist with the pastoral ministry of a church.

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Our Diocesan vision is that we are Transformed by Christ: Prayerfully, Pastorally and Prophetically. One of the three priorities that flow from the Prophetic part of the vision is: We will ensure an active priestly or lay worker/enabler presence in our lowest economic communities as we seek to address the growing inequalities in our society. Therefore we are keen to support all those, both lay and ordained, working in the lowest economic communities in our Diocese.

Here in Norfolk and Waveney, we are surrounded by beautiful countryside and agricultural culture. Life for rural parishes and clergy is very different from their urban counterparts and in today’s financial and political climate, we understand how difficult it can be for those in agricultural employment which is why we offer a listening ear as well as practical advice.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All church officers, whether ordained, authorised, licensed or lay have a duty of regard for safeguarding compliance. The Diocese of Norwich is committed to the safeguarding, care and nurture of everyone within our church community.