Specimen Incumbent Report on a stipendiary curate at the Final Assessment
Final Assessment Report on Martin Smith, Curate at St Mary’s & All Saints Somewhere.
Written in February Year 3.
Introduction
Martin’s curacy context has been in the parish of Somewhere, where he has been working across the two churches of St Mary’s and All Saints.
Our pattern for meetings has been Morning Prayer three days a week, bi-weekly Ministry Team meetings, and weekly meetings of about two hours for reflection and supervision. These have been less frequent in the third year, but as near to the original pattern as could be achieved.
Martin contributes constructively to team discussions, shows a willingness to listen and learn, and has become more proactive in his suggestions and actions.
Christian faith, tradition and life
Martin has a strong scriptural faith which he ably reflects in his teaching and preaching. He seeks to listen for God’s word in his encounters with situations and is willing to be challenged in his thinking. His life shows evidence of him faith in God’s goodness and a willingness to share this with others.
Mission, evangelism and discipleship
Martin showed a real aptitude for linking the gospel and contemporary culture in his preaching on Remembrance Day and at Christmas services in this third year. He uses creative ways of preaching and praying in informal worship which has appealed to those exploring church and encouraged the discipleship of others. He is alert to the use of technology as a communication tool and to the café culture of his age group. He is using both to develop contacts with baptism enquiry parents, realising that traditional church worship is limited in its ability to reach the unchurched. He has taken part in the Deanery Ash Wednesday initiative at a local supermarket and has begun thinking about how the church can reach out into the community. He is able to relate well to all age groups and is passionate to enable older church members to be more welcoming to young families.
Spirituality and Worship
Martin values regular prayer, spiritual direction and belonging to a peer group. With a deep dependence and trust in God’s promises he has been able to engage with different forms of worship, both formal and informal, quietly meditative and more charismatic. He leads with confidence. His spirituality is closely linked to a responsibility towards social action and reaching out to the community. This is something he will continue to explore and develop as he moves towards incumbency.
Relationships
Working across both St Mary’s and All Saints, Martin has encountered different personalities and challenges but has not been daunted by these. He relates well with people on a one to one basis, and at meetings in small groups he listens well and contributes perceptively. He has developed an appreciation of the joys and the difficulties in working with others in ministry and is realistic about these. He is developing good relationships beyond the parish with the deanery and through Churches Together.
Personality and Character
Martin has a generous and forgiving nature but is also very clear in his opinions and shows a gentle authority in expressing them, not being overawed by the age or character of others. He is open to new experiences and willing to learn. He likes to understand and be organised in anything he undertakes. He has a natural ability to communicate and his judgment on when to pray, when to act and when to laugh is developing all the time. He appreciates the need for strength to say “no” on occasions and to ensure that his reflection on events is balanced to ensure he doesn’t worry unduly.
Leadership, Collaboration and Community
There have been opportunities for collaborative working with the ministry team and with co leaders of fortnightly Tiny Tots sessions. Martin has taken the lead in organising Lent material for leaders of the weekly informal worship and arranged an opportunity to observe, and conduct weddings and marriage preparation in an Anglo Catholic setting. The summer gave good experience of weddings, of which he conducted five. He has a strong collaborative leadership style seeking to encourage others in their discipleship and use of their gifts.
Vocation and Ministry within the Church of England
Martin is feeling a clear call to serve within a Team Ministry where his collaborative style of working would be fully used. He would also like to serve in a team where his passion to reach out to young families could be put to good use.
Comments on Specific Areas of Ministry
Martin has good skills in preaching, leading worship and reaching out to the young and old. He still needs the opportunity and experience of administration and leading PCC meetings but I have no reason to doubt him ability to cope with these.
Conclusion
After an initial nervousness in ministry, Martin has grown hugely in confidence, experience and his understanding of ministry. He works well with others, learns quickly, is a good communicator, is developing his leadership skills and values his family life. I recommend that he be encouraged to apply for an incumbency level post in the coming months.
An Incumbent
February Year 3(828 words)
Specimen Incumbent Report on a half-time self-supporting curate at the First Assessment
Introduction
Anne is an SSM curate, attached to the parishes of St Mary’s and St James. St Mary’s is an urban parish, of evangelical tradition, while St James is a semi-rural village three miles away, and is more ‘central’. Both parishes have church schools.
Anne and I met for a full day at the start of her curacy in order to draw up a Curacy Agreement and Year 1 Annual Training & Development Plan. Additional meetings are arranged as required, bearing in mind that Anne is part time. We pray before these meetings. Anne attends staff meetings when her schedule allows.
We have had 5 supervision meetings:
JulyFirst impressions, initial curacy agreement and training plan
AugustFinalise training plan, reflect on initial weeks
OctoberLeading public worship and sermons
DecemberOccasional offices – funerals and baptisms
JanuaryChurch / school relationship
Meetings last 2 hours and we have both found the discussions useful and feel very comfortable sharing our feelings openly and honestly.
Vocation and ministry within the Church of England
Anne has a growing sense of vocation to ministry. As indicated below, Anne is developing in confidence across all areas of ministry.
Due to secular work commitments, Anne has a visible pattern of days off, but has the flexibility to cover things which do not fall on her standard working days. She is maintaining her ‘boundaries’ very well.
Anne is becoming familiar with CofE and local church structures. She has attended PCCs and Deanery Synod and Chapter. She is familiar with the local organisation of our churches within a wider group – the Valley Group of Churches. Anne has also attended Churches Together meetings and has contributed to ecumenical activities.
Spirituality and worship
Anne preaches regularly at both churches, gaining valuable experience across the differing church traditions. She has created and led non-Eucharistic services in both churches, including Family Services and Christmas services. She is developing in confidence in all aspects of preaching and leading public worship. Of note was her planning and execution of the Remembrance Day service. Another highlight has been her organisation, at short notice, of a nativity play for our Sunday School, which told the Christmas story in a way that was enjoyed by everyone.
Anne is active in funeral ministry and has dealt with some challenging funerals and demonstrated excellent pastoral skills. She finds funeral ministry fulfilling and a privilege. Anne has embraced baptism ministry with enthusiasm and has made very insightful comments on how this ministry can lead to families becoming a regular part of the church congregation.
Anne has attended the IME day on safeguarding and completed the online training in this area.
Anne and I pray together before supervision meetings and at other times. She has a Spiritual Director and she meets with her every two months.
Christian tradition faith and life
Anne is attending IME training as requested and attending our local courses and discussion group – so there is evidence of her continuing growth in faith. I feel that her life and faith are well integrated, as she practices her ministry in church and workplace contexts.
Mission evangelism and discipleship
Anne has discussed mission opportunities associated with baptisms and occasional office and we intend to explore these further. Anne has discussed with me how her calling has been lived out in her workplace, and has been approached by colleagues to discuss matters of faith, one of whom is attending a Lent course as a result.
Leadership and collaboration
Anne has many skills in this area which she brings from her secular life. These are evidenced in her ability to make suggestions and follow through. She takes initiative. She works well with a wide variety of people within the parish.
Relationships
Anne has fostered good relationships within and beyond the church. Of particular note is her relationship with the Church School in the parish of St Mary’s. She has worked with the children to produce excellent assemblies, and has become a regular visitor to the classrooms.
Personality and character
Anne has a great personality, well suited to ministry. She adjusts her approach to the variety of people she encounters and has made many friends here. She is well loved by our congregation and all she comes into contact with.
Comments on Specific areas of ministry
Her work with children is, for me, one of the highlights of her ministry here. She relates so well to the children and is well appreciated by the school teachers and staff. In addition to this, her pastoral care has been excellent – she identifies situations and comes alongside people. In particular she was a great support to one of our parishioners who has recently moved to sheltered accommodation and experienced depression. His family were so grateful for her care for him and them.
Conclusion
Anne is willing and quick to learn. She accepts guidance readily and acts on it. She shows initiative and involves others in her ministry. She was become, in a short time, a very highly valued member of our church family and also, for me, a valued colleague. She has made an excellent start to her curacy here. As she moves forward in her ministry I have no hesitation in recommending her ordination to the priesthood and look forward to sharing that special occasion with her.
A Vicar
January Year 1(882 words)