The C2: Candidating Portfolio 2013

TheC2Candidating Portfolio 2013

Please note

  1. To complete Section 2 of the portfolio, candidates will need to undertake a placement with a minister exercising the ministry for which they are intending to candidate. The placement should be sufficient in length and scope to enable a real appreciation of the work (normally about 30 hours – including 10 hours writing up time). The placement should not be in the candidate’s own church or circuit and should ideally be in a context unfamiliar to the candidate.
  1. To complete Section 4 of the portfolio the candidate will need recently to have undertaken some formal learning. (Within the last 5 years if an HE or FE course; within the last 3 years for other types of course or training.) The training/course/event should be of at least 15 hours duration. It does not have to be Church or theology based
  1. The portfolio submission date is 07 December 2012.

The Purpose of the Portfolio

The fundamental purpose of the C2 Portfolio is to enable the candidate to demonstrate their capacity to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and understandingto function as an effective reflective practitioner in ordained ministry. Thus candidates are encouraged to think about their experiences of faith, vocation, Methodism, leadership and learning, and to examine these critically in the light of theology and models of good ministerial practice.

TheC2 Candidating Portfolio is a collection of evidence designed to demonstrate a candidate’s:

1.personal journey of discernment;

2.understanding of their call;

3.participation in, and understanding of the Methodist Church;

4.understanding of leadership;

5.engagement with learning.

It is intendedto be a significant piece of work, which aimstogive the committees at district and connexional level a picture of the candidate’sexploration of their call to ordained ministry. It is alsoan invitation for the candidate to think about and evaluate their learning, both experiential and academic. It is used by those engaged in the discernment process to assess an individual’s capacity and potential to be formed for ordained ministry. The academic standard required is HE Level 4, which is the same as for Faith Worship.

Candidates will need to contact:

  • Theirsuperintendent minister;
  • Their minister if she or he is not the superintendent;
  • TheirDistrict Candidates Secretary (DCS);
  • TheirDistrict Training Officer;
  • The Diaconal Order - for those exploring or intending to candidate for the Diaconate.

Candidates will also find having aportfolio mentor invaluable. The superintendent or DCS will be able to help recommend someone. The DCS will also know if there is a DistrictCandidates’ Support Group available.

Useful addresses:

Development and Personnel

Methodist Church House

25 Marylebone Road

London NW1 5JR

The Methodist Diaconal Order
26 St James Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham B15 2NX

Also refer to and

Candidates shouldkeep the following in mind:

The C2 Candidating Portfolio should:

  1. Give an account of the candidate’s Christian journey;

-illustrating key elements that contribute to his or her development as an individual,

-revealing development of self-awareness,

-identifying growth in faith, discipleship, prayer and vocational awareness,

-exploring and expressinghis or her call to ordained ministry.

  1. Provide observations and reflections upon appropriate ministerial skills, qualities, professional attitudes and behaviours;

-demonstrating the ability to evaluate ministerial practice,

-demonstrating an understanding of the theology and theory underlying ministry,

-showing an ability to think theologically and make theological connections between church, life and the world.

  1. Show engagement with Methodism’s structures, practice and ethos, beyond the candidate’s own circuit and local church experience;

-revealing an understanding of various expressions of Methodist theology.

  1. Identify the candidate’s skills and capacity to engage as a life-long learner.

The C2 Candidating Portfolio requirements:

Portfolios that do not conform to these requirements will be penalised. The total word count must not exceed 7,500 words, structured asindicated below.

Cover page – Use the header sheet onp.10 of this document as the first page of your portfolio.

Contents – Provide asingle page numbered index of the four main sections and identify all the piecesof evidence in the appendices.

1. Discerning –journey of faith and sense of call.

Write an account of your Christian journey and the key moments in it which bring you to candidate for ordained ministry (no more than 1,500 words).

This section will include a brief account of your Christian journey, illustrating key elements that have contributedto your development as an individual; your development of self-awareness; your growth in faith, discipleship, prayer and vocational awareness; and your exploration of your call to ordained ministry.

2. Reflecting – theological reflection on church, life and the world.

There are two parts to this section:

  1. Briefly describe what you see as the essential features and emphases of presbyteral, diaconal and lay expressions of ministry (no more than 750 words).
  2. Undertake a placement with a minister exercising the ministry for which you are intending to candidate, whose context is very different from your own. Write a reflective observation on that placement. The placement should be sufficient in length to give a real appreciation of the work(normally about 30 hours – including 10 hours writing up time). If you are intending to candidate for the diaconate, please also contact the Order – .

The reflection on the placement will be a very significant part of the portfolio, consisting of no more than 2,000 words and set out in the following way:

1)A brief description of the ministry situation.

2)Ministry and leadership

  1. What have you discovered about the nature of the ministry observed and the gifts and skills it calls for?
  2. What do you understand to be the model of leadership represented there?

3)Growth in understanding

  1. What surprised you?
  2. How has the experience affected your sense of discipleship and your understanding of vocation?

4)Collaborative learning

  1. What would you do differently if working in that context?
  2. What could you offer as feedback to the people in that context?

5)A report about you (one side of A4, approximately 400 words, not included in the overall word count for this section) from the minister you have observed, describing your engagement with the situation and with people.

3. Rooting – understanding Methodism and forming Methodist identity.

Choose one of the following:

  1. How essential are Methodist features and emphasesfor British Methodism today?
  2. Give a Methodist account of how Christ is made present in the world today.

Explore one of these two questions, indicating your assessment of the thinking and writing of others as well as your own views. (No more than 1,000 words.)

4. Learning – engagement with the learning Church.

  1. Write a reflection (no more than 1,250 words) on some formal learning you are currently undertaking or have completed recently. (Within the last 5 years ifan HE or FE course; within the last 3 years for other types of course or training.) Note: Faith & Worship, or other local preacher or worship leader training, does not count for this. The training/course/event should be of at least 15 hours duration. Remember, you are telling us about this learning in relation to a discernment process for ordained ministry in the Methodist Church. If you keep that purpose in mind, your learning reflections are more likely to touch on God, theology, community, relationships, justice, sharing, fellowship, self awareness, and being one of the followers of Jesus. Use the following outline:
  1. Describe the key elements of the course.
  2. Explain what you gained from the course/learning event and the overall experience.
  3. How have you applied this learning?
  4. What, if anything, has changed in your thinking as a result?
  5. Includesome evidence that you engaged in the training/course/event.
  1. List other courses and learning events you have engaged with over the last three years. (No maximum word countbut be concise – no more than 2 sides of A4).
  1. Review two books (no more than 300 words each) from different sections of the list supplied on p.6. (See guidance on p.7.)

Conclusion

Includea review of what you have learned from producing your portfolio and what you think is revealed by it. (No more than 400 words.)

Bibliography

List the books, journals, and websites you refer to. Use a clear referencing system, and ensure this system is used consistently throughout your portfolio. (See p.7 for guidance)

Appendices

If you have items of evidence (things produced by you or by others in relation you) that do not fit in the main body of the portfolio,you may add them as appendices. However, informationshould only be included if it directly reinforces the materialalready provided. Such evidence might comprise things like; documents, certificates, letters, journal extracts, worship material, photographs, videos, poetry, artwork, PowerPoint productions, blogs, internet material, a report on something you did by someone else who was there. (Ask them to sign and date it, and indicate who they are, eg: friend, colleague, superior, etc.) Each piece of evidence should be clearly numbered and can be referred to more than once if appropriate. If you are including photos, video, or PowerPoint, send them on a CD and supply three copies. The total additional material provided should not exceed the length of the main sections of the portfolio. If you incorporate everything into the main body of the text then appendices are not necessary.

Prepare your material in such a way that it can be comb-bound. Have threecomb-bound copies made and post all three to arrive at the Development and Personnel Office by 7 December 2012. In addition send an electronic copy of the portfolio, in Word format and as one document, without the appendices (ie, cover-page to bibliography) to before noon on 7 December 2012.

The portfolio will then be assessed and the moderation panel is set for early January 2013. The comment sheet will be made available to you, the district, and the connexional committees. The portfolio and the assessor’s comments will form part of the discussion about your discernment, learning and understanding.

Candidating Book List

These books have been selected to support your learning and thinking as you prepare for the candidating process; read as many of them as you can. Choose two books, each from a different section for your book reviews.

Discerning

Alan Billings, Making God Possible: The Task of Ordained Ministry Present and Future, London: SPCK, 2010.

Christopher Cocksworth Rosalind Brown, Being a Priest Today, Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2006.

Steven Croft, Ministry in Three Dimensions, London: DLT, new edition, 2008.

Francis Dewar, Called or Collared?, London: SPCK, 2nd revised edition, 2000.

Philip Luscombe & Esther Shreeve(eds), What is a Minister?, Peterborough: Epworth, 2002.

Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, London: DLT, 1990.

Roger Walton, The Reflective Disciple, Peterborough: Epworth, 2009.

Reflecting

Bass, Dorothy C. Practicing our Faith San Francisco: Jossey-Bass / Wiley, 2nd edition, 2010

Durber,Susan,Preaching Like a Woman, London: SPCK, 2007.

Foster,Richard, A Celebration of Discipline, London: Hodder, 2008.

Hughes,Gerard, God of Surprises, Abingdon: BRF, 1993.

Thompson,Judith, Theological Reflection (SCM Study Guide),London: SCM, 2008.

Rooting

Atkins,Martyn, Resourcing Renewal, Peterborough: Inspire, 2007.

Tabraham,Barrie, The Making of Methodism, Peterborough: Epworth, 1995.

Curran,Luke. & Shier-Jones,Angela(eds),Methodist Present Potential, Peterborough: Epworth, 2009.

Tomkins, Stephen, John Wesley, a Biography, Oxford: Lion Publishing plc, 2003

Turner,John Munsey,John Wesley: The Evangelical Revival and the Rise of Methodism in England, Peterborough: Epworth, 2002.

Vickers, John, John Wesley: Founder of Methodism (Ladybird history series), London: Ladybird Books Ltd, 1977.

Learning

Ballard, PaulPrichard,John,Practical Theology in Action, London: SPCK, 2nd edition, 2006.

Croft,StevenWalton,Roger, Learning for Ministry: Making the Most of Study and Training, London: Church House Publishing, 2005.

Reddie,Anthony,Nobodies to Somebodies, Peterborough: Epworth, 2003.

Ward, Francis, Lifelong Learning London: SCM Press, 2005

Mission and Global Issues

Cameron,Helen, Resourcing Mission, London: SCM, 2009.

Donovan,Vincent, Christianity Rediscovered, London: SCM, 1983.

Gibbs,Eddie Bolger,Ryan, Emerging Churches, London: SPCK, 2006.

Morisy,Ann, Journeying Out – A New Approach to Christian Mission, London: Continuum,2004.

Tomlin,Graham, The Provocative Church, London: SPCK, 2008.

Additional information and guidance

How to write a book review

Explain the main argument(s) of the book.

Describe the author’s conclusion

Describe what impact reading it had on you.

What have you learnt as a result of reading the book?

Consider what questions it raised for you, to which you are now seeking answers.

What might you want to read next as a result?

Referencing

For books and articles there are many methods of referencing, but do maintain the same method throughout and begin the discipline early of referencing all the information, or you will have to go back to the sources later – difficult if it was a borrowed book! One way to make sure you have all the information you need is to follow this simple referencing system:

Surname, Christian name or initial/s, title of book, place of publication: publisher, date of publication.

eg: Shier-Jones, A. (ed.), The Making of Ministry, Peterborough: Epworth, 2008.

Always indicate the source of quotations, giving page numbers. If referring to a website, give the date on which the website was visited (material on the web changes over time).

Make sure that you:

  • Presentthe portfolioin an orderly and organised manner.(Can the reader find their way around it easily?)
  • Ensure that all the main sections (1-4) are evidenced in some way.
  • Provideevidence that is relevant andup-to-date.
  • Give some explanation of what each item in the appendices is for. (If you cannot explain it, you do not need it.)
  • Produce a content/index/cross-referencing system that is easy to follow.
  • Show it to people whose judgement you trust, especially your mentor, and consider seriously their advice.
  • Include references and an appropriate bibliography.
  • Check that all quotations are referenced.
  • If you are providing evidence on a CD, prepare three – one for each hard copy.
  • Allow enough time for the printer/copier to produce three copies, comb-bound, to send to the Development and Personnel Office by 7 December 2012.
  • SendDevelopment and Personnel an electronic version (Word format) of the portfolio less the appendices. Please do not send in other formats, eg as a pdf.

Your responsibility as a candidate:

It is the candidate’s responsibility to be actively engaged throughout the process. You should be both proactive and reflective in taking on responsibility for your own learning and development. This includes:

  • Taking part in reflection on, and evaluation of, your journey through this process of candidating;
  • Acting in a professional manner at all times;
  • Reflecting on and analysing your own practice and development during the process through reading, discussion and assignments;
  • Undertaking the reading, research and tasks involved in this process and, where you have meetings coming to those sessions fully prepared so that you are able to take an active role;
  • Punctually completing and handing in drafts as arranged with your mentor.
  • Getting the final submission to Development and Personnel on time.

Portfolio Mentor

A key part ofdeveloping your reflective skillsis working with your mentor, who will be someone in ministry or training, who can act as a ‘critical friend’ to accompany you through this process. The role of the mentor is:

  • To help you to analyse reflectively your experience;
  • To help you develop a learning plan and monitor progression;
  • To help you select the evidence to put in your portfolio;
  • To help you build your portfolio;
  • To comment on the completed portfolio.

You need to work with your mentor by:

  • Contacting them and having regular meetings;
  • Providing work well before deadlines to give them time to read it and respond.

Delay in submission

If it is established to the satisfaction of the responsible Connexional Team officer that a candidate’s submission of the C2 Candidating Portfolio is likely to be delayeddue to illness or other valid cause,identified on production of acceptable evidence, the officer will advise the candidate and the district (and, if necessary,the connexional committees) on what course of action to take.

Reasonable adjustments

If a candidate is unable, through disability, to provide a C2 Candidating Portfolio that can be assessed by the usual methods, assessors may vary the methods as appropriate and in accordance with usual policy in Higher Education, bearing in mind the objectives of the portfolio and the need to assess the candidate on equal terms with other candidates. Variations on the procedure should be agreed in advance with the responsible Connexional Team officer.

Assessment

The portfolio will be assessed as being either, outstanding, satisfactory, or not satisfactory. The overall category awarded will reflect the predominance of marks according to the ‘category descriptor’ chart below. However,candidates should be aware that unsatisfactory presentation is likely to lead to an overall unsatisfactory assessment. Portfolio assessors will endeavour to provide sufficient comment on the portfolio to enable the candidate to understand where the strengths and weaknesses of the portfolio lie. Assessors will also be able to indicate to district and connexional selectors those areas where further exploration with the candidate might be helpful.

Candidates whose portfolios are marked as ‘unsatisfactory’ may proceed, but the District Candidates Committee and the Connexional Selection Committees will want to explore with the candidate their ability to work in ministry at the required level.

Category Descriptor for the Candidating Portfolio
Outstanding / Satisfactory / Not satisfactory
Critical analysis, use of argument, grasp of issues, evaluation, interpretation. / Excellent coverage of subject; excellent critical analysis; addresses relevant issues in an interesting manner; displays creative interpretation. / Satisfactory coverage of subject; adequate critical analysis (but may tend toward description); addresses relevant issues; shows ability to evaluate. / Little treatment of subject with little or no recognition of issues; descriptive with little or no critical analysis; no independent interpretation.
Reflection on practice and experience of own journey of faith, deepening discipleship, call, ministry and mission and relations with others. / Excellent reflection on practice; good awareness of theological and practical dimensions, making appropriate connections with written material and observations. / Satisfactory reflection on practice; awareness of theological and practical dimensions, with some illustration from written text. / Little or no reflection; little or no awareness of theological and practical dimensions.
Knowledge and understanding of the Methodist Church, ecumenical partners, pastoral and global issues, ministry and mission, theology and scripture. / Displays excellent knowledge and understanding of all relevant issues, making connections between disciplines. / Displays satisfactory knowledge and understanding of many relevant issues; evidence of some integrated learning / Displays little or no knowledge and understanding of relevant issues.
Presentation of portfolio. / Portfolio very well structured and signposted, and according to requirements; evidence of considerable learning clearly displayed; all evidence highly relevant; extensive bibliography; consistent referencing. / Portfolio satisfactorily structured and signposted, and according to requirements;evidence of learning displayed; most evidence relevant; satisfactory bibliography; generally consistent referencing. / Portfolio shows little or no structure or signposting, or is substantially over length; evidence of learning unclear; irrelevant evidence; inadequate bibliography; referencing poor.

On7 December one copy of your portfolio is sent to the connexional assessor and one to yourDCS. The third copy is retained, to be available to the Connexional Selection Committee panel that you meet. Portfolios are assessed by connexional assessors who are chosen because of their experience in higher education learning institutions. The assessorswill gather in early January 2013 to confirm the results, moderate any differences between the assessments, and deal with outstanding issues. The category awarded by the Moderators’ Meeting is final. It will be communicated to you, along with your assessor’s comments, as soon as possible. All the panels that meet you at the district and connexional committees will receive a copy of the portfolio material that you send to Development and Personnel as an emailed attachment. They will also receive copies of your assessor’s comments.