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Church Related Community Work
Introduction
The United Reformed Church
(URC) ministry of Church Related Community Work (CRCW) began in 1981. In
1987 it became formally recognised by the URC General Assembly as a
distinctive ministry on a par with the ministry of Word and Sacrament.
The number of URC Church
Related Community Workers has always been relatively small. (10-12 in
commission at any given time) However, the URC Mission Council 1998
reviewed the programme and agreed that it should be extended to at least
30 posts across Scotland, England and Wales. Additionally, it was agreed
that greater responsibility for the CRCW programme by Districts &
Synods should be gradually introduced.
New CRCW Development
Workers (job share post) were appointed in June 1999 to implement these
changes over a 5 year period. These include recruiting more CRCWs to this
ministry, accrediting additional churches-in-community as part of the Growing
Up Mission initiatives and generally promoting the programme. They
should be contacted at the CRCW Office for any matters
relating to this ministry.
What is Community Work? • Community Work affirms that humans are essentially social beings that find wholeness as they live together.
• Therefore, community work is concerned about bringing groups of people together to identify and work on their own problems, hopes and opportunities.
• It is about taking
control of our own lives, building positive local relationships,
developing community resources, healing and transforming individuals’
lives and communities for the better and working towards equal
opportunities, justice and peace for all.
• Community Work seeks
to enable the transfer of power from the powerful to the powerless and
aims to tackle the causes of poverty, prejudice and discrimination which
affects peoples lives.
• The context of
Community Work is normally with people who are disadvantaged, disaffected
or disappointed and within local neighbourhoods where there is a desire
for community development and regeneration.
• This might be within
inner cities, outer-urban estates or rural areas.
What is Church Related Community Work? • Church Related
Community Work mainly depends on a vision of the Church as an agent of
social change. It is one way for the Church to share in God’s mission.
• It recognises the
Gospel where it is being lived out by people and communities, even if they
themselves do not use the name of God.
• It brings many new challenges to existing church congregations; engaging with the local community opens us to the possibility of seeing and hearing God from those outside the church, particularly from those who are oppressed, and allowing such Good News to transform and enrich our own church communities.
• Church Related Community Work sees community work as a vehicle for affirming the Kingdom of God in human affairs.
• It is not a means of increasing church membership or an attempt to impose any set of values on people. It is of the Kingdom of God because it is committed to justice and peace and is not afraid of costly involvement with people.
• Church Related Community Work is open to the tensions between being the church and living in the faith of an incarnate God. It is, therefore, a challenge to both an insular church and an uncaring society. It is not for those who want an easy life!
• A Church Related
Community Worker is a community worker who enables the church to work with
its local community, rather than someone employed by the church to work on
it’s behalf or only with church members.
• Growing Up the
mission strategy document approved by General Assembly 1999 has 73
references to Church Related Community Work. Within the Five Marks of
Mission, two have particular (but not exclusive) emphasis for Church
Related Community Work:
to respond to human
need by loving service.
to seek to transform
unjust structures of society.
What
difference could a CRCW make?
A church that is:
• more concerned with
mission than with maintenance.
• more ‘outward
looking’ and actively concerned with local individuals & issues.
• prepared to see God
involved with society, not just with the Church. • influenced by the
needs and opportunities of those 'outside' the church, not just by those
already involved.
• a resource for
community activity & events.
• a building used by
many different groups & organisations
• equipped with people
trained & supported for community action
• ready for change and
more culturally aware of the surrounding environment..
• trusted and respected
by the local community.
• vibrant, buzzing and a
place where all are welcome.
Not that this will happen
overnight! A CRCW will work in partnership with the church and should not
be expected to be involved with the local community as a lone person
working on behalf of the church. It will probably be as much about church
development as community development!
Who are URC Church Related Community Workers? (CRCWs) The United Reformed Church
(URC) formally recognises that Church Related Community Work is a
distinctive, exciting and challenging ministry.
URC Church Related
Community Workers are called by God, professionally trained, qualified and
commissioned to an accredited church-in-community become stipendiary
ministers and work as equal colleagues with ministers of Word and
Sacrament.
Who can become a CRCW? Anyone who believes that God is calling them to this particular ministry and has been a member of the URC for at least two years can begin the candidating process to test their calling. They should begin by discussing the matter further with their local church and then contacting a CRCW Development Worker.
There follows a series of conversations and interviews to seek God’s will and calling in their life.
They will talk to their Moderator or Provincial Candidating Officer, they will need to be commended by their local Church and District Council. They will attend a National Assessment Conference and finally they will attend a Provincial interview.
If their calling is eventually confirmed, they can begin the CRCW training. Once this has been completed they may be considered for a CRCW vacancy.
Alternatively, nationally qualified community workers from other denominations may be able to apply to become an URC CRCW via a certificate of Elegibility.
How are CRCWs trained? The candidates selected
for CRCW ministry participate in the Faith in Living course run by
the Partnership for Theological Education, Manchester and validated by the
University of Manchester. The course integrates academic disciplines,
theoretic and practical work, experience and learning, life in the world
and life in the church and lay people and ordinands. The pattern of
training includes a long-term community work placement and regular
attendance in Manchester, currently 6 long weekends a year.
CRCW’s in training
participate in a process of accreditation with the Greater Manchester
Accreditation Unit. An initial interview will take place to discuss your
experience and determine your readiness for accreditation so you will need
to save and organise evidence prior to this initial interview, this should
include details of the range, length and depth of your experience. No
distinction is made between paid and unpaid work/experience but the Unit
expects participants to have had at least 3 years full-time or 5 years
part-time experience, in various roles and within a variety of settings. A
report from the initial interview is produced which gives recommendations
for accreditation. When ready to start,
(usually after having completed two years of training) the participant
chooses a Consultant and with their support provides evidence of their
community work experience in the form of a submission document, which will
be presented to a panel of Assessors. Participants who successfully
complete the process will receive a nationally recognised professional
Diploma in Community and Youth Work endorsed by the National Youth Agency
and has Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) recognition.
What can a local church expect a CRCW to do? A CRCW will work in
partnership with your congregation, church members, elders and minister of
Word and Sacrament in order for you all to become more involved with your
local neighbourhood
A CRCW’s task is to
enable the church to engage with individuals and community groups, to
theologically reflect on that involvement and to develop appropriate
community work aims within its own life; its order, outreach, worship,
mission and ministry.
Some of the ways in which
these are being achieved include working with:
Credit Unions / Residents
Associations / Parent & Toddler groups / Community Businesses /
Women’s Groups / Campaigning Groups / Community Cooperatives / Study
& Prayer Groups / Ecumenical Groups and many more......
How much will it cost us? CRCW’s are paid a
stipend nationally from the URC Maintenance of Ministry fund. Ongoing
training opportunities are available via Continuing Ministerial Education
at a national or Synod level. The local costs of this ministry including
housing, travel, office and administration have to be met from local
resources.
What does a local church have to do in preparation? Contact the CRCW Office who will send you further details.
Arrange to meet with a
Development Worker who will discuss the application procedure with your
church representatives.
Complete the CRCW
Application Form with the assistance of the Development Worker. Submit the
Application Form to the CRCW Central Management Committee for
accreditation.
This process can generally
take between 6-18 months depending on how quickly you can complete the
Application Form, which includes conducting local research about your
area, your church & district agreeing the vision for the work,
identifying funding for local expenses and forming a steering group (to
evolve into a Local Management Group.) to oversee this process.
A vacancy for a CRCW will
be declared once your application has been successfully accredited as a
church-in-community.
What is an accredited Church-in-Community? A local church, LEP or
Group of Churches that has successfully completed the CRCW Application
Form & process.
The accredited
Church-in-Community project is responsible to the URC through the Convenor
of the CRCW Central Management Committee (CMC) and through their local
management group. The CRCW CMC approves projects for 5-year terms. All
projects are reviewed before the end of their term by 2/3 people appointed
by the District. A report is produced with recommendations for the
project’s future. This report is sent to District Council and then on to
the CRCW CMC for approval. Projects may be extended for a second 5-year
term.
For
further information
Please contact your Synod
Office or:-
The CRCW Development Workers :
CRCW Office |