IME part 2 is the name given to the period of formation and training for curates.
Curates in the Diocese of Oxford typically follow a three-to-four-year programme of training and assessment focused on practical contextual ministry as they respond to God’s calling on their lives as deacons and priests. Five-to-six year programmes are available for those wishing to pursue ministry on a 0.5 FTE basis. Most of this learning is done in their parish or ministerial context and focuses on supervision with a training incumbent. Alongside this, the Diocesan IME 2 Team offers a range of high-quality training days across four learning tracks that can be individually tailored to the curates’ needs, calling and experience. At the end of curacy, all curates are assessed against nationally-agreed standards (known as Formation Qualities) to show they have the necessary skills, knowledge and dispositions to move onto the next phase of ministry.
Welcome to Curacy 2024 booklet
The programme was revised in 2021 and has seven key elements:
- Practical ministry in the local parish or context.
- Supervision with a training incumbent/minister appointed by the area bishop.
- Core Topic Days. These build up over the course of a curacy to cover key areas and are studied mostly with curates from the same cohort. Core Topic Days replace the older 'modular courses' and are intended to increase choice and flexibility for different ministry contexts, while also being a little more practically-focused.
There are four learning tracks, allowing curates to engage at different depths, either purely formationally or at more academic depth.- Standard Track curates usually cover: Preaching, Mission & Evangelism, Catechesis, Community Outreach and Leadership & Collaboration. At the end of each core topic, Standard Track curates write a 1,000-word theological reflection and/or produce a practical resource.
- Curates may also opt to take their core study deeper and further by completing the Durham BA or PGDip (or PG Cert or MA) in Theology, Mission and Ministry. These qualifications are entirely funded by the Diocese and offered through the South Central TEI (a partnership between the Dioceses of Guildford, Oxford and Winchester). The awards involve producing a 6,000-7,000-word assessed portfolio for each of six related topics during curacy.
- Curates with a higher degree in theology and an active research calling may also undertake a self-directed study track.
- Engagement with a range of Optional or 'Free Choice' Themed Study Days. Curates choose the days best suited to their own learning and calling. Associate-focus curates choose at least six optional study days over the whole curacy (usually two a year); incumbent-focus curates choose at least nine.
- Sharing in regular Ministry Development Group meetings. These are peer groups of curates in each archdeaconry, supported by a wise local minister and meet about six times a year. Due to difficulties of gathering curates across a range of patterns of ministry and geography, it's important that these take precedence over parish work.
- A Mission and Ministry Project undertaken in the curate's parish or local context. These are usually planned for the third year of curacy and are written up as either a 2,500-word theological reflection (Standard Track), a 6,000-word Independent Learning Project (BA), or a 7,000-word Reflective Practice portfolio (PGDip).
- Evidence of each curate's ministry is collected in a Ministry Development Folder (MDF) for final assessment at the end of curacy (and for informal feedback in the diaconal year and mid-way through curacy).
Orientation & training days for training incumbents:
All training incumbents expecting to receive a new curate in 2024 should attend the online orientation sessions with Grant Bayliss and David Pickering (Wednesday 22 May 1.30-3.30pm). Booking available via IME 2 Eventbrite button above.
New Training Incumbents (TIs) and those who have not trained a curate in the Diocese of Oxford before or not done so recently should also attend the training incumbent training offered by the CMD Team. The first session covering supervision skills and general curacy matters will be led by Andy Angel and held at Church House Oxford on Tuesday 18 June (9.30am-3.30pm). The second session on assessment and reporting will be held on 29 January 2025 (9.30am-3.30pm). Booking available via IME 2 Eventbrite button above.
2025 dates will be posted in due course.
Induction to IME 2 for curates & training incumbents:
General information and this year's Welcome to Curacy booklet will be emailed out towards the end of May but prospective deacons and their TIs may want to note the following dates for 2024:
- Ordination services will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford on Saturday 29 June 2024 at 10am and 2pm. The Deacons' Retreat will be held at Ripon College Cuddesdon from Wednesday 26 June until Saturday 29 June (further information available from the Vocations Team).
- All curates and TIs should attend the online induction session, shortly after ordination (Thursday 11 July). TIs are only needed for part of the morning session from 11.15am. Please book via Eventbrite.
- Curates should also plan to attend the Getting up to Speed core formational training day on Saturday 14 September (10am-4pm and hopefully on-site in Oxford).
- Curates considering the BA or PGDip learning tracks should watch the relevant online videos and put in an application (using the form on Moodle) by Friday 23 August. The BA course induction and PGDip course induction will be held online in mid-September with the programme leads.
The full calendar of 2024-25 dates should be available at the start of June.
Learning & ministry agreement guidelines
Learning & ministry agreement template
Training incumbents' supervision resource book (2022-23 but may still be useful)