London doing its bit to fulfil ambitions for 50% more trainee priests by 2020
A report published today by the Church of England highlights the importance of encouraging people from different background and walks of life into ordination in order to train enough clergy for the future.
The Church’s General Synod agreed in 2015 that a 50% increase in candidates for ministry by 2020 is needed to stabilise and increase the numbers ministering in parishes, chaplaincies and new forms of church.
The Diocese of London recognised the need for action in 2013, when it set an ambitious target of training 50% more ordinands by 2020 as a key part of Capital Vision 2020, the Diocese’s strategy for confident, creative, compassionate growth in London.
The importance of action is illustrated in two statistics; 40% of all stipendiary clergy have already retired or are due to retire in this second decade of the century and the majority of young people in their 20s and 30s who go to church in Britain, go to church in London.
In developing plans to fulfil the ambition of a 50% increase, the Diocese has renewed its approach to encouraging vocations in local parishes and in schools and colleges across London, providing new opportunities and materials to challenge Christians to find their calling to ministry.
For example, London Callings was launched as a hub of resources for those considering their vocation to church-based ministry. In November, the Diocese will host London Calling: Young Women, an interactive day conference for women aged 15-30 interested in exploring their vocation in the Church of England.
Like the Church of England nationally, the Diocese is also seeking greater diversity among those training for ministry to better reflect the communities where the Church is working. The Diocese’s Latimer Group was formed in 2015 to seek to increase BAME vocation and is planning a vocations event and a number of Diocese-wide initiatives and conferences.
There is still more to do, but efforts are already paying off. In 2016, 55 ordinands will start training, the highest number in recent years, with five BAME candidates among them. The increasing numbers ordained in London will not only to serve the growing church here in the capital, but throughout England, particularly in parts of the country with fewer resources and vocations.
Today’s report from the Church of England outlines the national picture. Currently, around 500 candidates for ordained ministry are recommended for training each year. By 2020, it is hoped to increase this number to around 750, including a substantial increase in the numbers of young candidates and in the diversity of their backgrounds.
As well as the overall numerical increase the Church is seeking to:
- Increase the proportion of younger ordinands so that half of those recommended for stipendiary ministry are under 32
- Increase the proportion of women among the ordinands under 32 to about half of the total
- Increase the percentage of ordinands who identify as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic towards the same proportion as in the general population in England (15%).
Read more about today’s report and the national ambition.
The diocesan communications team provides support to the network of clergy, churches, parishes and other worshipping communities that comprises the Diocese of London, as well as to the staff teams of the London Diocesan Fund.
Read more from Communications