From the Frontline: Training and Sending in a small Church.

St Catherine's Tranmere is a small Church in what's classified as a UPA, an Urban Priority Area. Meaning, it's an area with unusually high unemployment, poor health and poor levels of education. The sort of area we are often told that we can't do word ministry in. Our theology however tells us that can't be right. I'd like to say, over years of patient work things have grown. But I can't, I've only been here for 7 years and I'm not patient. However, by teaching people the Bible as it has been given to us and giving people confidence that the gospel is the power of God for salvation, things have begun to grow. We have grown from around 25-30 to around 70-80. Not earth shattering, but growth nonetheless. Many of these people have come from very troubled backgrounds struggling with issues with sexuality, addiction and crime. The impact the gospel makes on their lives has at times blown us away.

Because we are small and have all sorts of people we offer a perhaps more rounded training experience for Apprentices compared to many bigger Churches. They get to take more risks and feel that they are actually making a difference. Most Apprentices that have been here had the option of going to a bigger Church, but chose us for that reason. Because what they do here is far more varied I have been able to see much more of their strengths and weaknesses and push some of them for further training. In the past two years three guys have gone forward for training, although one deferred. One is now at Oak Hill one at Wycliff. Also two girls have gone to Oak Hill. One girl had been an Apprentice, another is Tranmere born and bred.

Sending people is not rocket science but it is costly. It's not rocket science because all we had to do, is give them lots of opportunities to try things and permission to fail. Alongside that give them lots of times to talk things through and teach them how to do the tasks that I ask of them. So there is a cost on my time. People see Apprentices doing lots of work, thinking I'm freed up, when nothing could be further from the truth. They are costly because they cost a small Church money. And they are costly most of all because when they leave they leave an emotional and ministry hole (by the time they leave they are multiplying ministry and freeing me up). However, we know that it's good for the wider Church and God appears to reward our giving. 5 out of our 6 Apprentices found it a wrench to leave and asked about staying. But we felt it was our way of giving to the wider Church.

Part of this process, alongside giving people confidence in the effectiveness of the gospel; seeing it work in practice and seeing people grow and being sent has given others an appetite for it too. A number of people, particularly from our new growth are hungry for more training. We have had 8 people do the North West Partnership Evening course and people asking about OBI and other courses. To be honest, sometimes I'm nervous about some of the people who come forward offering themselves, but often we are pleasantly surprised.

Putting people through seems to come with the hassles common to most in Reform. Being associated with me, must mean some eccentric views, so the DDO thinks. Often people are asked to do 12 week placements. This is a nightmare when a combination of St Cath's and other churches and trust funds are paying for these people to work for us. At times this has played havoc with Sunday School Rotas. It also never has the desired effect. Either they don't change their views about middle of the road or Anglo-Catholic Churches, or it moves them from ambivalence to being more concerned about the Spiritual damage these Churches do. I've also had to push the DDO a bit at times to keep the ball live and to take a risk in letting people even have a conference. So far, the reports have been glowing.

At the risk of making some Churches at Reform blush (Hartford, Lindow, Knutsford, Surbiton and Wimbledon), the other thing worthy of report is partnership. St Cath's is remarkably generous and pays all its bills. But we need help for anything significant on top. Some Churches and trust funds have given us money to employ a Youth worker. We are now reaching a stage where, over the next few years, I hope, we can ask people to step down their support (although things are always very fragile). But partnership should be two way. We struggle with musicians and money. But we have some very gifted people at working with children, some preachers and some great testimonies. So we are now looking at how we can give in partnership, so partnership is two ways, not just receiving and not just financial.