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Developing understanding, skills, and spiritual life are essential aspects of ministry. For those in both licensed lay and ordained roles, Continuing Ministerial Development (CMD) is essential to mission and discipleship. Lifelong learning is a responsibility we each carry.
CMD supports ministers in their growth and development, helping them engage more fully with God’s mission. It includes:
- Learning through reading, training, conferences, and seminars
- Looking after personal well-being, focusing on physical, emotional, and relational health
- Mentoring, pastoral supervision, and coaching
- Building connections with fellow ministers and the wider church community
- Reflecting on ministry strengths and areas for improvement
- Participating in courses and training opportunities
- Taking ministerial development leave
- Engaging in transition courses
- Utilising personal allowances for training
- Attending Diocesan CMD days
- Engaging in learning programs, such as study mornings and residential conferences
CMD Days
Each year the Bishop of Manchester invites clergy and Readers to Diocesan CMD Days, run over a Sunday and Monday and/or Archdeaconry Formation Days. All are welcome, but stipendiary clergy are expected to attend these.
Save the date for upcoming CMD Days:
- 23rd and 24th March 2025
- 5th and 6th October 2025
Clergy Conference
The diocese runs a major conference for all clergy every three years. The next clergy conference will be on 15th-17th June 2026.
First Incumbency Training – First Base
First Base is an online programme, mostly facilitated via Zoom, to support first incumbents. The core programme comprises four morning sessions; there will also be a small number of one-hour sessions on specific themes, all via Zoom and some may be recorded for access at any time. Run over one year, First Base is a partnership between the dioceses of Liverpool, Manchester and Chester and is overseen and in part facilitated by the Archdeacons. There is an expectation that all first incumbents will attend the programme and stay for the entirety of each session.
The focus of this training is primarily on the practical issues around incumbency: legal requirements, diocesan processes, policies, procedures and good practice. All sessions except for one are held on Zoom. The exception is a face-to-face day each July to explore the resilience, well-being and spirituality that is essential to flourishing in ministry. Find further course details below.
Tuesday 14th January 2025: 09.15 – 13.00
Preparing for and chairing the APCM
The theme for this session is the preparation for chairing the APCM in late spring or early summer. Themes to be explored include issues of governance, the election of Church Wardens and the PCC under the Church Representation Rules. We also cover preparing the Annual Report and the essentials of parish finance. There will be breakout groups and time for Q&A.
This session is facilitated by Gordon Fath (Liverpool Resources Team) and George Colville (Diocesan Secretary, diocese of Chester).
Book via Eventbrite: https://PrepandChairingAPCMs.eventbrite.co.uk
Tuesday 18th March 2025: 09.15 – 13.00
PCC Tonight: Making Meetings Matter
The Church Representation Rules state that the PCC, ‘is to co-operate with the minister’ in parish matters, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. PCC’s matter; they matter for governance, for administration, for organisation and for mission and ministry. So how do sustain good PCC meetings? How do we enable that mutual co-operation and how do we avoid boredom or even breakdown?
This morning session explores how to make the most of the meetings that make up a good part of parish oversight, drawing on the rich material in the well-received CPAS publication PCC Tonight. This day is facilitated by Graham Archer of CPAS, who has extensive experience of facilitating training, of parish life and Archidiaconal ministry.
Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/846904693737?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday 8th July 2025: 09.30 – 16.00
A Blended Life: resilience and well-being in ministry
We know that ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. But the pace we set, born of enthusiasm, a desire to serve and to be fruitful, in the first year of a first incumbency can feel to be and can sometimes become unsustainable. Finding a rhythm in ministry, a flow that allows us to be the best we can be, is an essential tool. No one can do this for us.
This First Base session is held face to face in the beautiful setting of Foxhill conference and retreat centre. Our facilitator is Rev Jane Maycock from the diocese of Carlisle. Jane has served as CMD officer in the diocese and on the Cumbria Christian Learning Team as well as a period of interim ministry. Jane will be helping us explore this all-important theme of resilience in priestly ministry and leadership.
This is an all-day session with refreshments available from 09.00 ready to start at 09.30.
Venue: Foxhill Conference Centre. Tarvin Road, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 6XB
Book via Eventbrite: https://first-base-jun25-tickets-855870259987.eventbrite.co.uk
Tuesday 9th September 2025: 09.15 -13.00
Issues of Plant, Pastoral Offices and Churchyard Matters
Curacy does not always prepare us for some of the more mundane, practical aspects of church management which can derail ministry and mission without sufficient attention. This morning session will be facilitated by one of the Archdeacons in Manchester or Chester dioceses.
Together we will explore the nuts and bolts of caring for our buildings and their significance as centres for mission and ministry. Building-related themes will include maintenance and faculties and a short closing session only for those clergy who oversee graveyards. This session will also explore both the legal requirements and good pastoral practice around the occasional offices.
Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/846933349447?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday 18th November 2025: 09.15-13.00
Money Matters in Parish Ministry
This morning-only Zoom session explores the practicalities of parish finance and the interface with good parish stewardship. Sharon Taylor-Booth is our facilitator and will address the how and the why of issues including:
- the statutory and canonical framework of church accounting
- fund accounting for churches and charities
- Receipts and Payments and Accruals accounting – and why R&P is better for most churches
- how to read and understand a set of church accounts
- the importance of clergy leadership in good parish stewardship and generous discipleship.
Book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/846934803797?aff=oddtdtcreator
CMD Grants
Information on CMD Grants is available here.