Martin Corr, a member of St Thomas and St John, Lostock, near Bolton, has been involved in church life for over 20 years. Martin, who is registered blind, has a background in criminal justice and a passion for supporting those on the margins of society. He wanted to utilise his skills and knowledge to help others, which led to him pursuing pastoral care training through the Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) programme.
Here, he reflects on his experience of the course and how it has equipped him to contribute more meaningfully to his church community.
“My first thoughts were that the ALM course would be very theological and would involve reading lots of difficult texts. I was also concerned about my ability to manage the workload alongside my professional and family commitments. Experience has also taught me that completing any sort of course as a visually impaired person can present several challenges, in terms of accessing materials and travelling to courses.
“When I joined the core module in January 2024, I found it to be a very different course than what I expected. Whilst we focused on the biblical principles of service and love for others, I did not feel that I had to understand complex theological theories. The course tutors were incredibly supportive, ensuring that I was able to access the course materials and take part fully in the course.
“The elective module for pastoral care was an interesting and broad-ranging course and covered areas of pastoral work which were less familiar to me including some basic skills such as listening. Like those delivering the course, my fellow course members were a great bunch of people who made me feel welcome and comfortable.
“The ALM programme allowed me to meet a range of people from a variety of church traditions and to experience diverse ways of worship. It has also given me skills that I can use for the good of others. I am now back in my parish and working with the incumbent and PCC to develop a pastoral plan that will incorporate all the excellent work which is happening in the parish and develop new and innovative areas of pastoral care.
“For those with significant disabilities or long-term health conditions, there is often a fear that you cannot contribute to the life of the church because of your health condition or disability. My experience of the ALM programme is that both staff and students are incredibly supportive and will make every effort to meet your needs. I would advise anyone who is considering building or developing their role in their parish to consider the ALM programme and to discuss their needs and concerns with their vicar and the ALM team."
Do you have skills you’d like to develop and apply within your church community? Explore this year's ALM Course Prospectus to discover how the programme can help.