Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network

Two years ago the Discipleship and Ministries Learning Network (DMLN) was established  in order to support the Methodist Church in all aspects of learning and development. It includes staff members and volunteers in churches, circuits, districts and across the Connexion.

A new staff team of around 60 members was established as part of the Connexional Team to help local churches, circuits and districts in their work. It includes eleven regional teams, three specialist teams aand three directors, located across the Connexion and at Cliff College, Queen’s Foundation and the Connexional Office in London.

The Learning Network is committed to …

Church & Community Development … challenging and equipping mission-shaped communities

Discipleship Development … nurturing and equipping Christ-like disciples

Ministry Development … forming and equipping those who share in lay and ordained ministry

Scholarship, Research & Innovation … enabling and encouraging creative thinkers in an environment of scholarship, research and innovation
Learning Network Priorities:

Missional Leadership … to recognise, enable and resource those who are called to leadership

Growing Participation … to hear the voices of all, allowing them to impact on the church

Healthy Methodist Communities … to challenge and support the growth of healthy communities throughout Methodism and beyond

Enhanced visibility … to raise the profile of learning and development across the connexion
DMLN Cymru Wales The team in Wales has three staff members. Amy Adams is the Learning and Development Coordinator for the whole region. The post of Learning and development Officer in the south is currently vacant and Delyth works as the Learning and Development Officer in the north and with Welsh language work across Wales.

This year, Synod Cymru will focus on the ‘developing our calling’ theme of worship. This includes opportunities to explore and experience different styles of worship, a training and resource session on leading creative worship in Welsh, taster sessions of the new Worship: leading & preaching course, features relating to worship in the Welsh language paper Gwyliedydd, special events during Advent, and encouragement and support for churches responding to the President’s challenge of bringing one person to faith through a special focus on Easter Sunday.

The programme for learning and development in Wales Synod will include training for mentors and tutors in the new Worship: leading & preaching course and opportunities to develop discipleship through the new Encounter course, Step Forward, or Meet Pray Love groups. New courses for church and circuit stewards will be introduced, alongside continuing opportunities to participate in Core skills training for working with children, conflict transformation, support for lay and ordained ministers, and events to explore spirituality and our Methodist heritage.

Together, both synods support work with young people across Wales, and are planning a joint International Youth Exchange to Jamaica for young people aged between 16 and 23 in the summer of 2016.

This is not an exhaustive list so if you have a piece of work or project that you would like to develop or if you would like more information contact Delyth on 07799 902576 or daviesd@methodistchurch.org.uk
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