MORE than 120 young adults have joined a year-long placement scheme to experience ministry in the Church of England, its largest intake so far, Church House announced on Thursday.
The Ministry Experience Scheme (MES), set up in 2013, allows 18- to 29-year-olds to gain a range of practical experience, including preaching, chaplaincy, social-justice ministry, digital media, pastoral visiting, event organisation, evangelism, and children’s and youth work.
This year, 121 young adults are taking part in the scheme. It is the third consecutive year in which more than 100 participants have joined.
A conference focused on the MES was held on 15 January at St Mark’s, Regent Park, in London, attended by more than 150 people. Speakers included the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, and the Work and Pensions Minister, the Labour MP for East Ham, Sir Stephen Timms.
The newly nominated Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, who is the Acting Bishop of Durham and Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow, chairs the MES. It was a joy to see so many young people gathered at the conference, she said.
“I thank all those taking part, and those who support and pray for them in our dioceses and parishes. May we continue to pray for those who participate in the scheme, and for its continued success.”
Since 2013, more than 1000 young people have participated in the scheme. One, Helen, is completing her ministry experience this year at St Mary’s, Ambleside, in Carlisle diocese.
She said that a particular highlight had been helping to create a prayer room in the church, which is “now being used for all sorts of things such as worship nights, prayer times, and by the local schools”.
Another memorable moment had been helping to organise a “family fun day” at the church, where she dressed up as a penguin. “It was great fun and a really good way of being able to connect to the local community. We had just over 900 people walk through the church doors for the event,” she said.
Twenty-eight of this year’s MES intake are taking part in Future Youth, a specialist children’s- and youth-ministry scheme launched in 2023. One participant from Derby, Joe, said that he with his church had launched a youth drop-in session, attended by 50 people in its first week.
The interim head of vocations for the ministry development team, the Revd Charlotte Cook, said: “There is a real sense of energy and enthusiasm amongst young people who want to serve the Lord through this ministry. I pray that their call transforms their lives and those they serve this year and in the years to come.”
The youth-engagement and intergenerational-communities enabler in Leicester diocese, Matt Long, said that the MES “provides young adults with fertile ground to go deeper with God . . . discern vocation”.
It had led to a growth in the number of young people entering training for both lay and ordained ministry in the diocese, he said. “Over and again, we have seen young adults flourish as they grow in confidence and competence, through serving their local community and immersing themselves in the richness of Christian community.”