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Qualities for Discernment

Priest and Distinctive Deacon
(including Safeguarding and Discernment)
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Introduction
Qualities rather than Criteria
In the grids which follow we have moved away from Criteria which are to be met to Qualities to be inhabited. This marks a different way of exploring a person’s
potential call to train for ordained ministry in the Church of England. Inhabiting a quality speaks more of a life-long process that is ever deepening and it might offer
resonance with the ancient term ‘habitus’ which speaks of dispositions lived out through being immersed deeply in a wide variety of lived contexts and relationships,
all of which shape our living and calling. The qualities are grounded in the Church of England’s Ordinals. There are six Qualities: Love for God, Call to Ministry, Love for
People, Wisdom, Fruitfulness and Potential. These qualities are explored in the context of a candidate’s relationship to Christ, the Church, the World and the Self.

Priest and Distinctive Deacon

This document contains the high-level grids for both Priests and Distinctive Deacons. These high-level grids are likely to be the candidate-facing documents. We will
work on presenting these as attractively as possible in digital format including using single words, pictures and images. In each case the high-level grid is followed by
a more detailed breakdown of the qualities which is designed to help DDOs in the task of exploring the qualities with candidates to enable then to inhabit the high-
level grid most effectively.

Assistant Ministry and Incumbent Level Ministry

The grids include what is needed in the qualities for those offering for Assistant Level ministry and for those offering for ministry at Incumbent Level. We have
included incumbent level qualities for both Priests and Distinctive Deacons since there is no theological reason why a Distinctive Deacon cannot exercise ministry at
Incumbent Level, even though this may well not be in traditional parish-based ministry. The question of whether a minister is stipendiary or non-stipendiary is
separate from whether they are being considered for ministry at Assistant Level or Incumbent Level.

A clear, trusted, flexible and welcoming framework

We hope that these qualities will be clear and communicable. We hope the framework will be reliable, transparent, rigorous and consistent. Above all we hope that it
will be widely inclusive of all potential candidates across the widest range of contexts and that it will enable all candidates to give of their best, opening space for
them to explore God’s call in their lives, whatever shape that takes. We hope that within these two fundamental orders of ministry a variety of different profiles of
ministry might emerge, in response to the needs of the Church and to God’s call on the lives of Christian disciples.

Safeguarding and Discernment

Candidates must be completely committed to excellent safeguarding practice, personally and across the Church, and this needs to be evident in practice, attitudes,
and ongoing learning. Safeguarding underpins the whole discernment process and must be clearly visible as a vital building block of the excellent safeguarding
culture we are striving to promote. Training for candidates, Bishops’ advisers, and staff, as specified by the National Safeguarding Team is a prerequisite
for discernment work. For candidates, potential safeguarding ‘Roadblocks’ (Enhanced DBS with barring information; overseas safeguarding checks where needed;
engagement with Promoting a Safer Church and completion of Basic and Foundation safeguarding training) must be addressed and completed before attending a
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Stage 1 Panel (with DDOs confirmation from DDOs in the Stage 1 paperwork). During a Stage 2 Panel, a candidate’s safeguarding understanding, attitudes, learning
and practice are assessed in the Love or People and Wisdom Qualities as set out in the assessment grids. Evidence of these will be included in reports, augmenting
the in-depth exploration of a person’s ‘being’ and ‘growing’ and the use of psychological assessment as normative and consistent during preparation for Stage 2
assessments. The submitted paperwork and reports will, therefore, provide a clear and transparent audit trail regarding a candidate’s safeguarding practice.

Words from the Ordinal - From the Common Worship Ordination Service
From the ordination of Deacons
Deacons are called to work with the Bishop and the priests with whom they serve as heralds of Christ’s kingdom. They are to proclaim the gospel in word and deed, as
agents of God’s purposes of love. They are to serve the community in which they are set, bringing to the Church the needs and hopes of all the people. They are to work
with their fellow members in searching out the poor and weak, the sick and lonely and those who are oppressed and powerless, reaching into the forgotten corners of
the world, that the love of God may be made visible.

Deacons share in the pastoral ministry of the Church and in leading God’s people in worship. They preach the word and bring the needs of the world before the Church
in intercession. They accompany those searching for faith and bring them to baptism. They assist in administering the sacraments; they distribute communion and
minister to the sick and housebound.

Deacons are to seek nourishment from the Scriptures; they are to study them with God’s people, that the whole Church may be equipped to live out the gospel in the
world. They are to be faithful in prayer, expectant and watchful for the signs of God’s presence, as he reveals his kingdom among us.

From the ordination of Priests

Priests are called to be servants and shepherds among the people to whom they are sent. With their Bishop and fellow ministers, they are to proclaim the word of the
Lord and to watch for the signs of God’s new creation. They are to be messengers, watchmen and stewards of the Lord; they are to teach and to admonish, to feed and
provide for his family, to search for his children in the wilderness of this world’s temptations, and to guide them through its confusions, that they may be saved through
Christ forever. Formed by the word, they are to call their hearers to repentance and to declare in Christ’s name the absolution and forgiveness of their sins.

With all God’s people, they are to tell the story of God’s love. They are to baptize new disciples in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to
walk with them in the way of Christ, nurturing them in the faith. They are to unfold the Scriptures, to preach the word in season and out of season, and to declare the
mighty acts of God. They are to preside at the Lord’s table and lead his people in worship, offering with them a spiritual sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. They are
to bless the people in God’s name. They are to resist evil, support the weak, defend the poor, and intercede for all in need. They are to minister to the sick and prepare
the dying for their death. Guided by the Spirit, they are to discern and foster the gifts of all God’s people, that the whole Church may be built up in unity and faith.
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Is reliant on God - Father, Son Is rooted in Scripture, the Whole-heartedly, generously Is prayerful and studies the
and Holy Spirit - and lives out an worship of the Church and the and attractively engages with Bible
Love for God
infectious, life-transforming faith living traditions of faith God’s world
The candidate…

Responds to the call of Christ to Understands the distinctive Is committed to being a public Articulates an inner sense of call
Call to Ministry be a disciple nature of ordained priestly and representative person grounded in priestly service
ministry
The candidate…

Welcomes Christ in others, Builds relationships which are Shows God’s compassion for Has empathy and is aware of
listens, values and respects; collaborative and enabling the world how others receive them
Love for People
cares for those in poverty and
The candidate… the marginalised Keeps pastoral and professional Keeps personal boundaries
boundaries
Is inquisitive, curious and open Shows leadership that enables Is robust and courageous and Is a mature and integrated
Wisdom to new learning thriving and healthy churches, prepared to take risks person of stability and integrity
handles conflict, and can lead in
The candidate… mission
Can learn and reflect Understands safeguarding / Recognises the need to assess Is personally self-aware
safety in church communities risk

Embraces the different and Shows the capacity to exercise Shares faith in Christ and can Has resilience and stamina
Fruitfulness enables others to be witnesses sacramental, liturgical and an accompany others in their faith
and servants effective and enabling teaching
The candidate…
ministry

Grow in faith and be open to Manage change, and see the big See where God is working in the Be adaptable and agile
Potential navigating the future in the picture world and respond with
company of Christ and guided missionary imagination
The candidate has
potential to…
by the Holy Spirit

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Is reliant on God - Father, Son Is rooted in scripture, the Whole-heartedly, generously Is Prayerful and studies the
Love for God and Holy Spirit - and lives out an worship of the Church and the and attractively engages with Bible
The candidate… infectious, life-transforming living traditions of faith God’s world
faith
1. Communicates their own faith 1. Can speak of, and show 1. Can talk about the loving and 1. Shows how Bible study forms
clearly and attractively commitment to, the key beliefs of saving purposes of God in Christ their personal discipleship
the Church as expressed in the for the whole of creation
Scriptures and the creeds
2. Can draw on Biblical and
2. Can evidence effective and theological ideas to discuss
appropriate involvement in the people’s questions about life and
leading (of aspects) of worship faith and to reflect critically on
their own faith

2. Can describe how their 3. Can reflect on the meaning of 3. Can show a spirituality that is life 2. Can reflect on how their
relationship with Christ has Holy Communion for them – and world –affirming disciplined, structured pattern of
changed and deepened in recent personally personal prayer and encounter
The candidate… 4. Can show engagement with
years with Scripture sustains their daily
4. Can reflect on the meaning of issues in the world especially
living
3. Shows how they live out the Holy Communion in the life of the justice, peace and the integrity of
Gospel in their daily living Church creation 3. Can reflect on how praying has
impacted on and enabled growth in
4. Shows a vibrant, deep and robust 5. Recognises the tradition of the them, especially when prayer has
faith which has been able to wrestle Daily Office as an anchor for prayer
been arid or hard
with doubt, disappointment, and shows commitment to a Daily
change, pain and failure Office (or other Anglican resource) 4. Can show they have a supportive
and accountable relationship in
which their spirituality can be
challenged and enabled to grow
and can speak of the benefits of this
relationship

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Responds to the call of Christ to Understands the distinctive Is committed to being a public Articulates an inner sense of
Call to Ministry be a disciple nature of ordained priestly and representative person call grounded in priestly
The candidate… ministry service

1. Can use the description of a 1. Can show knowledge and 1. Can describe how they have
Deacon and Priest in the ordinal to understanding of the place of the practically tested their inner
explore images that resonate for Church of England in the life of the sense of call; for example,
them nation through undertaking new
experiences or opportunities
2. Can recognise and explain a 2. Can explore how the Church
range of different traditions in the proclaims afresh in each generation
Church of England and reflect on the Good News of Jesus Christ as
how their tradition sits within the society and culture change
breadth of traditions

1. Can speak of the connections 3. Can articulate the distinctive 3. Can show knowledge and 2. Can explore key turning points,
between their life as a disciple nature of ministry as a priest understanding of the public and significant people, and experiences
and their vocational journey representative nature of ordained in the development of their call
4. Understands how discipline and
ministry, drawing on their own 3. Can show that they are so
2. Shows openness to whatever accountability are exercised within
The candidate… the Church and what these may
experience captivated by their sense of God’s
God, through the Holy Spirit, may
unfold in the future require of them now and in the 4. Can show understanding that call that grappling with it and
future God’s call comes through the responding seems an imperative
3. Can demonstrate willingness, Church and a willingness to respond
time and energy to undertake 5. Shows generosity and respect to, 4. Can recognise the cost of this
to the Church’s needs regarding call and can show that they are
training and formation and work flexibility with, those
ministerial deployment willing to accept this costliness
wholeheartedly whose tradition and practice are
different and what needs to be embraced in
the pursuit of their call
5. Can reflect on the response of
others to their potential call to
ordained ministry

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Love for People Welcomes Christ in others, Builds relationships which are Shows God’s compassion for Has empathy and awareness of
listens, values and respects; collaborative and enabling the world how others receive them
cares for those in poverty and
The candidate... the marginalised Keeps pastoral and professional Keeps personal boundaries
boundaries

1. Can evidence good listening

skills and empathy
2. Can evidence having shown
compassion and/or exercised
pastoral care in appropriate and
sensitive ways

1. Shows capacity to reflect on why, 3. Shows the capacity to be a 1. Shows enjoyment and deep 1. Can balance the demands of
as a Christian imperative, we engage valued team member, including interest in engaging with people in personal relationships and those of
generously with those who are working in an effective way the wider world work, ministry or other
different alongside those who are different 2. Can build relationships readily in commitments, whilst maintaining
2. Shows an openness to valuing and from them the wider world, finding ways to appropriate boundaries
engaging with people who are 4. Can evidence the speak the ‘language’ of others 2. Is able to manage appropriate
different from themselves such as interpersonal skills to draw appropriately personal boundaries
social, cultural, gender, ethnicity, alongside others and build 3. Can show how their prayer and 3. Can evidence healthy, stable and
disability, age and sexuality healthy and boundaried worship overflow into missional supportive personal relationships
The candidate… differences professional and pastoral engagement in the world in that will sustain and support them
relationships thought, prayer and action in their training and ministry
5. Can show acceptance of 4. Comes across with gravitas and a
working with other people’s rooted sense of self that generates
limitations and vulnerabilities trust from others
6. Can nurture and mentor others 5. Can evidence sensitive and
and build the unity of the Church appropriate ways of managing
situations requiring confidentiality

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Is inquisitive, curious and open Shows leadership that enables Is robust, courageous and Is a mature and integrated
Wisdom to new learning thriving and healthy prepared to take risks person of stability and integrity
churches, handles conflict and
The candidate… can lead in mission
Can learn and reflect Understands safeguarding / Recognises the need to assess Is personally self-aware
safety in church communities risk

1. Shows they can learn and be a 1. Can reflect on situations of 1. Can evidence being able to 1. Can reflect on how they have
life-long learner conflict and on resolving them ‘steer through choppy waters’ and integrated difficult personal
including reflecting on what has show robustness reflecting on what experiences and hard times in life
2. Shows they are open to others’
been learnt from such situations they learnt from such an experience
perspectives and opinions 2. Can show how they have
2. Shows understanding of the 2. Shows how they can stand up for developed understanding of, and
3. Can live with unanswered
challenges, tensions and costs what they believe to be right, even ways of mitigating, their personal
questions
inherent in real collaborative though it might not be popular vulnerabilities
4. Shows openness to allowing leadership
3. Can show how they have been 3. Shows they can integrate
new learning to shape their
3. Can show knowledge and prepared to take risks, and what experiences of anger and turmoil
discipleship and vocation
understanding of the motifs of they have learnt from any lack of
4. Can show maturity in
The candidate… 5. Can reflect on all aspects of distinctively Christian leadership success
encounters with others, and the
safeguarding as fundamental to needed for thriving and healthy
4. Can articulate the importance ability to handle complex
their life-long learning as a churches
of assessing safeguarding risks relationships with wisdom
disciple and minister
4. Has capacity to adapt a
5. Recognises the safeguarding 5. Can maintain self-confidence in
6. Can reflect on how learning leadership style to the context
risks of social media the face of criticism or situations of
about safeguarding has
5. Shows how they have led in such conflict
impacted upon their
a way as to enable, encourage and
understanding and attitudes 6. Demonstrates how they are a
empower others
person of honesty and integrity
6. Can articulate what makes a
7. Has good self-awareness
church or worshipping
community safe 8. Is open to personal
7. Can model good safeguarding accountability
in their leadership

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Embraces the different and Shows the capacity to Shares faith in Christ and can Has resilience and stamina
Fruitfulness enables others to be exercise sacramental, accompany others in their
The Candidate… witnesses and servants liturgical and effective and faith
enabling teaching ministry
1. Can reflect on the impact of 1. Can reflect on how worship, 1. Can communicate faith to people,
enabling others to live out their faith especially sacramental worship, including children and young
and grow their discipleship helps them and others to be more people, in different contexts and
effective and faithful disciples situations
2. Can reflect on how Scripture helps 2. Can story-tell in a creative way
them and others to be more 3. Can use current affairs and
effective and faithful disciples contemporary culture to draw out
Gospel themes
4. Shows a wide and inclusive
understanding of mission based on
the Five Marks of Mission and how
they might be lived out in a given
The context
Candidate… 1. Shows perseverance and stamina
2. Can reflect on concrete examples 3. Recognises the importance of 5. Shows commitment to enabling
of embracing those different from work with children and young the whole people of God to live out over the long haul and the capacity
them e.g. working ecumenically; people and shows they can enable their calling in the world as well as to reflect on what they have
working with those of other faiths; such work to flourish the Church experienced
working with Christians who express 4. Can communicate well so as to 2. Can bear the attritional nature of
faith very differently from the way preach the Word of God and teach ministry and resist being ground
they do effectively and creatively down
3. Can learn from, and reflect upon,
mistakes and errors of judgement
4. Can show resilience, elasticity and a
capacity to ‘bounce back’ in the face
of difficulties
5. Shows a good sense of humour
and the capacity to maintain
perspective

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Priest Christ Church World Self

Potential Grow in faith and to be open Manage change, and see the See where God is working in Be adaptable and agile
The Candidate to navigating the future in the big picture the world and respond with
has potential to… company of Christ and guided missionary imagination
by the Holy Spirit
1. Show growth in faith in recent 1. All: Understand and respond well to the 1. All: See where God is at work in 1. Show that they accept
distinctive challenges and opportunities the world and to work out, with
years that has been personal and themselves, understand their own
that come with working with volunteers others, how to join in
transformative strengths, are reconciled to their
2. Assistant: Work with others to develop a 2. Incumbent: Show capacity to vulnerabilities and have developed
2. Show they are open to new strategy for growth become an inspiring and articulate
apologist and interpreter for Christian faith
strategies for mitigating them
insights about God and God’s call on Incumbent: See the big picture, cast a in the public arena
their life vision with others and develop strategy for 2. Change their mind or their
growth which takes people with them 3. Assistant: Show how they might perspective in the light of new
3. Show how they will sustain and participate in evangelistic and missional
3. Assistant: Work with others in learning
develop their relationship with God, projects
implementing growth and change
and their relationship with others Incumbent: Show how they might lead or
3. Recognise, understand and
Incumbent: Show initiative, drive and initiate evangelistic and missional address their own biases
4. Show they are open and willing to creativity in implementing growth so as to
projects
The be obedient to the needs of the promote and release others 4. Demonstrate flexibility of mind
church in terms of future 4. All: Reflect insightfully on the and capacity to think on their feet
candidate 4. Assistant: Reflect critically on
lessons learnt from missional or
deployment experiencing team leadership and to
has potential show personal growth in response
evangelistic initiatives – both 5. Articulate how they have changed
those that worked, and those that didn’t
to… 5. Show their faith opens them to because of their vocational journey
Incumbent: Reflect critically on
‘love mercy, do justly and walk 5. Assistant: Show their capacity to
exercising or experiencing visionary
engage better in mission and evangelism 6. Show that they have examined
humbly with God’ in facing team leadership and to show personal honestly and in depth the changes
challenges in society and growth in response Incumbent: Show their capacity to enable
others to engage better in mission and
that ordained ministry will bring
responding to others with humility 5. All: Understand the relationship between
evangelism within their household
power and authority, understand their
dynamics and exercise both with wisdom 7. Maintain a wide breadth of
and humility interests to enable flourishing and
6. Incumbent: Hold the ring in terms of growth as a human being
decision making when the buck stops
with them
7. Incumbent: Show nuanced skills in
negotiation and problem solving so as to
manage change effectively

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Is reliant on God - Father, Son Is rooted in scripture, the Whole heartedly, generously and Is prayerful and studies the Bible
Love for God and Holy Spirit - and lives out an worship of the Church and the attractively engages with God’s
The candidate… infectious, life-transforming living traditions of faith world
world-focussed faith
Responds to the call of Christ to Understands the distinctive Is committed to being a public Articulates an inner sense of call
Call to Ministry be a disciple nature of ordained diaconal and representative person of the grounded in diaconal service
The candidate… ministry Church in the forgotten corners
of the world
Welcomes Christ in others, Builds relationships which are Shows God’s compassion and Has empathy and is aware of
listens, values and respects and collaborative and enabling care in the world in multifaceted how others receive them
Love for People
has a special care for those in contexts and with social
The candidate… poverty and the marginalised Keeps pastoral and professional agencies Keeps personal boundaries
boundaries

Is inquisitive, curious and open Shows instinctively collaborative Is robust and courageous in Is a mature and integrated
to new learning that connects leadership that enables healthy reflecting the world to the person of stability and integrity
Wisdom church and world churches to be bridge-builders in Church and the Church to the
The candidate… their communities world
Can learn and reflect Understands safeguarding / Recognises the need to assess Is personally self-aware
safety in church communities risk
Embraces the different and Shows the capacity to exercise Is a storyteller of God’s love and Has resilience and stamina
animates others to be witnesses diaconal sacramental and agent of God’s kingdom of
Fruitfulness
and servants liturgical ministry and effective justice
The candidate… and enabling teaching ministry

Grow in faith and to be open to See the big picture in their See where God is working in the Be adaptable and agile
Potential navigating the future in the context and, within it, enable a world and to read the signs of
The candidate has potential to… company of Christ and guided by Christian community to serve the times
the Holy Spirit

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Love for God Is reliant on God – Father, Son Is rooted in scripture, the Whole-heartedly, generously Is prayerful and studies the Bible
and Holy Spirit - and lives out an worship of the Church and the and attractively engages with
The candidate… infectious, life-transforming traditions of faith God’s world
world-focussed faith

1. Communicates their own faith 1. Can speak of and show 1. Can talk about the loving and 1. Shows how Bible study forms
clearly and attractively in deed as commitment to the key beliefs of saving purposes of God in Christ for their personal discipleship
well as word the Church as expressed in the the whole of creation
Scriptures and the creeds
2. Can draw on Biblical and
2. Can evidence effective and theological ideas to discuss people’s
appropriate involvement in the questions about life and faith and to
leading (of aspects) of worship reflect critically on their own faith

2. Can describe how their 3. Can reflect on the meaning of 3. Can show a spirituality that is life 2. Can reflect on how their
relationship with Christ has Holy Communion for them – and world – affirming, being disciplined, structured pattern of
changed and deepened in recent personally deeply attentive to God’s presence personal prayer and engagement
years in the world in its majesty and with scripture sustains their daily
4. Can reflect on the meaning of
misery living, including well-developed
3. Shows how they live out the Holy Communion in the life of the
The candidate… intercessory prayer bridging Church
Gospel in their daily living and how Church. 4. Can show engagement with
and world
they see Christ in the midst of the issues in the world especially
5. Recognises the Daily Office as an
life of the world justice, peace and the integrity of 3. Can reflect on how praying has
anchor for prayer and shows
creation impacted on, and enabled growth in
4. Shows a vibrant, deep and robust commitment to a Daily Office (or
them especially when prayer has
faith which has been able to wrestle other Anglican resource)
been arid or hard
with doubt, change,
6. Can reflect on the liturgical role of
disappointment, pain and failure 4. Can show they have a supportive
a Deacon in helping make Christ
and accountable relationship in
present in the assembly
which their spirituality can be
challenged and enabled to grow and
can speak of its benefits

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
 P a g e | 13

Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Responds to the call of Christ to Understands the distinctive Is committed to being a public Articulates an inner sense of call
Call to Ministry be a disciple nature of ordained diaconal and representative person of the grounded in diaconal service
The candidate… ministry Church in the forgotten corners
of the world

1. Can use the description of a 1. Can show knowledge and 1. Can describe how they have
Deacon in the ordinal to explore understanding of the place of the practically tested their inner sense
images that resonate for them Church of England in the life of the of call; for example, through
nation undertaking new experiences or
2. Can recognise and explain a range
opportunities
of different traditions in the Church 2. Can explore how the church
of England and reflect on how their proclaims afresh in each generation
tradition sits within the breadth of the Good News of Jesus Christ as
traditions society and culture change
1. Can speak of the connections 2. Can explore key turning points,
3. Can articulate the distinctive 3. Can show knowledge and
between their life as a disciple and significant people and experiences
nature of ministry as a Deacon – understanding of the public and
their vocational journey in the development of their call
rooted in Word, sacrament and representative nature of ordained
2. Shows openness to whatever pastoral care so as to be a sign and diaconal ministry, taking the 3. Can show that they are so
God, through the Holy Spirit, may animator of the diaconal character ministry of the Church into the heart captivated by their sense of God’s
The candidate… of the whole Church of the world in a pioneering way as call that grappling with it and
unfold in the future
Christ’s ambassador responding seems an imperative
3. Can demonstrate willingness, 4. Understands how discipline and
time and energy to undertake accountability are exercised within 4. Can show understanding that 4. Can recognise the cost of this call
training and formation the Church and what these may God’s call comes through the to be a ‘living icon’ of Christ the
wholeheartedly require of them now and in the Church and a willingness to respond servant showing that they are
future to the Church’s needs regarding willing to accept the costliness and
ministerial deployment what needs to be embraced in the
5. Shows generosity and respect to,
pursuit of their call
and can work flexibility with, those
whose tradition and practice are 5. Can reflect on the response of
different others to their potential call to
ordained ministry

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
 P a g e | 14

Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Welcomes Christ in others, Builds relationships which are Shows God’s compassion and Has empathy and awareness of
Love for People listens, values and respects; and enabling and collaborative care in the world in multifaceted how others receive them
The candidate… has a special care for those in Keeps pastoral and professional contexts and with social Keeps personal boundaries
poverty and marginalised boundaries agencies
1. Can evidence good listening skills
and empathy

2. Can evidence having shown

compassion and/or exercised
pastoral care in appropriate and
sensitive ways

1.Stands in the midst of those who 3. Shows the capacity to be a valued 1. Shows enjoyment and deep 1. Can balance the demands of
are poor or marginalised and shows team member, including working in interest in engaging with people in personal relationships and those of
The candidate… the capacity to reflect on why, as a an effective way alongside those the wider world work, ministry or other
Christian imperative, we engage who are different from them commitments, whilst maintaining
generously with those who are 2. Can build relationships readily in
appropriate boundaries
different 4. Can evidence the interpersonal the wider world, finding ways to
skills to draw alongside others and speak the ‘language’ of others 2. Is able to manage appropriate
2.Shows an openness to how they build healthy and boundaried appropriately, including engaging personal boundaries
have valued and engaged with professional and pastoral creatively with community and
people who are different from 3. Can evidence healthy, stable and
relationships other agencies
themselves such as social, cultural, supportive personal relationships
gender, ethnicity, disability, age and 5. Shows acceptance of working 3. Shows how their prayer and that will sustain and support them
sexuality differences with other people’s limitations and worship overflow into missional in their training and ministry
vulnerabilities engagement in the world in
3. Can reflect on all aspects of 4. Comes across with gravitas and a
thought, prayer and action, and how
safeguarding as fundamental to 6. Can nurture and mentor others rooted sense of self that, by the way
engagement in the world is brought
their life-long learning as a disciple and build the unity of the Church they are received by others, builds
back into the prayer, worship and
and minister trust
life of the Church
5. Can evidence sensitive and
appropriate ways of managing
situations requiring confidentiality

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Is Inquisitive, curious and open Shows instinctive collaborative Is robust, courageous and Is a mature and integrated
Wisdom to new learning especially that leadership that enables thriving prepared to take risks in person of stability and integrity
connects church and world and healthy churches to be reflecting the world to the
The candidate… bridge-builders in their Church and the Church to the
communities world
Can learn and reflect Understands safeguarding / safety Recognises the need to assess risk Is personally self-aware
in church communities

1. Shows they can learn and be a life- 1. Can reflect on situations of conflict 1. Can evidence being able to ‘steer 1. Can reflect on how they have
long learner and on resolving them, including through choppy waters’ and show integrated difficult personal
reflecting on what has been learnt robustness reflecting on what they experiences and hard times in life
2. Shows they are open to others’ from such situations learnt from such an experience
perspectives and opinions 2. Shows how they have developed
2. Shows understanding of the 2. Shows how they can stand up for understanding of, and ways of
3. Can live with unanswered questions challenges, tensions and costs what they believe to be right, taking a mitigating, their personal
4. Shows openness to allowing new inherent in real collaborative prophetic stance, even when it might vulnerabilities
learning to shape their discipleship leadership not be popular
The candidate… 3. Shows they can integrate
and vocation 3. Shows knowledge and
3. Shows how they have been experiences of anger and turmoil
understanding of the motifs of
5. Is open to fresh learning and new prepared to take risks, and what they
distinctively Christian leadership 4. Shows maturity in encounters with
perspectives particularly relating to have learnt from any lack of success
needed for thriving and healthy others, and the ability to handle
the needs of the world and enabling
churches 4. Is conversant with contemporary complex relationships with wisdom
Christian responsiveness to such
4. Has the capacity to adapt a style of cultures and aspirations and has the
needs 5. Can maintain self-confidence in the
leadership to the context in a way that capacity and courage to act as a go-
face of criticism or situations of
6. Can reflect on all aspects of is instinctively collaborative between and envoy who can bridge
conflict
safeguarding as fundamental to misunderstanding and build
their life-long learning as a 5. Shows how they have led in such a reconciliation 6. Demonstrates how they are a
disciple and minister way as to release, encourage and person of honesty and integrity
empower others 5. Can articulate the importance
7. Can reflect on how learning of assessing safeguarding risks 7. Has good self-awareness
6. Can articulate what makes a
about safeguarding has
church or worshipping 6. Recognises the safeguarding risks 8. Is open to personal
impacted upon their
community safe of social media accountability
understanding and attitudes
7. Can model good safeguarding
in their leadership

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Embraces the different and Shows the capacity to exercise Is a storyteller of God’s love and Has resilience and stamina
Fruitfulness animates others to be diaconal sacramental and liturgical an agent of God’s kingdom of
The Candidate… witnesses and servants ministry and effective and enabling justice
teaching ministry

1. Can reflect on the impact of 1. Can reflect on how worship, 1. Can communicate faith to people,
enabling others to live out their especially sacramental worship, helps including children and young people,
faith and grow their discipleship them and others to be more effective in different contexts and situations
and faithful disciples 2. Can story-tell in a creative way
2. Can reflect on how Scripture helps 3. Can use current affairs and
them and others to be more effective contemporary culture to draw out
and faithful disciples Gospel themes
4. Shows a wide and inclusive
understanding of mission based on
the Five Marks of Mission and how they
The candidate… might be lived out in a given context

2. Can reflect on concrete 3. Recognises the importance of work with 5. Is deeply facilitative showing 1. Shows perseverance and stamina
examples of embracing those children and young people and shows they commitment, to and capacity for, over the long haul and the capacity to
different from them e.g. working can enable such work to flourish enabling the whole people of God to reflect on what they have experienced
ecumenically; working with 4. Can accompany children or adults live out their calling in the world as 2. Can bear the attritional nature of a
those of other faiths; working searching for faith so as to bring them to well as the Church particularly liminal ministry and resist
with Christians who express faith baptism and to the church’s sacramental being ground down
very differently from the way life
3. Can learn from and reflect upon
they do 5. Has the capacity to increase mistakes and errors of judgement
3. Can engage well on the understanding of the needs of the world in
4. Can show resilience, elasticity and a
the Church and grow commitment to
margins as a commissioned capacity to ‘bounce back’ in the face
engaging with such needs
minister who can enable a wide of difficulties
range of others to be servants, 6. Can communicate well so as to preach
5. Shows a good sense of humour and
and witnesses the Word of God and teach effectively and
the capacity to maintain perspective
creatively

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)
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Distinctive Christ Church World Self

Deacon
Grow in faith and to be open See the big picture in their context See where God is working in the Be adaptable and agile
Potential
to navigating the future in and within in it, enable a Christian world and to read the signs of the
The Candidate has the company of Christ and community to serve times
potential to…
guided by the Holy Spirit
1. Show growth in faith in recent 1. All: Understand and respond well to the 1. All: See where God is at work in 1. Show that they accept
distinctive challenges and opportunities
years that has been personal and the world and to work out, as themselves, understand their own
that come with working with volunteers
transformative the eyes and ears of the church, strengths, are reconciled to their
2. Assistant: Work with others to develop a how to enable others to
strategy for growth with engagement in vulnerabilities and have
2. Show they are open to new participate
the local context developed strategies for
insights about God and God’s
Incumbent: See the big picture, grow 2. Incumbent: Show capacity to mitigating them
call on their life vision with others and develop strategies become an inspiring and articulate
to implement vision which takes people in apologist and interpreter for 2. Change their mind or their
3. Show how they will sustain their context with them
Christian faith in the public arena perspective in the light of new
and develop their relationship
3. Assistant: Work with others in learning
with God, and their relationship implementing growth and change in a way 3. Assistant: Show how they might
with others that doesn’t seek the limelight participate in evangelistic and 3. Recognise, understand and
Incumbent: Show initiative, drive and missional projects address their own biases
4. Show they are open and creativity in implementing growth so as
The candidate has willing to be obedient to the to promote and release others
Incumbent: Show how they 4. Demonstrate flexibility of mind
might lead or initiate
potential to… needs of the church in terms of 4. Assistant: Reflect critically on and capacity to think on their feet
evangelistic and missional
future deployment experiencing team leadership and to
show personal growth in response projects 5. Articulate how they have
5. Show their faith opens them Incumbent: Reflect critically on 4. All: Reflect insightfully on the changed because of their
to ‘love mercy, do justly and exercising or experiencing deeply lessons learnt from missional or vocational journey
collaborative but effective strategic
walk humbly with God’ in facing evangelistic initiatives – both
leadership which grows vision and 6. Show that they have examined
challenges in society and ownership and to show personal those that worked, and those that
growth in response
honestly and in depth the changes
responding to others with didn’t
that ordained ministry will bring
humility 5. Assistant: Understand the relationship
5. Assistant: Show their capacity
between power and authority, understand within their household
their dynamics and exercise both with to engage better in mission
wisdom and humility and evangelism 7. Maintain a wide breadth of
6. Incumbent: Recognise that, even with interests to enable flourishing and
Incumbent: Show their capacity
episcopally delegated authority, growth as a human being
responsibility lies with them, even whilst to enable others to engage
leading from the middle better in mission and
7.Incumbent: Show nuanced skills in evangelism
negotiation and problem solving so as
to manage change effectively

May 2021 Legend: Safeguarding; Blue – Stage 1; Green – Stage 2; Orange – Group Exercise (Stage 2); Purple – Incumbent Level (Stage 2)