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This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 21 March 2017. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
In the latest of our series on how the Church is financed, our Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO), the Revd Caroline Windley, describes the different pathways to ordination and how they are paid for.
"Jesus said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest'. " (Luke 10:2).
Each year we rejoice that within this Diocese God is raising up increasing numbers of women and men to service in the ministry of the Church.
Some of these workers are offering for ordained ministry as deacons and priests.
Between 25 and 33 per cent of those recommended for training are offering for self-supporting ministry, the remainder for full-time stipendiary deployable ministry. The Diocese has a responsibility for ensuring that the candidates it sponsors for training have sufficient funds, from whatever source, to maintain themselves and their families during the training period.
The Ministry Division of the Archbishops' Council (Min Div) pays tuition fees and some of the maintenance costs for training in college.
They also provide guidelines relating to the support of candidates in full time training.
These fix a level of expenditure at which the Diocese is expected to support a candidate. Diocesan expenditure on maintenance support is subject to a pooling system which ensures that the costs faced by dioceses in sponsoring candidates in full-time ordination training are fairly shared between the dioceses.
The total costs are apportioned and taken into account in assessing each diocese's contribution to the Archbishops' Council's budget in the following year.
What this effectively means is that if the Diocese of Oxford trains more than six per cent of those in full time training, our contribution to the national budget is reduced the following year.
This varies from year to year. Ordinands training part-time are not eligible for maintenance grants but can claim a book and travel grant from Min Div throughout their course.
All ordinands receive a first appointment grant to help cover the costs of purchasing robes etc.
In the current academic year 2016/17 the Diocese has 71 ordinands in training.
Of these 44 are training full-time (either residential college or context based training).
Grants are means tested and ordinands complete a detailed budget form. The level of maintenance varies considerably depending on their individual circumstances.
Of the 44 ordinands in full-time training, nine single ordinands receive an average maintenance grant of £3,457 pa and 26 ordinands with families receive an average maintenance grant of £10,447 pa.
From September 2017 new proposals concerning the funding of ministerial education will be implemented.
Min Div will continue to pay tuition fees according to a new age-related block grant but will pass the administration of this to dioceses. There will be implications for the Diocese, particularly if we consider that full-time training is the most appropriate for an older candidate.
However, should a younger candidate train on a cheaper pathway the Diocese can use the surplus towards funding more expensive pathways for older candidates.
Oxford has been one of the dioceses piloting the new arrangements, and on the basis of the 19 ordinands who started training in 2016/17, we estimate that the additional costs would be in the region of £18,500 across the three years.
Unusually, we didn't have any candidates over the age of 40 start residential training in September 2016, so we might anticipate this figure rising.
This is something we are carefully monitoring and considering criteria to determine difficult training decisions. When we pay grants to support ordinands in training, we are investing in the health of the church.
Our ordinands don't take this support for granted, and are grateful for the privilege and opportunities the grants afford.
Now DDO, I was an Oxford ordinand between 1995-97.
I still remember with gratitude the financial assistance I received as a single ordinand that made it possible to live in college 52 weeks of the year and not just in term time.
The age-related standard grant (from September 2017):
Under 32 Band 1 Sufficient for three years full-time training32- 39 Band 2 Sufficient for two years full-time training40-54 Band 3 Sufficient for three years part-time training55 plus Band 4 Sufficient for two years part-time training
Hannah's story:
I am training residentially at Ripon College Cuddesdon, studying for a degree in Theology, Ministry and Mission on the Durham Common-Awards BA.
This means that I live in a flat at college (with my husband and cat) and each month the Diocese support us with enough to cover our rent and a small amount extra to help towards books.
My husband is a freelance musician and his core income comes from his Church position which pays our other bills, food and travel.
His income is taken into account in the funding calculations and allowances are made for travel and other expenses. I had to give up my job to come to college and train so the support from the Diocese makes it possible for us to both live on-site, for me to train full-time, and for my husband to be able to continue his ministry.
Our budget doesn't allow much room for extras but we get by and never have to worry about not having a roof over our head or food on the table, which is a huge gift. We are now expecting our first baby, due to be born just before my ordination, and the Diocese is looking to continue to support us through my maternity leave period.
As a young couple without any assets or housing, we are hugely grateful for the help we have received.
Without the Diocese's financial support during training and beyond, I would never have been able to afford to pursue my vocation. Ben's story:While one always hopes that the correct training path will be chosen prayerfully, God is (thankfully) well aware of our practical, as well as spiritual, needs. With four children in two different schools, a home to run and a nursing job that my wife loves, the thought of moving the family for two years seemed impractical (especially when curacy, and another move, beckoned. ) For these reasons, we opted for me to commute weekly to Ridley Hall in Cambridge, while the family remained at home.
Although difficult at times, the understanding nature of my college has enabled me to ensure that weekends (and one night a week) are spent at home.
This has only been possible through the generosity of our Diocese who we feel have really seen the value of full-time study. I wanted to be stretched intellectually, and to be able to devote this short time before ministry to a community that would challenge and support me in study. The grant from my diocese has removed a financial burden that would make this immersive route otherwise impossible.
Besides the main element of my grant, we have been helped with travel costs and my DDO has been on hand when things have been difficult.
Very early on our tax credits were considerably reduced and the diocese stepped in to ensure our grant was reassessed.
This commitment has made me and my family feel incredibly supported in our call to ministry.
We are well aware of the large costs that training involves, but it is testament to the Church that it is prepared to invest in its ordinands, ensuring a robust and educated clergy for the future. Yvonne's StoryI am in my first year of three, training for ordination on the Oxford Ministry Course.
We live 11 miles from Cuddesdon, which is very convenient for us as a family.
Our son is in Year 4 and will be moving to secondary school at the same time as I should begin my stipendiary curacy, hence me following the three-year part-time pathway. I have been teaching part-time for two days a week for the first two college terms, but we have decided that I will stop at the end of this term, so that I have more time for family, reading and formation.
I could have continued to teach part-time, however I want to make the most of the opportunity I have been given to study, and not have it adversely affect the time I have with my husband and son.
While we will miss the income I got from teaching, we know that we will manage financially and we decided that our quality of life and relationships were more important to us. We are fortunate in that my husband runs a successful one-man business.
By freeing up two days I will be able to help him more, relieve some of his deadline pressures and give him the flexibility to take on more work at busy times of the year. I receive a travel and book grant of �150 per term.
This helps towards the cost of travel to college on Tuesday evenings and study weekends.
I have tried to be selective each term and buy books that I will use throughout the three years and into my ministry.
I would say that I have spent at least £400 on books so far, and used all of them. I am thoroughly enjoying the course, the people and the college and have already learned more than I could have imagined.
God is good.
Natalie's story
The DDO encourages all ordinands to consider their finances during the early stages of discernment and we were no exception.
As a wider family we worked through income and outgoings for the three years that I would be training. Thankfully we have very supportive parents who are helping cover the costs for our 16-year-old son to remain at the school he was already attending, where he had started studying for his GCSEs.
In addition to this family support, the Church of England covers my tuition fees, a small book grant and travel expenses related to my studies.
As this is my first degree I was also able to call upon the normal student finance arrangements to help towards the continuing living expenses such as our mortgage. As a mixed mode student, I have days committed to study and I also spend a number of days each week in a church placement.
There, my specific area of responsibility is as a Children and Youth Assistant.
The parish pays me a nominal amount for this work.
It has been a real joy to be able to blend what I am learning theologically with the very real needs of a parish community.
However, the different income streams mean that I am not in receipt of a diocesan maintenance grant. This time of commitment to theological learning and personal formation is proving to be invaluable preparation and would not have been possible, for us as a family, without the support of the Church's provision for ordinands in training.
So a special thank you to all those readers who contribute to this training, be that in prayer or financially.