Interim Ministry
‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’ John 10.10
Interim Ministry is about transformation
Interim Ministry (IM) supports the process of revitalising parishes as they adapt to changing circumstances and explore how best to respond in positive, realistic and fruitful ways.
An Interim Minister is a fixed-term strategic appointment to parishes to lead them through a collaborative process of review and reflection on their current circumstances, history, identity and mission, and help discern a vision for the future.
Internationally, IM has become an established discipline. IM has been evolving in the Church of England for about 25 years, but particularly since a legal change formalised short-term posts in 2015, under certain circumstances.
We are still developing the practice of IM in the Church of England and this site has been set up to offer a resource hub for sharing best practice, experience and reflections on Interim Ministry, to support ongoing growth and understanding of this field.
The development of this web resource has been led by the Diocese of Chelmsford, and funded by the Church Commissioners and Archbishop’s Council through Strategic Development Funding. This resource hub continues to be hosted by the Diocese of Chelmsford.
Latest news
The Archbishop of York introduces IM resource hub
21 March 2021
The Diocese of Chelmsford is launching a new national Interim Ministry resources hub that will support churches that are in need of significant change and renewal.
IM Conference 2020
15 March 2021
The second IM national conference took place in December 2020 online via Zoom.
IM offers a great ‘transformational change’ in parishes
10 March 2021
In 2015 Chelmsford secured support from the Strategic Development Fund for the Turnaround Project. This aimed to support parishes where there had been leadership issues.
The IM Network
The IM Network was developed by the Diocese of Chelmsford to link with contacts in other dioceses who were working in IM.
By 2021, this network had grown to about 150 practitioners and diocesan contacts involved in Interim Ministry in the Church of England across 34 dioceses.
This network is still evolving, but it aims to be a hub for knowledge and learning, to connect Interim Ministers for mutual support and skill sharing, and a place for collaboration on the development of training and information resources.
The development of the IM Source Book and web resource has have been developed by the Diocese of Chelmsford with the support of the Strategic Development Fund, part of the Church of England’s Renewal and Reform Programme.
