Resources and Information for LLMs

Annual LLM day

The annual LLM Day is an important day for ministerial development and celebration of LLM ministry in the diocese. It takes place in Exeter on the first Saturday in October. In the morning, LLMs gather for continuing ministry development with a guest speaker, before gathering together for fellowship over lunch. In the afternoon there is a service of Admission, licensing and celebration at the Cathedral. During this service, all LLMs reaffirm their commitment to serve God through their ministry. The Diocese welcomes and admits newly trained lay ministers and those transferring from other Dioceses.

The day provides a chance to meet with other LLMS, share experiences and learn from each other. It is a reaffirmation of LLM ministry offering support for each other and those who have been newly licensed.

Quinquennial Relicensing

LLMs are relicensed every five years on an archdeaconry basis. Each LLM is required to submit signed PCC consent to be relicensed alongside conducting a ministry review with their incumbent and revising their working agreement. All the necessary documentation will be sent out by the administrator well in advance. The relicensing is celebrated with a service in the archdeaconry.

All Ministers holding the Bishop’s Licence are required to have a Working Agreement. Drawn up between the LLM and incumbent (or other appropriate person in a vacancy) this document sets out expected patterns of ministry and of rest and should be reviewed regularly. You can download a pro forma working agreement here.

LLM Conference

The annual LLM conference takes place over one weekend (Friday evening until Sunday lunchtime) in February. This is a residential conference and is planned and organised by a team of LLMs led by the Assistant Warden. The conference includes a series of talks, discussions and workshops around a theme and is a great chance to learn, pray, worship and share fellowship together.

While the conference is largely residential day visitors are welcomed. The cost of the conference should be met by the benefices and mission communities of LLMs as part of their ongoing support of their wellbeing and development.

Safeguarding training and DBS checks

Licences are usually issued for a period of five years but their validity is conditional on the completion and renewal of safeguarding training and DBS checks every three years. If either of these is allowed to elapse your LLM ministry should be suspended until these are in place.

Reminders are sent by the safeguarding team and by the LLM administrator but it is your responsibility to book onto training or apply for a DBS.

Additional permissions

Licensing as a LLM does not automatically include all possible areas of ministry. Some, such as authority to undertake funeral ministry or permission to administer communion by extension, require additional authorisation. Click here to find out more about Communion by Extension. Click here to find out about Funeral Authority.