Coaching is a partnership offering support, encouragement, and challenge to clergy and licensed lay ministers leading churches.
What is coaching?
Coaching conversations can offer people time and space to think about something that matters to them, in a robust and intentional way so that they can move forwards.
A coaching approach is a way of working that focuses on ‘ask’ not ‘tell’.
Coaching is future focussed. It is listening deeply.
Coaching involves;
- Exploring the current situation
- Listening to concerns
- Thinking strategically about options and priorities
- Goal setting, with some achievable steps
- Reviewing progress
Who are the coaches?
Coaches are committed Christians with experience of local church life. Our coaches have considerable leadership and management experience in their own working lives; in business, with the NHS, in Christian charities and the voluntary sector, in learning development and in ministry. Brief biographies of the coaches and their backgrounds can be read here.
How do you access coaching?
The cost of up to 6 hours coaching can be applied for from your annual CMD personal grant, subject to the amount as yet unused. To apply to use your CMD grant, contact Sue Denham for the application form. Please complete this and email it to your Area CMD Advisers, Andy Griffiths, Jane Richards or Ian Hilton. As with all CMD grants, you will be expected to complete a feedback form after the sessions about the coaching process (the content is confidential to you).
To find out more, or to be linked with a Coach, email your Area CMD Adviser with an indication of the particular area you are looking to work on at this time.
Coach Biographies
Mark Adams
Mark is the Vicar of St Margaret’s Barking. He has been ordained for over 20 years and worked in a wide variety of parish contexts (including urban, rural, and new town). He previously served as an Area Dean and an Interim Assistant Archdeacon. During a break from ministry in 2020 he trained as a Coach with an International Coach Federation (ICF) training provider and is working towards ICF accreditation. Drawing on this experience, Mark believes that coaching has a great deal to offer those in Christian ministry, since it gives one-to-one support and encouragement, an opportunity to see new possibilities, and can help us to release our God-given potential. He is happy to work either face-to-face or on Zoom.
Elizabeth Arthur
Elizabeth lives in Blackmore. She has been a qualified and professionally accredited coach since 2010. As well as working with people in Chelmsford Diocese, Elizabeth works with many people in the NHS, and other private sectors of business. Over the last few years much of this work has focussed on personal wellbeing, developing resilience, communication and influence, leading and managing change and conflict. Elizabeth is happy to work face-to-face from her base in Blackmore or to work on Zoom whichever people prefer.
Andy Campbell
Andy lives in Walthamstow and is both happy to travel reasonable physical distances or coach online. He has been a qualified coach for 3 years, and his background is in the youth, education and voluntary sectors. Much of his work is centred on helping those who help others, but sometimes struggle to make their own care a priority. He is also a qualified trainer in accredited first aid for mental health.
Jill Mowbray
Jill has been CMD Adviser in the Diocese of Chelmsford since 2009 working with curates and other ministers on their own formation and training, and more recently been Wellbeing Lead for the Diocese. She is completing training as an ACC accredited coach through the ICF, and enjoys facilitating action learning sets as well as working 1-to-1 either online or in person. Her areas of expertise include transitions, teams, supervising others, and developing personal wellbeing. Jill enjoys coaching because it is future-focussed, bringing encouragement and new possibilities through unlocking blocks in our thinking.
Mark Payne
Mark has been ordained for five years and is a Team Vicar in Halstead Area Team. Prior to being ordained Mark ran the charitable wing of a children and family organisation on the Isle of Man, where wellbeing was a significant focus in the work. During this time he was also a qualified Executive Coach, coaching senior leaders throughout the voluntary, public and private sector. Mark has continued coaching in Chelmsford Diocese. He is happy to work either face-to-face or on Zoom.
Dot Salmon
Dot is a Youth Adviser in the Diocese of Chelmsford. Prior to taking on this role in 2017 she has worked for various churches and charities serving children and young people. Her areas of expertise include leadership, managing teams, strategic development, developing culture, innovation and reflective practice. She lives in Norwich and, together with her husband Jon, has the privilege of raising their daughter Miriam.
Dot is an ACC accredited coach with the International Coaching Federation. She believes that creativity and movement can open up new ways of thinking and enjoys creating space to include both of these in her coaching sessions. She is happy to work either face-to-face or virtually. Dot is also able to facilitate action learning sets.
Mark Slater
Mark is a professionally accredited coach alongside his long-time ministry as a parish priest. He has been providing one-to-one coaching for clergy and laity for over ten years. He also facilitates small groups (such as action learning sets). Much of Mark’s work is in helping people to develop their leadership skills, their personal well-being, working through issues around conflict, managing change in the parish and, in some cases, how to plan for a change of post or role.
He works both in-person and online for a number of dioceses. He also works with 3D Coaching in helping to provide coaching training for active clergy and laity.