ALM course applications are now closed.
What is an Authorised Lay Minister?
Authorised Lay Ministers (ALMs) are lay people active in church life, who have been identified by their parish as having a particular gifting, vocation or calling to lay leadership, i.e. those called to work collaboratively alongside their incumbent and wider ministry teams with a distinct focus on growing, nurturing and serving the wider parish community.
ALMs are nominated by their incumbent and PCC for training in line with their parish Mission Action Plan (MAP) and diocesan selection criteria. Once trained they are authorised by the Bishop of Manchester to carry out a mutually agreed ministry role back within their local parish context. An ALM's authorisation lasts for three years after which time it can be reviewed, updated and renewed.
What does the training involve?
ALM training begins each January with an 8-session Core Leadership Module followed by a 12-session ministry elective course. Current courses on offer include:
- Children & Families
- Community Outreach & Social Justice
- Ecology & Creation
- Mission & Evangelism
- Parish Admin, Finance & Governance
- Pastoral Outreach & Listening
- Prayer & Spirituality
- Worship & Liturgy
- Youth Work
Is being an ALM the only way to access lay ministry training?
All of the courses offered on the ALM pathway are also open as stand-alone courses to any lay people wanting to develop their call and gifting to Christian ministry and service. For more information on this please see our section on General Lay Courses.
How can I apply?
Applications for new ALMs are now closed for our 2025 courses. The next set of courses will begin again in January 2025 with more information available in the Autumn.
Where can I get more information?
For more information about Authorised Lay Ministry please see the details below or contact our Local Ministry Officer, Jamie Mackenzie.
ALM Handbook for Clergy and PCCs
Our ALM Chaplains
ALM Chaplains are there to provide spiritual care and pastoral support for those in the ALM community. They will also be involved with planning, supporting and organising key course days and events. Chaplains are not allocated to certain areas of the diocese, so please feel free to contact whoever you feel most comfortable with using the information and details below.
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Revd Libby GreenhalghI’m Libby and I am curate in the Horwich and Rivington Team where I worship with my husband Paul and our two children. I started out doing an ALM in Youth Ministry and being part of the ALM community has been a huge part of my life ever since; now as one of the Chaplains and also as a tutor on the core leadership module. I love hearing about what Jesus is doing in churches and communities throughout Manchester Diocese, sharing that with others through testimony and praying together when things are tough. Some random facts about me... I wear sandals 99.9% of the time, I'll rarely say no to a cup of tea, and bible-journaling is a huge source of joy! Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you'd like a space to talk and pray. Email: Rev.Libby@outlook.com Phone: 07903 006228 |
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Revd Kathreen ShahbazI’m Kathreen Shahbaz and I accepted Christ as my saviour in 2001 and since then have wanted to serve the Lord my God. I am married to Revd Shahbaz Masih and we have two blessed boys, Jeremiah (11) and Joshua (7). I came to the UK from Pakistan as a nurse in 2005 and am currently serving the Lord as Curate at Christ Church Brunswick in Central Manchester. Before that I was an ALM and working as a nurse for the NHS in Oldham. I love talking about Christ, His love for us and telling the good news of our salvation which is free (but not cheap) to everyone, especially to the youth. I am very grateful for the ALM Chaplaincy role and am looking forward to seeing and speaking with you all. I always believe that whatever we do, we do it for the glory of God. Please do not hesitate to contact me so that together with Christ we can make a difference in this world. Amen. Email: kathreenshahbaz@gmail.com Phone: 07883 063137 |
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Revd Lee HigsonI'm Lee and I'm a Pioneer Curate with the Antioch Network. I'm married to Melanie and we have three boys (13, 11 and 6) and a cat. I lead Oldham’s Church which is based on a housing estate in Bolton. Prior to training as an Ordinand, I worked at sea for 22 years with both the Royal and Merchant Navy. I also served as a lay reader during my leave periods, so have some good experience of lay ministry and how to balance it with working life. I'm particularly passionate about ministry in the workplace and empowering lay Christians to step up in the life of their churches and practice the area of ministry God has called them too. In my down time, I enjoy camping, DIY, kayaking and powerboating and have recently set up a faith-based charity which uses maritime adventure as a platform for ministry and discipleship. I am really excited about serving the ALM community in a chaplaincy role and look forward to speaking with some of you very soon. Email: revleehigson@gmail.com Phone: 0771 200 3290 (WhatsApp preferred) |
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Amit ChawhanI'm Amit and I serve as a Licensed Lay Reader and Churchwarden at St James, Moss Side. I was as licensed as a Reader in 2015 and I have been a Churchwarden since 2019. As a graduate registered nurse, I am currently a Skills Tutor for medical students. I’m married to Madhuri and blessed with two children; son Kshitij (20) and daughter Anushka (15). I have always wanted to serve our Lord Jesus and His church. Being a Reader gives me lots of opportunities to do this and it also keeps me rooted in the day to day struggles we all face as Christians. My role as Churchwarden also helps me to understand both the joys and challenges of serving a congregation as a lay minister. The Lord has also now called me to serve as an ALM Chaplain. This is a very exciting opportunity to journey alongside fellow Christians in lay ministry and I very much look forward to hearing from you and spending time listening, discerning, rejoicing, praising and praying with you. Email: amit_chawhan@yahoo.com Phone: 07743 384747 |