Clergy Resources

Continuing Ministerial Development

This page contains resources to help you develop professionally as a cleric or LLM throughout your ministry. These may be useful for you when preparing for your Ministerial Development Review (MDR) and setting objectives.

Diocesan Director of Ministry, Revd Prof Jane de Gay — JaneDeGay@cinw.org.uk

MDR

Relaunch of the Ministerial Development Review (MDR) Scheme

The Diocese is pleased to be relaunching its Ministerial Development Review (MDR) Scheme in September 2026. MDR is a pattern of annual conversations in which ministers reflect upon their practices and experiences with a reviewer. The conversations are meant to be affirmative and supportive and reviewees can identify aspects of their ministry that they especially want to focus on. Nonetheless, MDR is also there to ensure that ministers are accountable; safeguarding in particular must be discussed at every MDR. Reviewees are encouraged to identify training needs. By the end of the discussion, one or two realistic but stretching objectives will have been agreed upon, with clear action points set out for taking these forward.

All clerics are reviewed and this year the process is being extended to include LLMs/Readers too. There is also a new pool of reviewers. In the refreshed scheme, all conversations will take place between 1st September and 31st January: ministers will then spend February to August working on the agreed objectives, which will be reviewed at the following MDR.

The Diocesan Office are providing administrative support for the scheme, and they will be contacting all clerics and LLMs in the coming weeks to put them in touch with reviewers and to supply the appropriate forms.

For further information, please speak to your Archdeacon or contact Revd Prof Jane de Gay, Diocesan Director of Ministry, at JaneDeGay@cinw.org.uk.

Your obligations

All clergy are expected to attend Clergy Synods, the annual Diocesan Conference and the triennial Clergy Residential. Dates are published in advance on the Diocesan Calendar.

You are also required to keep up-to-date with Safeguarding Training to the level appropriate to your role, and — as above — to take part in your annual MDR conversation, in which safeguarding must be discussed.

Support and development

Funding

Ministers in the Church in Wales have the opportunity to apply for a range of sources of funding, including:

  • the Isla Johnston Trust (support for study, rest, recuperation, and church-related gatherings)
  • the Henry Smith Charity (for UK-based projects that explicitly promote the Christ faith)
  • the James Pantyfedwen Foundation (support for church building projects, Christian training, postgraduate study, and cultural initiatives that benefit the people of Wales)
  • the G.I. Evans Memorial Trust (specifically for taking Welsh Language courses)

See further details on criteria, eligibility and application processes (click the tab for Financial Support).

CMD Grant Scheme

The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon has made a limited amount of money available for the purposes of Continuing Ministerial Development. The maximum grant is £450 per cleric per year and applications will be considered on the basis of merit according to criteria and according to availability of resources. Download the application form.

Pastoral supervision

The Church in Wales offers fully-funded, professional pastoral supervision for ordained clergy — a confidential and theologically-grounded space to reflect, realign, and remain rooted in healthy patterns of ministry. Find out more and apply.

Courses at St Padarn's

St Padarn's offer a range of courses for clerics at all stages of their ministry. Explore the range of options.

Sabbatical Leave Scheme

Open to clergy who have completed 10 years' stipendiary ministry in the Church in Wales, or 15 years' stipendiary ministry including 5 years in the Church in Wales. Sabbatical leave is granted at the Bishop's discretion. Find out more.

Clergy planning a sabbatical may also wish to apply for the Ecclesiastical Ministry Bursary Awards, an annual grant scheme supporting extended study leave.

Quick links

If you have any questions about your development as a minister, contact the Diocesan Director of Ministry, Revd Prof Jane de Gay, at JaneDeGay@cinw.org.uk.