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Mike Smithers is a student training for evangelistic ministry with Church Army (churcharmy.org.uk) at Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism. He spent a 6 week placement with cics in the Autumn term 2007. I volunteered to edit his work but that has been very difficult to do, it's still quite a long document - he writes so well and with so much information and insight - thank you for all you've done for cics and all that you've written, Mike. If anyone would like a copy of the full document, please email the cics office.

Here is an edited version of his evaluation:-

Placement aims

• Develop their strengths, grow in confidence and increase their skills in the work of evangelism
• Discover truth about the world in which we live, and work alongside the most vulnerable in society.
• Explore work undertaken outside of the normal parochial structures of the Anglican Church.

Learning objectives
These were realistic and achievable given the placement context. I was able to meet the aims described in the learning contract because:

1a) During the average week the nature of the work undertaken by the placement provider's Schools Worker can encompass all spheres of evangelistic practice from presence to proclamation. By being invited into the various schools to host classes, and run assemblies and clubs, the Worker and I were easily recognised by pupils as we moved around within the school environment. Pupils met the Worker and I in the school corridors and playgrounds when they were changing class rooms, or during break times. This presence within each context provided opportunities for engagement in conversation (faith-related or otherwise) which have, over time, seen the Worker building relationship with pupils outside of the formal class room/assembly hall structure. On various occasions I observed good practice in regard to the above. The Worker (also my supervisor) showed good relational and listening skills throughout the duration of the placement. These skills, and the positive use of them, appear to have been key in the gaining of people's trust, as it was observed that good relationships have been formed not only with pupils in the various Christian clubs that are facilitated by the Worker, but also with other young people in the wider school environment. This good practice also extends to the relationships built with various staff members the Schools Worker has regular contact with, both Christian and non-Christian. Everyone I met whilst at the different schools had a high regard for the Worker and his ability. It appeared that this respect also extended to those in upper management, with several Head and Deputy Head teachers commenting on the high standard of the work they had seen provided by him within their particular school.

1b) During my time at the placement I had plenty of opportunities to assist in the planning of lunch time and after schools clubs, and to be involved in formal presentations in RE lessons and assemblies. I also did a small amount of 'detached' work within one particular school alongside the Worker. During each of the above, the Christian faith was verbally shared as appropriate to each school's ethos and each individual situation. Again, in this context too, it was noted that the Schools Worker demonstrated good perception, relational awareness and sensitivity to situations.

In regard to developing relevant forms of church in these environments, it could be argued that the current work provides a good basis for subsequent Fresh Expressions of Church (FXC) to be planted in the different contexts as, due to the nature of the work, some of the process in planting FXC has already begun naturally.

Positive Ecumenism
"The dividedness of the Christian church has long been a barrier to faith for many: a joint Christian outreach to unchurched people is a healthy corrective, which can draw many into the kingdom of God."

This was my experience upon meeting those who are responsible for formal support of the work, displaying as they did how positive ecumenism can be in a mission context. The Schools Work Trust has inter-church working at its heart. The trustees responsible for oversight of the organisation come from a variety of Church traditions. They show great unity, and it was obvious upon meeting them that they had a passionate commitment to both the task in hand and to the well being of the current Worker. The ecumenical basis to the work is a theme that is seen to continue throughout the schools visited. A typical example of this inter-church unity could be seen at one high school in particular. The regular after-schools club run there is facilitated by a local evangelical church pastor, a Christian teacher from the Methodist church, and the Schools Worker who himself is from a United Reformed Church background.

Don't think it's all easy……
From which tasks did I gain the least satisfaction? Why?

Facilitating RE lessons on week one (on abortion). The groups on this particular week were lead by a supply teacher who was new to the school. The presentation we delivered was on power point, and the technology initially let us down, which meant the lessons were late getting underway. Therefore, the pupils took full advantage of this interlude, the teacher's lack of knowledge of the school, and of us being visiting speakers. Several exclusions resulted due to poor behaviour, and thereafter it was difficult to engage others with the subject. These lessons were repeated in the second week, but with regular staff support: the difference in pupil behaviour was a revelation.

The formal side of the work takes place in the class room, as the Schools Worker initiates and builds relationship with pupils whilst resourcing the various schools RE departments, helping to teach the basics of the Christian faith, and presenting the Christian world view and moral stance on various ethical issues in RE lessons (and by doing so is promoting healthy debate with the young people through such). This is backed up with regularly taking of assemblies which, as well as fulfilling the schools' requirement to provide a formal act of worship, also allows the Worker to present stimulating Christian-based input to whole year groups. A by-product of this particular aspect of the work, is that it allows the opportunity to heighten the recognition of the trust and the current Worker's profile amongst a large number of young people in one go (up to 250 in a typical year group). It also provides a platform to advertise the various lunch time and after schools clubs currently running, to the young people addressed. Further evidence of formal working is found within said lunch time and after school clubs. Although the atmosphere within these groups is more relaxed, the Worker is still seeking to build relationships with attendees, whilst sharing Christian truth in a semi-structured way.

Formal relational work, without any direct spiritual input, also takes place. This generally happens on a one to one basis, as the current Worker is involved in the mentoring of pupils that have been identified as needing additional help, and positive role modelling in some schools. Working in this way, whilst allowing a tailored approach to individuals, may also afford natural opportunities to witness verbally if asked about the underpinning motivation to want to help the young person.

Equally, relational work takes place on an informal basis with the Worker talking with the pupils in each school as he sees them in playgrounds at break times, and in corridors when they are changing classrooms at the end of lessons.

The Worker and other volunteers (including Christian members of the different schools teaching staff) also regularly engage with relevant proclamation evangelism, through helping to lead teaching sessions with lunch time and after schools clubs and Christian unions. Facilitation of these groups leads to natural open and overt sharing of the Gospel and Christian truth in an attempt to help disciple those young people who hold a professed faith, and also to engage with others who wouldn't necessarily describe themselves as a Christian, who access the groups to discover more about Christianity.

Overall assessment
I have really enjoyed the placement.
I have been encouraged by my supervisor throughout the duration of the placement, and have observed him consistently demonstrating a high level of professional practice, which I hope to be able to replicate in my own future ministry. I have also witnessed positive ecumenism in action; both within the relationships built by the current Worker with the various schools Christian teachers, local clergy, and other Christian Workers, and also within the Trust as a whole. The trustees are a very committed group of people. It was a great to be able to meet them, and I was really encouraged by their willingness to lay down their denominational affiliations in order to reach out to this particular people group. By uniting around their love for God and the gospel, they were allowing the current Worker to be released to continually bring the truth of Jesus to the young people in both a contemporary and a relevant way. Through this ministry the placement is providing a live example of how the church needs to seek to minister to those outside its walls in contemporary society.