Training and developing leaders equipped to serve in a variety of pioneer contexts, both lay and ordained in Ireland formed the backdrop of the reports of the Church of Ireland Council for Mission and The Commission on Ministry.

Both committees formed a joint working group in September 2008 to discuss training and leadership requirements for new church developments. It hopes to bring forward specific recommendations, taking into account the Bishops' Mission Order legislation of the Church of England, to enable such pioneer ministry to be deployed in the Church of Ireland. The future of their work is contained in Motion No 2, which was adopted by General Synod.

Proposing the Motion, Mr Roy Totten (Connor) said 'One size does not fit all - everyone is not the same - people are used to choosing what suits them in life. Many people outside the church are seeking spiritual understanding, but the first place they will choose to look is probably not a church pew. Therefore we need to use every existing tool we have to hand in our mission to go out to others and we need to fashion new tools'. The motion was adopted by General Synod.

A large amount of the Council for Mission's work occurs in partnership with the Methodist Church in Ireland, co-ordinated by the Joint Mission Working Group and its Joint Mission process. This year the working group organised a conference on Fresh Expressions of Church, delivered a Mission-Shaped Ministry Course in Edgehill Theological College and encouraged representatives of the Church of Ireland Council for Mission to attend the Methodist Ministers' Retreat in January 2009.

Research, consultation and statistics dominated both the Council for Mission and The Commission on Ministry's report. During the year, the Council received Rev Ruth Jackson's research on New Church Developments in Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist Churches in the Republic of Ireland and it also continued to pursue a Mission Statistics project within three pilot dioceses.

The Commission for Ministry's research focussed on the issue of lay readers and missional ministry in the West of Ireland. New opportunities for ministry were also highlighted, with a new DVD designed to encourage younger ordinands, being launched at General Synod.

The DVD entitled 'As I am', which was made by the Church of Ireland Director of Ordinands, Rev Canon Katharine Poulton, was commended and launched.

The motion for the Church of Ireland Council for Mission seeking to affirm the Council's efforts to encourage every parish in Ireland to develop and mission strategy was also adopted by General Synod.