Availability of CMD Courses, Retreats, Quiet Days and Resources

CMD Courses, Retreats and Quiet Days Update

An update is published 10-12 times per year.  The aim is to publish the update for a named month in the middle of the previous month e.g. the November issue will be published mid-October.  There may be a 2-month update over summer or Christmas / New Year seasons. The update is sent by email to all licensed clergy and licensed lay ministers (LLMs) in Leeds Diocese.

CMD Resources Update

A Resources Update is published 1-3 times per year, depending on whether there are any new resources to advertise.  The Resources Update includes: book reviews,  theological library Information, how to create a DLP account and clergy welfare information. The update is sent by email to all licensed clergy in Leeds Diocese.

CMD Grants

In Leeds Diocese, licensed clergy may apply for a CMD grant. Click here for further details including access to the new online CMD Grant claim form

Retreat Grants

Licensed clergy can also apply for a retreat grant each year.  Click here for further details including access to the new online CMD Retreat claim form.

Online Learning

The Diocese of Leeds supports online learning using a Moodle platform.  Gaining entry is quick and easy, giving you regular email updates on the areas of discipleship and ministry that interest you, access to training courses and events and much more.  We hope that online learning will enable you to flourish in your faith, learning, discipleship and ministry so that we can encourage one another in becoming confident Christians, in growing churches, transforming our communities.

Library Access: The Holden Collection

Beautiful theological books from between 1546 and 1922 are available for clergy to borrow from the Holden Collection in the Brotherton library at the University of Leeds. The collection is still growing and includes hundreds of Old and New Testaments, biographies and devotional literature. Other topics include pastoral theology, Church history, public worship, liturgy and sacraments, non-Christian religions and aspects of Yorkshire's religious history. The collection, originally formed by George Holden, is the property of the Anglican Diocese of Leeds. The diocese, together with the regional Methodist church and the RC Diocese of Leeds provides grants to fund new purchases and the library is available to all clergy within the diocese.

Downloadable CMD Resource Documents 

Charities which can support clergy and their families

CMD Grants and how to access them

• In Leeds Diocese licensed clergy may apply for a CMD grant. 
• All licensed clergy will have £250 a year, which can be used to pay for training events and courses. Whatever you do not spend in the calendar year will be carried over to the next year, for up to three years. This means that if you do not use your grant for the next two years by the third year you will have an accumulated total of £750 in your account.
• A record is kept of your CMD Grant accounts. If you wish to know what is in your accounts, please ask your area MDO or the Ministerial Development Administrator.

To apply for funds from your CMD account:

STEP 1: Check first with your area MDO to see if they feel your potential application fits the criteria for a CMD grant; priority will be given to events that fulfil the training needs identified in your MDR. To discover the name and contact details your Episcopal Area Ministerial Development Officer (MDO), please check here

The criteria for use of the CMD grant are that if fulfils at least one of the following:

• The grant use positively impacts on your ministry
• Recommended in your MDR
• Conferences and courses relevant to your ministry or your future development in ministry
• Formal qualifications in theology
• Training (Examples include: spiritual direction, mental health first aid, counselling, communications, Bridge-Builders, etc.)
• Some individually guided retreats in conjunction with the annual retreat grant.

Please note: There is a restriction of £40 per year on the use of CMD grants for books/library memberships (N.B. in certain circumstances there can be consideration of discretionary exceptions)

STEP 2: Apply for your CMD grant as follows:

Non-diocesan Courses/Events:

Once an MDO has agreed your application, the simplest process is for you to pay for the event yourself and claim the money back using the electronic CMD grant form:

Electronic CMD Grant Claim Form

Please note, you must have some sort of proof of payment which you must make available upon request.

Once you submit the electronic form, it will be processed and the diocese will reimburse you directly into your bank account.

Diocesan-Promoted Courses/Events (e.g. LYCIG, Spiritual Directors’ Annual Gathering, pre-retirement conference @ Scargill, spiritual director training)

Once an MDO has agreed your attendance, go to the booking page of your chosen event. There will usually be some method (unique to each course/event/venue) of explaining that the diocese will pay your invoice (up to the amount in your grant pot). Ask the MDO who agreed your attendance if a CMD Grant Application is required and if necessary fill it using the CMD Grant Claim form link above.

Funds to pay for your course/event will be deducted directly from your CMD account so that the diocese can pay the invoice.

Please note, that courses at Scargill, Parceval Hall and Mirfield, outside of specific diocesan-sponsored events, should be dealt with as for non-diocesan course/events above. If you are unsure, please contact your MDO.

Travel and Accommodation Expenses

If you wish, expenses for travel to and from a training event may be claimed from your CMD grant along with the cost of the event itself.
The usual rule about this is that your travel costs do not exceed 50% of the cost of the event. This is to avoid claims to travel to the USA, for instance, for a day conference! Sometimes there is no charge for attendance at a conference, in which case your travel costs are bound to exceed the cost of the event. In such cases, the person assessing your claim will exercise their discretion and good sense.

Reasonable accommodation expenses may also be claimable, again, not exceeding the cost of the event (with discretion in certain circumstances).

NB - All travel and accommodation costs are deemed part of the total £250 per year CMD grant (i.e. travel and accommodation are part of the CMD grant, not additional to it)

Annual Review of CMD Grants
All these conditions around CMD grants are subject to change upon annual review. Please check with your MDO prior to booking your CMD event or retreat if you are unsure.

Retreat Grants and how to access them

In Leeds Diocese all licensed clergy can apply for an annual retreat. (For stipendiary clergy this consists of up to five days on top of their normal holiday allowance and taken on weekdays rather than across a weekend). The retreat grant is for up to a maximum of £210 per calendar year (including travel costs as part of the £210). This grant does not carry over to the next year.

A record is kept of your Retreat Grant accounts. If you wish to know what is in your accounts, please ask your area MDO or the Ministerial Development Administrator.

The process of applying for this is described below:

STEP 1: Check first with your area MDO to see if they feel your potential application fits the criteria for a retreat grant. To discover the name and contact details your Episcopal Area Ministerial Development Officer (MDO), please check here

STEP 2: Once an MDO has agreed your application, the simplest process is for you to pay for the event yourself and claim the money back using the electronic retreat grant form:

Electronic Retreat Grant Claim Form

Under certain circumstances, claiming a standard subsistence rate may be permissible. Please discuss this with your MDO if you feel this may apply to you.

Once you submit the electronic form, it will be processed and the diocese will reimburse you directly into your bank account.

Note 1: You must have some sort of proof of payment which you must make available upon request.

Note 2: Retreats at Scargill, Parcevall Hall and Mirfield, outside of specific diocesan-sponsored events, should be dealt with as for other non-diocesan course/events. If you are unsure, please contact your MDO.

Annual Review of Retreat Grants

All these conditions around retreat grants are subject to change upon annual review. Please check with your MDO prior to booking your retreat if you are unsure.