Seminary & Membership
St Stephen's Seminary
The LCCSSI Seminary (Training School) is under the oversight of it's Dean & Director of Ordinands; ++Barry, a qualified adult educator and assessor with over 2 decades experience, guiding the studies & development of our future church leaders, with courses leading to both lay and ordained clergy leadership.
Everybody is welcome.
Each future lay leader/ordinand that joins the LCCSSI will be expected to go through our training. We are not a simple 'ordination factory' that hands out ordination certification to anybody, anytime or anywhere. No, we are a serious church seeking those who feel called to a life of selfless service.
Training for both lay and clergy qualifications is a vibrant mix of both classroom & practical experiential learning, in the tradition of an apprenticeship to serve both God and His/Her family and you will need to complete every module of the programme.
We recognise that some candidates will lean more towards academic study, whilst others will thrive with practical learning. So, whilst all areas have to be studied and qualified by each candidate, we aim to create a blended life-long learning approach that empowers each candidate with a personally tailored study plan, created by you and your tutor together.
There are no right or wrong ways to study. At the end of the day it is all about demonstrating that you understand and have the right knowledge to put your training into the best service of God and His/Her people in your future mission.
You can request info about our seminary through our contact page
Membership of the LCCSSI
At The Liberal Catholic Church of Saint Stephen International we have a very strict membership policy which we expect everybody to abide by as we are a serious jurisdiction, not merely an ordination factory. We do not pay our clergy so do not think you can come into our church hoping to make big money, sorry no flashy car or big house is available here.
If however you wish to work within the community and spread God's grace through selfless service to your family, friends and neighbours, then you are more than welcome to join us.
You can download both our membership policy and application form below. Please also download and complete the references form and return along with your application form.
(Due to our wider responsibility to those we service in the public, you will be required to provide, at your own cost, a copy of a current UK DBS Certificate {as of August 2024 you can request one via gov.uk for a cost of £18, payable via the site to the British government, NOT to LCCSSI} or the equivalent overseas legal confirmation of you having no convictions, current or spent, that confirm you pose no risk through working with vulnerable adults and/or children).
To join please find our application below
The Nolan Principles
As well as our faithful service to God by living The Great Commandments and Commission of Christ, we also have a responsibility, in positions of immense trust, to ensure our faithful service to God's people is always of the highest moral & ethical standards.
Therefore our church has chosen to adopt The Nolan Principles as a key part of our 'work' in public office and as someone serving in any public-facing role you will be required to sign this oath of office. The Principles are seven key pledges and are as follows:
1 Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2 Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3 Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4 Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5 Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6 Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.
7 Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.