Training community
On this new training pathway, candidates for lay ministry and ordination train alongside one another: these different student groups make for a rich diversity within our student body. With the developing partnership and friendship with Chelmsford Diocese, you will get to know the people, resources and partnerships of your diocese, as well as becoming part of the large and supportive network of the community.
On the residentials held at Cuddesdon, you will also encounter other part-time students, pioneer ministers as they train in partnership with Church Mission Society, and visiting preachers and scholars. Connecting with these diverse networks of people will help build your appreciation of distinct vocations and will prepare you for collaborative ministry in the future.
Where will I train?
The administrative centre for this Pathway is based in Chelmsford. The term-time study evening takes place on a Monday at the Diocese Offices, Chelmsford. Weekends and week-long residentials take place at Cuddesdon. Students have access to libraries at Chelmsford Diocese and Ripon College Cuddesdon.
Before you Apply
We welcome potential students to drop in as guests and get a taste of what we do, or to come for a 'trial module' and see how study will fit into their existing lives.
Come and join us for a study evening: we meet during term-time on Mondays in Chelmsford. For details and to let us know you are coming, please contact our pathway administrator, Becky Potter, at [email protected].
Part-Time Training
Part-time training offers flexibility to study for ministry alongside other commitments of work or family, as well as enabling you to continue living, working and worshipping in your own local context.
People come from all backgrounds and walks of life, representing a broad spectrum of age, education and ministerial experience. This breadth is really important to us because it makes for a wonderfully diverse community and a rich learning environment.
Worship and Prayer
Worship and prayer lie at the heart of everything we do. We meet together for worship on study evenings, we pray in small groups and at services during residential weekends.
Programmes
Students usually study over 2-3 years for a range of different academic programmes validated by Durham University Common Awards – including a Certificate or Diploma. Students on the Elizabeth Pathway programme are initially registered for a one-year Foundation award, which is topped up to a certificate if recommended to continue. Programmes cover a range of topics in mission, theology, biblical studies, and pastoral theology, and the emphasis is always on making connections between what is being learned in the classroom and ministerial practice, seeking to integrate existing skills and experience. This means that significant threads running through all of our academic programmes are spiritual formation and practical skills. In addition, students undertake independent learning, reflection and practice in home parishes.
Part-time training requires an average of 12-15 hours a week which includes teaching sessions, time for reading, and completing assignments. Training in this way is both stimulating and stretching. We provide personal support and guidance to each student through personal tutors, local supervisors and chaplains.
Placements
Students are expected to complete two placements during their course of study. In their penultimate year, they engage in a community placement, experiencing ministry in a secular context, such as a hospice or prison. In their final year, students complete a parish placement, during which they experience ministry in a context or a style/tradition different from that of their home church.
If you'd like to find out more, please do email us at [email protected].