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, and week-long residences give us the opportunity to worship together in a sustained way over the course of a week.
Programmes
Students usually study over 2-3 years for a range of different academic programmes accredited by Durham University Common Awards – including a Certificate, Diploma or BA in Theology, Ministry and Mission.
Teaching takes place on one evening a week during three terms (28 weeks in total), six residential weekends and a six-day Easter residential per year. 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, and 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. Students also undertake two placements which can be arranged with considerable flexibility. 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.