October 2024
By Christopher John Varley
On the first Saturday in October 2024, I was licenced by the Bishop of Bath & Wells as a Reader/Lay Minister. This was a service for three trainees, all of whom were Sarum graduates.
Sarum College provides professional education and development for most ministry trainees, both Ordinand and Lay, in the Diocese of Bath & Wells. This collaborative arrangement works very well.
For Readers-in-training, like myself, this means a two-year part-time training course at Sarum College, culminating in a Certificate of Higher Education in TMM (Theology, Ministry and Mission), validated by Durham University.
Sarum College provides a blended learning environment which embraces learning in community at College, personal learning at home, and individual learning in the context of one’s local Church.
Interacting with a Sarum tutor and my fellow students in our weekly Zoom meetings helped me to broaden my view and deepen my understanding of the course material. For many of us, coming from a diverse background with different working experiences, studying subjects such as Theological Reflection, was new.
In addition to the weekly Zoom meetings, there were three or four residential weekends at Sarum per year. The face-to-face interactions with the other students, all benefitting from each other’s insights, were a real highlight. Starting these weekends on Friday evening with Evensong in Salisbury Cathedral, was a wonderful spiritual experience.
Another very enjoyable aspect of the training was the interaction with the LLG (Local Learning Group). This is a support group of 6 to 8 people, not all necessarily Christians, who meet twice per module to support the trainee and discuss the subject at hand. I was fortunate to have a very supportive LLG. After two years of regular meetings, we all concluded that we had grown in our faith.
The third part of blended learning were the training days with the Diocese, which helped to pull everything together, the learnings from Sarum College with the daily practice of ministry.
A Reader’s overall development is supervised by their incumbent, who plays a key role in support and guidance. One of the great strengths of the programme is the excellent relationship between Sarum College and the Diocese. For example, when at short notice my supervisor was transferred, Sarum College and the Diocese prioritised finding a new supervisor for me.
Sarum College has been a life-enhancing experience for me. I have grown closer to God, and I have deepened my understanding of the Bible and human history.
Licensed Lay Ministry training at Sarum College
Christopher Varley is pictured at right in this group photo. He trained to be Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) at Sarum College as did Tracey Richbell, on the other side of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Revd Michael Beasley, and next to her, Patricia Lindley.
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