Our fantastic group of departing students with staff on their final residential weekend
It was a bittersweet weekend of pride, joy and a few tears as our Ministry students gathered for their final Residential last week.
The class of 2026 comprises 33 students, 13 of whom have been training for Ordained ministry on a variety of full-time and part-time, postgraduate and undergraduate pathways and who will be ordained in five different Dioceses this coming Petertide. Our 20 ReaderLLM students are completing two years of part time training and will serve across four Dioceses when they are licensed later this year.
During the weekend, our students heard from the Rt Revd Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne and Acting Bishop of Salisbury about the mutual responsibilities of ministers and Diocese. Our Principal, the Revd Canon Professor James Woodward challenged all of us to remain open to ongoing formation and learning in ministry, and the group heard from some of the class of 2025 about what transition to public ministry is really like!
Staff shared some Scriptures that had inspired them in ministry, and finally each student gave a short presentation on their time at Sarum. Student presentations were enormously varied, creative and moving as everyone shared Scripture, prayers, objects and art that represented something of their formation for ministry at Sarum College and their hopes for the next steps. Some even confessed that they had caught the theological study bug, and hope to return to complete one of our Postgraduate courses over the next few years!
Saturday evening gave the students a chance to express their appreciation for James Woodward’s significant contribution to their training and formation, especially in the way he insisted on acquiring skills for deeply transformational theological reflection as an essential tool tor ministry, something that is part of Sarum College’s ethos and will continue after James moves into retirement in June. There was also a celebration dinner and a chance for everyone to make the most of a glorious summer evening in the Cathedral Close. Sunday morning’s Eucharist ended with the Pentecost commissioning as our students were sent out in the power of the Holy Spirit to serve God’s Church.
Some final words from our departing students:
I found the weekend very emotional but I think it was a fitting way to close this chapter of our lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done to support us over the last two years.
There was a real sense of moving on, in so many ways, and each with their own path to follow. Nevertheless, there was a very strong bond of friendship that had formed between us variously and we are all determined that we should keep in touch.
Class of 2026, you have been inspiring, creative, hard-working, fun and have shown us your theological depth and your passion for mission. We will miss you enormously, but look forward to seeing what God will do next in and through you.
Wondering if God might be calling you to train for licensed or Ordained ministry at Sarum College? We train men and women for Ordained and Lay ministry through theologically-grounded, context-based pathways, both full and part time. Our students are equipped to serve in stipendiary and self-supporting ordained ministries and in a wide variety of lay ministries in ways that are collaborative, creative and bold. We’d be very happy to discuss your particular circumstances and fins the right pathway for you. Find out more, including how to arrange a visit and interview HERE