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Celebrating Extraordinary Ordinary Time: course

Liturgical, theological and pastoral opportunities

We can be tempted to view the liturgical year as two great “high seasons” centred around Christmas and Easter, with some rather non-descript and potentially boring periods in between, where there is no particular emphasis, and where there is even the risk of things appearing to be dull or mundane. The decision by the Church of England in the year 2002 badge these periods as “Ordinary Time” has possibly not helped the situation!

In this online morning seminar we will have the opportunity to explore Ordinary Time in a little more detail, and to reclaim this period of the church year as containing its own wonderful dignity and joy, and being pregnant with liturgical, pastoral and theological opportunities.

We will remind ourselves exactly how Ordinary Time works, and note the distinctive nature of the two periods: the first short period in the spring, and the much longer time through the summer and autumn. We will explore the myriad theological and scriptural themes that these times present us with as leaders of worship, preachers, ministers and Christians at worship.

Ordinary Time comes with a set of distinctive feasts and festivals of an agricultural or rural nature, as well as the ‘fixed’ feasts of various holy men and women, and those will be explored, but we will also look at the much wider opportunities to use this season in a variety of flexible and creative ways.

About the course leader
Tom Clammer OC is a spiritual director and a Brother of the Anglican Order of Cistercians, and has been living under that Rule for the last five years, which has excited him to encourage every Christian to consider forming their own Rule of Life. In June 2024 he was appointed as Novice Master.

Book Event

Early bird ticket # £35

This is the early bird rate which cannot be used with any other discount offer. This is an online course delivered via Zoom.

Available Tickets: 25

The Early bird ticket # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Online ticket # £40

This is an online course delivered via Zoom.

Available Tickets: 5

The Online ticket # ticket is sold out. You can try another ticket or another date.

Details

Dates & Times

29 Apr 2025

9:30 am - 12:30 pm

Tutor(s)

Canon Tom Clammer

Other Notes

This is an online course delivered via Zoom.

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What our students say

PhD Research Programmes

Visual Artist Claire Reed

The complex and sometimes fractious relationship between contemporary art and religion has intrigued me throughout my art career, informing my direction as an artist. It has led me to work in sacred spaces with their immediate and wider communities, to study an MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture at Sarum College, and recently to become artist–researcher at Leo Baeck College of Jewish scholarship and learning.

My aim is to examine the extent to which this creative approach might generate fruitful inter-religious theological insights within a Jewish and Christian ministry training context.

Sarum College combines an open-minded embrace of the imagination and the arts with a supportive, questioning and diverse community. Crucially for me, the Sarum-Winchester PhD programme is one of the very few UK university programmes to offer a hybrid thesis in art and theology in which the creative process and resulting art output along with a written critical component are presented for examination.

This PhD research is a key part of my development as an artist engaged with theology and inter-religious dialogue.

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Stimulating and Challenging

What is Successful Ageing? led by James Woodward

I enjoyed the course immensely from beginning to end – the seamless interweaving of knowledge, ideas and research and the linking with belief and faith.

The content was stimulating, challenging, thought provoking and I was greatly appreciative of the contributions and questions from other participants, your considered and sensitive responses and integration with your presentations.

Thank you!

Netflix, Theology and Pastoral Practice

Peter Butchers on his MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture student experience

How do cultural tropes, like those found in Black Mirror, help bridge the gap between what academic theology espouses and what the everyday Christian believes? In his research as a student on the MA in Theology, Imagination and Culture, Peter Butchers explored platonic philosophy, digital theology and eschatology, and pastoral practice around death and dying.

Rewarding Sabbatical Stay

The Revd Greg Syler, is Rector of Ascension & St. George’s, Resurrection Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC USA, spent part of his ministry sabbatical at Sarum College in spring 2022.

His account of the experience begins: ‘I loved spending nearly three weeks of my ministry sabbatical at Sarum College earlier this year.

Not only did I rest, and rest well in the comfortable care of the Sarum College staff, I experienced very significant renewal and fresh insights.’

The Road Not Taken

Sarum Graduate Mike Truman

January 2022

Five years ago, I told my Warden of Readers that I would not be renewing my licence when it expired in 2019, as I thought my faith was becoming too unorthodox for a Church of England licensed lay minister. As someone who knew me well, she challenged me to actively explore what I did still believe. Thus started the journey that ended last August with the dissertation completing my MA in Theology Imagination and Culture (MATIC) at Sarum College.

Clergy Study Breaks

The opportunity for clergy to get away occasionally from their own context, to have an overnight stay in the beautiful setting of Sarum College and all that the Salisbury Cathedral Close offers is hugely valuable. All the clergy I have suggested who have spent 24hrs at Sarum College have benefit greatly from the experienced mentoring where they can talk, reflect, think, plan and pray.

The support and encouragement they receive is excellent and has a positive on their on going ministry. This is something the Diocese of Rochester encourages and supports financially in preparation for their clergy preparing for Extended Ministerial Development Leave (Sabbatical).

— Canon Christopher Dench, Diocese of Rochester Director of Formation and Ministry

Retreats and Private Stays

When I arrived, exhausted and sensitive, I was grateful not to be asked by Reception were I came from, whether I had had a good journey etc. That was the kind of hospitality I needed: a non-intrusive welcome that was found in ancient cultures and still survives in some societies today, where the host asks questions about a stranger and his journey only when the visitor has rested and been given food and drink.

— guest on a private stay

Biblical Study Breaks

I just found it very refreshing – as a leader of a church I don’t get as many opportunities to step out and do courses (my fault, not the church!) and so I loved it. I think it was run really well online – which is a difficult medium to work with.

Pádraig Ó Tuama (pictured) was outstanding in his balance of getting us to engage and sharing his learning. Also the quick availability of resources provided by Sarum College Librarian Jayne Downey was excellent.

— course participant, Story Theology: Narrative Approaches to Scripture

Tutor(s)

Canon Tom Clammer

Visiting Scholar, Centre for Formation in Ministry

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Celebrating Extraordinary Ordinary Time: