28 August 2024
by James Woodward
Sarum College’s ordinands are now set to start a new year of study as the Ministry Summer School closed last Friday.
This annual residential week in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close brings new and first year ordination students together for prayer, learning, reflection and formation.
This is an important start to the year for students – we welcome new students into the community of formation so they connect with each other and with those in their second year.
This year’s theme, “The Stories We Tell” gave us the opportunity to move beyond the theoretical nature of our learning. We explored how we put theology into practice by inviting students to listen carefully and learn adventurously as they engaged with different voices and experiences as part of the practice of faith.
The stories were many and varied. They came to us across the divides of race, class, gender and geography. We particularly listened to the stories of women including the American journalist May Sarton and the pioneering life of Pauli Murray. We were inspired by her courage and perseverance as we were reminded of how much we take for granted today and indeed how much more work there needs to be done in building a just and equal society.
At the heart of this story sharing, the staff team opened the window into some of their own stories, inviting students to consider what it was that inspired them into their vocational journey and what kind of world we might be building together to strengthen the common good.
There was laughter and tears and in all of this, a quality of learning that sets the tone for our time together on this formation journey at Sarum College.
Every one of us was taken out of our comfort zones into new areas of learning as we dug into the wisdom of our Christian story and tradition and applied what we learned there to the development of community, the service to others, and to the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.
In all of this learning we got to know each other a little better enabled by the many and varied conversations in the common room and in the refectory. Undergirding this week was worship and prayer as we gathered in the cathedral each morning and then in the Chapel and courtyard for our worship.
We hope to share something of the impact of this week from students as the learning journey begins in September.
The Revd Canon Professor James Woodward is Principal of Sarum College
Read James’s sermon at the final Eucharist
Photos by Peter Langdown Photography
(except the ice creams on the high street one by James Woodward)
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