Catch the Vison logoThe United Reformed Church

Wales Synod

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ONLINE- Introduction

Welcome to Learning Opportunities Online where you will find details of courses, events, days etc. aimed at anyone working or worshipping in United Reformed Churches in Wales.

There is something for everyone, young and old and we hope that something attracts you, meets your needs and helps to develop your personal faith.

If you are looking for a particular course or area of experience than is not listed then let us know and we will see what might be available.

Use the following links or scroll through the page

Training for Learning and Serving

Opportunities for Elders

The rolling programme of elders Training will continue in the autumn with sessions in East and South Wales.

If your church/pastorate would like training please contact the T&D Officer.

Consultation for District Secretaries

Other Opportunities organised by T&D Team

Just Listen – A course on basic listening skills to enhance our pastoral care and enable us to begin to listen well to all we meet. Dates to be arranged. The day course is likely to be held in two venues in the Southern half of the Synod in the autumn. Cost approx £10 to include workbook and lunch.

If you are interested please contact the T&D Officer.

TRAINING FOR LEARNING AND SERVING (TLS)

Local Introductory Training Experiences (LITE):

Short courses for members of worship teams, people who lead worship by do not aspire to be accredited lay preachers and others who wish to deepen their understanding of the following:

Groups are already following these courses in North and South Wales. Others will be organised as need and opportunity arises. Keep your ear to the ground – or contact your T and D Officer!
 

TLS Main Courses:

Standard TLS Courses continue.

Foundation Course – two years

One-year courses:

Welsh Council for Voluntary Action

– various courses on community development and participation, funding projects, trustees etc different venues across Wales Further information Training Officers

Or www.wcva.org.uk/training Phone 0870607166

Material for Autumn Study Groups

Companions for a Change

Material published by Cytun is now available for ecumenical groups to meet in the autumn to discuss mission and community together. Keep an eye out for the material and organise groups in your area. All the mainstream denominations in Wales are supporting this initiative

Further details T&D Officer or Ecumenical Officer

Mission Opportunities

Enquirers Conferences - For those interested to know more about the various ministries authorised by the United Reformed Church
 

Opportunities at Cardiff Adult Christian Education Centre

Autumn Term

One off events

Regular Classes starting 26th September

Elementary New Testament Greek – Mondays 7.30-9.30pm 10 weeks -Tutor: Revd Ian Tutton

Conversational Welsh – Mondays 7.30-9.30 30 weeks -Tutors: J. Evans & N. Thomas

The Psalms – Wednesdays 2.00-4.—pm 8 weeks -Tutor: Revd Jason Bray

Old Testament Course – Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pm 10 weeks

The Art and Craft of Preaching – Wednesdays 7.30-9.30 – 10 weeks – Tutor Revd Dr J Weaver.

Welsh – Wednesdays 7.30-9.30pm – 30 weeks

City Church, Cardiff. Further information from CACEC. Administrator: Norman Preston, City Church, Windsor Place Cardiff. Tel: 029 2022 5190
 

Opportunities at Coleg Trefeca

Creative Arts Retreat Movement Retreat – 15-21st August- Painting, Photography and Prayer.

Ministry of Healing Retreat – 12-15th September – Quiet relaxation in a Christian atmosphere, with personal ministry available.

Exploring the Faith – 16-18th September - for all interested in worship, preaching and mission.

Further details from the Manager, Coleg Trefeca, Brecon LD3 0PP

Tel: 01874 711423
 

Opportunities at St. Deiniol’s Hawarden

Further information from the Windermere Centre

Tel: 015394 44902

website: www.urc.org.uk/windermere

OPPORTUNITIES AT BARNES CLOSE

Private Retreats can be arranged subject to room availability, cost per 24hrs £35 (waged), £29 (unwaged)

Further information from Ian Ring 01562 710231

Website: www.cfrbarnesclose.co.uk

Other Opportunities

"Reforming Culture – A Culture to Reform" – Speakers Dr Alan Beith MP; Revd Fleur Houston; Revd Kirsty Thorpe; Dr Andrew Bradstock; Dr David Cornick, Dr Neil Messer, Dr Robert Pope, Dr David Thompson - Cheshunt Institute for Reformed Studies Westminster College Cambridge Tuesday 6th – Thursday 8th September 2005 Cost £130.

Further information Margaret Thompson, Westminster College, Madingley Road, Cambridge. CB3 0AA Tel: 012333 741300,

OPPORTUNITIES AT URC COLLEGES

a. The Partnership for Theological Education, Manchester.

[United Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Anglican, Unitarian training for women and men, ordained and lay, for ministries within the Churches and the world. Incorporating the work of Northern College].

The Faith in Living Course offers modules in a wide variety of subjects, accessible to those who both specific and general interest, on a part-time basis.

The Certificate in Contextual Theology takes two years part-time.

The Diploma in Contextual Theology takes four years part-time.

The BA in contextual Theology takes up to six years part- time.

The MA Course in Contextual Theology is available to those who wish to deepen their understanding of ministry, mission and pastoral studies. There are two elements: taught modules and a dissertation. Candidates will hold a good first degree from an approved university. The course may be undertaken part-time.

The Degree/Diploma in Church-linked Community Work entails 3-4 years study.

Research degrees may also be undertaken to M.Phil and Ph.D levels.

For details apply direct to:
The Academic Registrar, Luther King House, Brighton Grove, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5JP. 0161 249 2540. www.ptem.org.uk

b. Westminster College, Cambridge

The Cheshunt Foundation sponsors and finances sabbatical terms for ministers and others in ministry and teaching. Participants may attend courses and lectures provided by the Cambridge Theological Federation and the Divinity Faculty of the University, or spend time catching up on reading, making use of the excellent libraries available, seek inspiration from worship in diverse Christian traditions, or simply relax in leisure pursuits. The Foundation meets the cost of fees and board and lodging, offers a book grant and assists with travel costs. The normal period is one academic term, autumn or spring being the preferred periods for those wishing to participate in academic courses.

Westminster also offers ministers a CME week, by arrangement. Participants may use the college library and catch up with what is currently happening in theological education. Cost is £22 per person per day full board.

For details apply to:
The Director, The Cheshunt Foundation, Westminster College, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0AA. 01233 741084.

c. The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Education, Birmingham

Queen’s is an ecumenical theological college. It offers a post-graduate diploma/MA course for specialisation in Christian Education, including Youth Ministry, or Mission Studies. The Course may be taken full or part time, and focuses on the challenges of ministry in the UK. It aims to equip students with skills that will enhance creative ministry. The Course may also be pursued as a general degree.

Queen’s also offers a continuation of pre-ordination studies to build on a diploma and gain a degree. There is a two-year part-time study programme tailored to individual needs.

Students may also undertake research degrees such as ThD, MPhil, PhD.

Sabbatical guided study is also available.

For details of courses etc contact:
Admissions, The Queen’s Foundation, Somerset Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2QH. 0121 454 1527

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE IN RURAL MINISTRY

The Centre for Studies in Rural Ministry

University of Wales, Bangor, at St Deiniol’s Library, Hawarden, in association with the Arthur Rank Centre.

The Centre offers post-graduate studies leading to DMin, MMin, MTh and Certificate and Diploma in Rural Ministry through a flexible part-time programme.

Full details from The Revd Professor Leslie Francis, University of Wales, Bangor Normal Site (Meirion) Bangor, LL57 2PX. 01249 382566

The Rural Theology Association:

An ecumenical body for ordained and lay people, aiming to study the Gospel and develop a theology in a rural setting, to raise awareness of the nature of rural ministry, worship and mission and to discover ways of living in the countryside which embody a Christian response to the world.

Major conferences are held every other year. The formation of local groups to study rural issues is encouraged. The Rural Theology Journal is published three times a year. Occasional papers are produced.

Membership fee: £12. per year.

Full details from the Revd Stephen Cope, RTA membership secretary, The Vicarage, Rudston, Driffield, East Yorks. YO25 4XA. 01262 420313.

Other Opportunities at Colleges/Universities

University Of Wales, Lampeter -Department Of Theology And Religious Studies

With around 30 academic staff and 1,500 students, the Department of Theology and Religious Studies (TRS) at the University of Wales, Lampeter, is one of the largest in the UK, and is a major centre for teaching and research in theology and religion. Its staff have expertise in all the main areas of Christian theology, including biblical studies, systematic and philosophical theology, practical theology, Christian ethics and church history, other major world faiths including Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and contemporary phenomena such as New Religious Movements. The Department offers a wide range of learning opportunities, including:

MA in Theology, Master of Ministry (MMin) and Doctorate of Ministry - designed for those in any kind of ministry in any Christian church;

Other taught Master’s degrees including Celtic Christianity, Ecological Theology, Liturgical Studies, Church History, Islamic Studies, The World’s Religions and Indic Spiritual Traditions;

Full-time and part-time undergraduate courses including Theology, Church History, Religious Studies, Islamic Studies and Jewish Studies;

Distance learning BTh and Licence in Theology (LTh), allowing you to top up an undergraduate diploma to a degree or transfer to theology from another discipline;

Opportunities for sabbatical and short-term study;

Research degrees (MPhil and PhD) in any of the areas of the Department’s academic staff expertise.

In collaboration with other departments, including the Department of Philosophy, TRS is also involved in providing a range of other taught Master’s degrees, including:

Medical Ethics;

Business Ethics;

The Body: Eastern and Western Perspectives.

To find out more about any of these learning opportunities, contact:

Revd Dr Neil Messer
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Wales
Lampeter
SA48 7ED Tel.: 01570 424964 (direct)
E-mail:

More information about all TRS programmes can be found at:
http://www.lamp.ac.uk/trs/
More information about programmes offered in collaboration with the Department of Philosophy is at: http://www.lamp.ac.uk/philosophy/postgrad.html
 

ECUMENICAL OPPORTUNITIES OVERSEAS

A. BOSSEY, SWITZERLAND

Since October 1946 thousands of women and men from all over the world and every Christian confession and culture have come to the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute at Bossey for seminars, conferences and the Graduate School of Ecumenical studies. Many have testified to life-changing experiences in this ‘ecumenical laboratory’. Bossey offers a safe place for mutual encounter and challenge. It helps people to enrich their understanding of their own tradition and identity and prepares them to be agents of reconciliation with all God’s people of good will.

For those interested in going for a sabbatical, or simply to undertake research in ecumenical studies, Bossey offers board and lodging, free access to its library, dialogue with residential professors, and community life and worship. The Institute also sponsors a Master of Ecumenical Studies and a PhD programme in conjunction with the University of Geneva.

For details, contact The Ecumenical Institute, Château de Bossey, Chemin Cheneviere 2, Bogis-Bossey (Vaud) CH-1298 Celginy, Switzerland. +41 22 960 7300.

British Contact:
The Revd MJ Davies, 13 Savill Road, Lindfield, West Sussex,
RH16 2NY. 01444 482024.

TANTUR, ISRAEL

Tantur (Arabic for Hilltop) is an ecumenical centre for study and reflection between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It is an oasis of peace and beauty in a violent and war-torn land. It provides programmes of study and reflection designed to address the mystery of salvation and the search for Christian unity and world peace. Courses study the commonalities and differences between the Abrahamic and other religious traditions as well as exploring human rights and conflict resolution. Today Tantur provides a unique opportunity to observe and understand the Palestinian/Israeli struggle first hand.

Details of programmes and costs from:

The Rector, Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies,

PO Box 19556, Jerusalem 91194, Israel. 972-2-6760911.