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1.2 Walter Houston took up his duties in September 2000 at the beginning of the new academic year. Along with him, the Revd Dale Rominger has continued during this year on a half-time basis as Assistant Director, with particular responsibility for internships and placements and training in worship and preaching and spirituality. The Director confesses that without his experience and assistance he would have found it exceedingly hard to handle the numerous challenges of his new post, and takes this opportunity to express his gratitude. Dale has been again ably assisted in worship and spirituality training by the Revd Betsy Gray-King.

1.3 The new partnership between Mansfield and Regent’s Park College, Oxford, also came into operation at the beginning of the 2000-2001 academic year. Under this arrangement, Mansfield and Regent’s Park College share resources in ministerial training. As Regent’s Park has greater resources in theology, they are providing the majority of the teaching. In return, Mansfield, in the person of its Director, provides teaching in Old Testament studies for undergraduates as well as Baptist ministerial students at Regent’s Park. The partnership enables Mansfield students to benefit not only from a range of expertise in theological disciplines, but from a well-developed programme of pastoral studies calling on speakers from inside and outside Oxford. This partnership, as we go to press, has passed the test of its first term. It has generally been seen to be valuable to both sides and working satisfactorily, though some adjustments will be needed.

1.4 We continue to be able to provide some teaching at Mansfield out of our own resources. Besides Walter Houston’s Old Testament teaching and the work done by Dale Rominger and Betsy Gray-King, New Testament teaching is given by Ms Lynda Patterson, appointed George Caird Lecturer in New Testament Studies for two years, while the Rev. Dr John Muddiman acts as Chair of the Board of the Theology Faculty; and Ms Peggy Morgan continues to teach world religions. The College remains an active member of the Oxford Partnership for Theological Education and Training, which groups all the theological colleges in Oxford, and works with them on arrangements for the new form of the Bachelor of Theology degree which is taken by most of our students.

1.5 As regards the governance of the course, the Governing Body of the College is working on a revision of the College Statute governing ministerial education, to clarify its responsibility for this part of the College’s work. The United Reformed Church and the Congregational Federation will be kept informed during this process, and account will be taken of their views. The new Statute must eventually be approved by the Privy Council, which is a fairly lengthy process.

1.6 Mansfield has had an intake this year of five new ministerial students – more than in most recent years – three from the United Reformed Church and two from the Congregational Federation. This brings our total numbers to thirteen, including as usual an exchange student from Bern, with three on internship and four (one part-time) in the final year of the BTh. The student body lacks a second-year group, but now that it has been given some assurance about the future, its morale has been restored. Excellent results were achieved by the group that completed their academic course in November.

1.7 Mansfield is also looking to be of service to the Church in the field of continuing ministerial education. We are involved in the development by the University and the OPTET colleges of the Master of Theology degree in Applied Theology, and would be happy to receive applications from ministers with good theology degrees for the part-time course. This is included in the partnership with Regent’s Park. Staff are available and willing to speak to ministers’ summer schools and conferences out of term time.

1.8 The Ministerial Training Course at Mansfield College has now put the past behind it, and looks forward under the guidance of God to an encouraging future in partnership with the College as a whole, with Regent’s Park College, with OPTET and the University, with the United Reformed Church, and with the Congregational Federation.

2.1 This has already been an exciting session of new opportunities and developments. Our enthusiastic student body has the following profile: 6 preparing for Church Related Community Work (CRCW) ministry, 11 preparing for non-stipendiary ministry (NSM) and 31 preparing for stipendiary ministry (SM). While our student numbers are healthy at the moment, with large leaving years looming, and recent Assembly decisions starting to bite, the usual concerns about viable student numbers and year groups are once again rising to the surface.

2.2 Personnel changes during the year have meant a re-assessment within both the College and the Partnership for Theological Education, Manchester (PTEM) of our staffing needs. We said farewell to the Revd Dr Walter Houston who moved from a half-time post to Mansfield College as its Chaplain Fellow in Theology and Director of Ministerial Training. We hope to replace him by appointing a full-time Tutor in Biblical Studies who will teach the Hebrew bible and thus up-grade our focus upon the Old Testament within PTEM. However, after two appointment processes, a suitably qualified person has yet to be found. Dr Peter Oakes, our half-time Tutor in Biblical Studies will leave at the end of current session after making a valuable contribution. Meanwhile, following the NW Synod’s decision to accept Lis Mullen as an SM candidate, we have joined our Partners in PTEM to search for a new College Chaplain. Lis’ important contribution, mostly unseen and behind the scenes, has been invaluable. We wish Walter, Peter and Lis every blessing in their new areas of Christian service.

2.3 Alison Micklem, who has had oversight of our CRCW students recently indicated her wish to concentrate on her CRCW work in Runcorn. She has helped us see the need for the CRCW programme to be given a higher staff profile. We have also been made aware of our need to advocate and develop opportunities for Continuing Ministerial Education (CME) at Luther King House. It is a clear sign of our developing work that the Governors have decided to appoint a new tutor to take a major role in placement learning, CME and the CRCW programme from September 2001.

2.4 A charitable Trust has been set up to run Luther King House for the benefit of PTEM. It is good to see various United Reformed Church committees and groups increasingly making use of our improved facilities. A second-phase development of the House is now being planned. This will involve the creation of a new library, teaching rooms and social space. An Appeal Committee under the convenorship of the Revd Dr Leslie Green has been set up to raise the extensive funds needed for this project.

2.5 The Revd Dr John Sutcliffe retired as President of PTEM in August after providing us with enthusiastic leadership, commitment and vision. He is succeeded by Roger Bogg, an Anglican layman whose managerial and administrative skills are already being greatly valued. Meanwhile, the educational activity of PTEM is developing in many ways, but particularly in the area of lay education.

2.6 The University of Manchester has agreed with PTEM a new five-year period of validation of our undergraduate and post-graduate courses. This followed a highly favourable Institutional Review in the autumn. Meanwhile, our overall educational programme is being revised and submitted for Ecumenical Validation.

2.7 Our overseas student for this session is Sandra Spada from the Waldensian Faculty in Rome. Sandra is a Baptist who hails from Scicily.

2.8 Jan Berry has been on sabbatical for the second semester. She has been involved in a study programme which has taken her to Zambia and the USA.

2.9 We have been pleased to welcome the Revd Gwen Mattock as our temporary chaplain, while the Revd Susan Armitage has been offering valued tutorial help.

2.10 Two publications are worthy of mention. Encircling Prayer is a well received worship book prepared by students and staff at Luther King House. United Reformed Church contributions to the book’s prayers, liturgies and hymns are well to the fore. Later this year a further book will be published made up of some of the very exciting work which has been produced by the participants on the Faith in Living Course.

2.11 At the end of the current session the form of government at Northern College comes under a new Charity Commission scheme. This will reduce the numbers of Governors and hopefully lead to a more hands-on and appropriate way of working. Among the other changes involved will be the ending of the role ‘Subscribers in the College’s life. We hope that the positive role played by Subscribers in the past will be taken up and advanced by ‘Friends of Northern College, a new body which is coming into being. We are of course very grateful for the dedicated work of Governors past and present, and particularly for the outstanding service of our recent College Officers, Alan Hart (Secretary) and John Jenkinson (Treasurer), who will be replaced by John Mitchell and Margaret Atkinson, respectively.

2.12 Finally, this report ends on a less than routine note. Many in the United Reformed Church will be concerned that recent appointment processes at Westminster and Northern Colleges have found it impossible to locate qualified and acceptable United Reformed Church candidates for posts in biblical studies. And, yet, we belong to the tradition of sola scriptura! Why is it that, during the life-time of the United Reformed Church we have not been producing biblical scholars (or, indeed, theological teachers generally) who are ready and available to serve in church-related posts? And, secondly, what should we now be doing to ensure that ‘the teaching office’ of the church is well maintained?

3.1 The Queen’s College and the West Midlands Ministerial Training Course, along with our Research Centre, are now legally entitled The Queen’s Foundation. A new Charitable Scheme, adopted with royal assent, came into force in 1999. This change symbolises the growing integration of our resources for theological education, training and research. We emphatically believe that training for the Ministry of Word and Sacrament (and for other ordained and public ministries in the churches) should take place in the context of the learning of the whole community of faith: our new structure enables this to happen. The Revd Elizabeth Welch (Moderator of the West Midlands Synod) and Mr Howard Bridge (nominee of the General Assembly) are both members of the new Governing Body of the Foundation. We warmly congratulate Elizabeth Welch on her appointment as Moderator of the General Assembly for 2001-2002.

3.2 An ecumenical Inspection of the College and Course is taking place during the Spring Term 2001. The preparation and adoption of a new Curriculum takes place in conjunction with this Inspection. Together these represent our five-yearly ‘health check’.

There are currently 143 students in the Foundation, as compared with 125 last academic year. There are 70 students in the College, 48 in the Course and 25 in the Research Centre. Forty-five students are full-time, the remaining part-time students include some undertaking half-time study and others taking no more than one or two modules from one of our courses. Fifteen students are members of the United Reformed Church.

The Revd Dr Kenneth Wilson (Methodist) has moved from being Director of Research to become Senior Research Fellow and Consultant, having given a dynamic and successful start to the Research Centre. The Revd Dr Adam Hood (Church of Scotland) has consequently taken an additional responsibility as Dean of Research. The Revd Pat Nimmo (United Reformed Church) has accepted the call to a scoped, half-time, pastorate at Weoley Castle Community Church with the result that she will continue as a half-time staff member from January 2001. Her aim is to maintain most of her teaching and pastoral responsibilities here. The Revd Dr Neil Messer (United Reformed Church) continues as senior United Reformed Church Tutor for the Foundation.

3.5 Academic

The Academic Board of the Foundation has confirmed the results of all students completing their course in the last academic year. These results were generally satisfactory and in several cases outstanding. Simon Garwood achieved the first Distinction in our MA in Applied Theological Studies. Jacky Embrey (United Reformed Church) and Christine Polhill obtained first class BA degrees, and Alistair Barrett and Jane Freeman obtained Distinctions in the BD. A huge effort has gone into producing a new Curriculum document. All academic staff deserve appreciation for this, but none so much as the Revd Dr David Bryan, Dean of Studies, who took the lion’s share of the work.

3.6 Continuing Ministerial Education

One area of growth in the Foundation’s work has been Continuing Ministerial Education. In addition to opportunities for part-time degree level and postgraduate study and research (through our BA, MA and ThD programmes and the MPhil and PhD research degrees), Dr Adam Hood has been active in developing opportunities for sabbaticals and shorter periods of study leave in the Foundation. A number of United Reformed Church ministers have already benefited from these opportunities, working in areas ranging from St Mark’s Gospel to Local Ecumenism.

3.7 Dr Gordon Wakefield

The death of the Revd Dr Gordon Wakefield, on 11 September, occasioned feelings both of sadness and gratitude here at Queen’s, as in so many other parts of the Church catholic. Many have said that his life’s work culminated in his nine years (1979 – 1988) as the first Methodist Principal of the ecumenical College, and his widow, Beryl, has confirmed that he looked on this time as a golden era in his ministry. It is planned to honour his memory in two ways: by a special Thanksgiving Lecture on Spirituality, and by procuring a new lectern for the Chapel.

3.8 Buildings and facilities

The improvements in the Chapel, the Squash Court, gym equipment and IT resources for students and administrative staff have been greatly appreciated. The service provided by the Library continues to be a source of encouragement, support and pride to the whole institution. Audio-visual facilities have been improved by the acquisition of video-editing equipment and facilities for PC-based presentations.

3.9 Worship and Spirituality

Our Tuesday evening Foundation Services are led by a mixture of guests and ‘home’ staff. Guests this year include The Revd Bill Mahood (visiting as Moderator of the General Assembly, The Revd Keith Reed (Assistant Secretary of the Methodist Conference) and the Revd Murdoch MacKenzie (Ecumenical Moderator of Milton Keynes). The Ven Judith Rose was prevented from coming by the vagaries of rail transport. On Monday afternoons we have a ‘Discipleship Session’ for the whole college once a fortnight. Outside contributors to this range from Fr Gerard Hughes SJ to the evangelist Rob Frost.

3.10 Relations with the local and national

We are delighted to be able to host conferences and gatherings for TLS groups, POET weekends and national gatherings of Synod Training Officers. The facilities of the Foundation are in constant use, during so-called ‘vacations’ as well as term-times. Our strong links with the West Midlands Synod are enhanced by the use of our premises for Synod training events and other meetings. As a result, our Chapel and Dining Room become places where we engage with the churches we serve on a daily, and person-to-person, basis.

3.11 Assembly Gathering

There will be an opportunity for former students and all friends of the Queen’s Foundation to meet informally during Assembly: details are given in the Assembly Programme.

The Scottish United Reformed and Congregational College

4.1 The College continues in a process of adaptation in the light of the unification of the Congregational Union of Scotland and the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom. Not only are there new administrative arrangements to be complied with, there are major programme developments to meet the challenges of different ministry provision within the United Reformed Church.

4.2 Students

We currently have four students, all of whom have, for some time, been pastors and are undertaking a transition course in accordance with arrangements put in place by the then Scottish Congregational Church. They undertake their studies and practical placement alongside full-time employment and church responsibilities. Two have pastoral responsibility for local congregations and one is a university chaplain.

4.3 Staffing

The Revd Principal John W Dyce is the only full-time member of staff, but he has three part-time tutor colleagues: the Revd George Sykes, John Smith and Lindsey Sanderson (George and John being ministers in Newburgh Edinburgh and and Morningside United respectively and Lindsey the synod Mission Enabler).

4.3.1 The College welcomes the new opportunity to meet with colleagues in the United Reformed Church College Staff conference and to develop a greater participation in the life of that network.

4.3.2 The Principal continues to undertake research on issues of national identity and culture in adult lay theological education in Scotland with reference to the teachings of NFS Grundtvig for the degree of PhD in the Faculty of Education at Glasgow University.

4.4 Research students

An innovation this year has been the introduction within the College of a thrice-yearly meeting for Scottish resident United Reformed Church-related postgraduate students at other institutions to network and share thinking. There are currently nine members. Although most are following research in theology or Biblical studies, there are also participants from the fields of literature and education.

4.5 Lay preachers

The College collaborates with the synod in the training and support of lay preachers in their ministry. It is good to report that, with the appointment of two synod lay preaching commissioners, two-yearly support consultations have been introduced on a structured and purposeful footing. The autumn 2000 consultation was fortunate to have as a key participant the Moderator of the General Assembly the Revd Bill Mahood and in October 2001 the national lay preaching commissioner, Carol Dixon, will be with the group.

4.5.1 Two synod students are currently on Scottish Churches’ Open College foundation course with a view to recognition as lay preachers. The ending of this provision will mean that they will have to transfer either into the United Reformed Church’s continuing TLS programme or SCOC’s new Living Faith programme.

4.6 Vocations

The College participated in a United Reformed Church Enquirers’ conference in Glasgow in 2000 and a further conference in planned for 25-26 May this year. This will be open to enquirers interested in exploring any form of service within the church, but there will be a particular focus on non-stipendiary ministry of Word and Sacrament and Church-related community work, both of which are new to the greater part of the Synod of Scotland. It is hoped also to encourage recruitment to the ranks of nationally accredited lay preachers.

4.7 Curriculum development

There are three main areas upon which it is hoped to make further progress in the coming year.

4.7.1 For stipendiary ministry candidates: further work will be undertaken on the development of complementary modules to supplement BD studies at the Scottish universities and on the management and assessment of practical placements.

4.7.2 For non-stipendiary ministry candidates: discussions are on-going with the Scottish Churches’ Open College to explore the suitability of its new BA programme as a preparation for NSM, almost certainly complemented by work in and through this College.

4.7.3 For CRCW: the College is exploring what options there might be for suitable training in Scottish institutions as an element in CRCW preparation.

4.8 Library

For some years, the main College library has been held in common with those of the Church of Scotland Board of Parish Education, the Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Scottish Churches’ Open College on a site in Edinburgh. The library partners are currently in conversation to determine how best the library might continue to develop as a learning resource rather than simply become a repository.

4.9 College annual service

The College is delighted that the Revd Dr Stephen Orchard, who is to be Principal of Westminster College, Cambridge and was joint convener with our Principal of the negotiating group between the CUS and the URCUK, has agreed to be the speaker at this year’s service in Shawlands United Reformed Church in Glasgow. We are particularly glad to be using a venue which belongs to a church which was United Reformed Church, pre-unification.

4.10 College management committee

The College is grateful to its officers and committee members who give generously of their time to the life of the College. We are sorry to lose the Revd Elspeth Harley, who is leaving us and taking up a temporary appointment at Malua Theological College in Samoa - we send our good wishes to her (and her husband, Euan, who is hoping to undertake some duties in the medical field there).

Westminster College

5.1 Life in an ecumenical Federation.

Preparing for ministry in Cambridge means living and working ecumenically. Last year we promised to report further on the steps taken by the Federation and the College in response to the Inspection which took place in 1998. As we have considered the Inspector’s recommendations we have realised anew that institutions evolve and change, and that the Federation is at an exciting and demanding time in its history. We are no longer Protestants of differing hues talking to each other, for we have Catholic and Orthodox Institutes in our midst. That is a deep joy, but it also demands that we listen carefully to each other and learn a new ecumenical language. We are no longer four residential institutions, for patterns of training have altered, and that means discovering new ways of being a community. That is why we have devoted a great deal of time this year to exploring new ways of administering our shared life. It has been a year of working parties and hard work. Hopefully that will result next year in differing ways of governing ourselves and in new educational possibilities.

5.2 Life in a changing Westminster

The staple of our life is still initial ministerial training. We have, however, been conscious of the challenge of the Inspectorate to explore ways of opening up our programmes to lay people, and of the renewed emphasis in the United Reformed Church on continuing ministerial education. Whilst there is still much to be done, we are quietly pleased that a number of people engaged in lay ministries have enrolled for our MA course in pastoral theology. Those who know Westminster well will know that we have long valued the presence of ministers on sabbatical terms with us. The generosity of the Cheshunt Foundation allows us to do that, and the Director, Dr Janet Tollington, is always glad to receive applications from ministers of the United Reformed Church. However, we have now extended that provision by making more rooms available for shorter periods of study. Thus far the uptake has been encouraging. The interplay of lay people, ordinands and serving ministers is exciting and encouraging for the future work of the church, and we hope that it will become a permanent and natural part of our life.

5.3 Yet more inspection…

We sometimes feel in the Federation that as soon as one set of inspectors leave, another group arrive. We are partners with two universities - the University of Cambridge for our undergraduate programme, and Anglia Polytechnic University for our MA courses in Pastoral Theology and Christian-Jewish relations. Both institutions are rightly publicly accountable for the quality of their work. Our MA programmes fell under the eagle eye of the Quality Assurance Agency Subject Review in January, and we are delighted to report that we were awarded 23/24, a remarkable score, and that we were lauded for providing a model of the integration of pastoral practice and theological reflection. We shall be involved in the review of Cambridge University’s programmes in the autumn.

5.4 Of celebrations, car parks and settlements.

The year ended with a memorable Commemoration of Benefactors. We were honoured to have the General Secretary, the Revd Tony Burnham, as our preacher and the Revd Professor John O’Neill as our lecturer. It was a particular joy to see so many of John’s former pupils with us.

5.4.1 Westminster’s car park is legendary. Pot holes have long rendered it more like a battle zone than a college vista. The Governing Body decided to bite the bullet over the summer, and we now have a properly landscaped, flat car park! The leavers of the year 2000 were hopefully the last who had to negotiate that particular obstacle course.

5.4.2 They were Jason Askew to Wooler, Beatrice Buabeng to Wimbledon District (nsm) Geoffrey Felton to Canterbury, Malcolm Fife to Hassocks, Louise Franklin to Chadwell Heath and Goodmayes. Klaus Gutwein to Ely, Cardiff, Debbie Hodge to Ware, Jason McCullagh to Christ Church Morecambe, Pauline Rate to Gloucester and Brockworth, David Salsbury to Swansea, Peter Stevenson to Coventry and Bruce Upperton to the Isle of Man. We are pleased to commend them to the church and offer them our prayers and good wishes.

5.5 Principals...to be or not to be

The College congratulates the General Assembly on its choice of a new General Secretary for the Church, but with very mixed feelings. David Cornick’ s all too brief time as Principal since 1996 has been a time of significant development for the College, coinciding with a new pattern of governance. In a period of uncertainty about the future, his confidence has been invaluable; in a time when people have been looking for change, his understanding of the roots of the United Reformed Church has provided a firm foundation. David’s gifts of communication as a teacher and preacher, and his ability to lead refreshing worship have set high standards for the College ‘s students. The College community will miss him and his family.

5.5.1 We look forward to welcoming the Revd Dr Stephen Orchard as David’s successor. Stephen is the first former Cheshunt student to become Principal of Westminster. In addition to pastoral ministry, he has served the British Council of Churches and has had long experience as General Secretary of the Christian Education Movement: he holds an honorary professorship in religious education at Brunel University. Stephen also brings with him a deep understanding of the history of the United Reformed Church and was Joint Convener of the Committee which conducted the negotiations for union with the Scottish Congregational Church.