College-style training

If you are going to be training full-time, then the Queen’s college-style weekday programme is the natural starting point for exploring what we have to offer. Lectures are focused during the early part of the week (Monday to Thursday), with practical involvement in a local church expected on Sundays and at one other point in the week (often either Friday or Saturday). Some students live on-site, but it’s possible to live at home and commute to Queen’s daily or to be a resident Monday-Thursday. Typical full-time training lasts two years, but it can differ, depending on previous experience, study or other needs.

Some student ministers who begin their training full-time time may be provisionally allocated to join the Circuit-based Learning Pathway in their second year. Their total programme would be expected to last three years.

The shape of the week and the year

This formational pathway is shaped around weekday learning on the campus. Students will generally be required to be in classes on campus Monday to Thursday.  Friday is a non-teaching day to enable personal study or work in a local church. Part of Sunday is also set aside for hands-on experience with a local church.

Within the weekday pattern, a number of significant features shape a programme that is focused on ministry training: 

• Teaching that is specifically related to public ministry through a variety of modules
• A small group meeting for sharing and prayer each week
• Other activities, such as community gatherings, shared meals, etc.

Students can work at either undergraduate or postgraduate levels, on the programme that builds on any previous theological study and best suits their formational needs.  Most students are enrolled on credit-bearing programmes validated by Durham University as part of the Common Awards. At every level, students value the diversity of the theological experience and perspectives found within the classroom environment.

Modules are taught primarily during term time. There may be additional courses to prepare students for ministry, or additional opportunities for practical experience, which fall outside term times. In recent years students have had the opportunity to focus on rural experience and ministry.

Daily prayer and worship

Each day has provision for daily prayer and worship. Corporate gathered worship is led by students at midday. On Tuesdays and some Wednesdays evenings, there is a staff-led service of Holy Communion. There may be additional gatherings for prayer and worship specifically organised by students. Worship that is woven into daily life and learning is an important part of formation for public ministry.

Placements

Further ministerial experience is gained through an intensive placement during the second half of the summer term. This involves working alongside an experienced minister, usually for 5 weeks. The placement happens in a different context from your previous experience, to develop further your appreciation of the Methodist Church’s ministry. You will be involved in deciding what your needs are for the placement and discussing practical implications (for instance the distance you may be able to travel, or the possibility of living in the placement context).

Local church activity

If you are a full-time student minister you are required to give an average of 2 sessions per week, usually including part of a Sunday for work in a local (link) church. This will not be your home church and not usually in your home Circuit but somewhere that gives you a different experience. If you move to Queen’s, it will be in a Circuit accessible from Queen's. The expectations for this work are set and agreed in discussion with the personal tutor and the church minister. The practice and experience gained in leading worship and preaching in the local church feed into a worship portfolio, compiled over the duration of your training.

Personal tutorial support and oversight

Students have a personal tutor with whom they meet six times a year to discuss their ministerial formation and training experience. At the end of the year, personal tutors, in dialogue with other Queen’s staff, prepare a report on the student’s progress which goes to the Connexional Committee with oversight of student ministers (the Ministerial Candidates and Probationers Oversight Committee).

There are additional formational sessions for diaconal students with diaconal members of the staff team.

Students also have an accompanist: a member of the Oversight Committee who accompanies them on their journey through the training process.

Opportunities to engage with the world church

Queen’s is an international community, with serving ministers from around the world engaged in programmes as part of their own ministerial development and learning.

In addition, students are encouraged to make the most of our international links and the visits which take place each year to different contexts around the world. Methodist students will have funding available to them for these opportunities to engage with the world church. In recent years there have been visits to Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Estonia, Italy and Israel/Palestine. We are continuing and building new links especially with partner theological institutions in the global majority world.