Courses & Learning
Equipping for Ministry
In a group without a separated priesthood it is important that we are all prepared to play our role in Meeting life and as Friends in the wider world.
The two year Equipping for Ministry course aims to give you a solid grounding in thinking about what it is to be a Quaker in the world today and how you are personally to live out that calling. The course is designed to benefit both you and your meeting. Please contact us for further information about any aspect of this course.
Core Curriculum
There are three core themes to Equipping for Ministry: the Evolving Tradition, the Experience of the Spirit and Engagement with the World.
The Evolving Tradition includes the history of Friends worldwide and the issues which face us in our claim that all of life is sacramental.
Experience of the Spirit includes topics such as prayer, worship, discernment, sources of inspiration and sources of authority.
Engagement with the World looks at testimonies, witness and action: living our faith in today's world.
How does it work?
The course is structured around a combination of time at Woodbrooke and projects for personal study and reflection. When you enroll on the Equipping for Ministry course you will be assigned a personal tutor and invited to attend the induction weekend. The induction weekend takes place once a year during the second weekend of January. In each of your two years you are required to attend a residential week. In addition you create your own programme of study from our wide range of courses. Between visits to Woodbrooke you will undertake project work for study and reflection back home.
Residential Weeks will cover topics from the three core themes of the Equipping for Ministry Programme. Topics explored during these weeks include prayer, discernment, arts based work, 'living faithful lives', the world family of Friends, Friends and the Bible, ecumenical and interfaith issues, being part of a local meeting, journalling and Quaker history and theology.
Creating your own programme from our wide range of short courses is easy - you simply pick two courses (excluding day schools) per core theme over the two year period.
Project work is carried out between visits to Woodbrooke, giving you space and time to reflect. The time for personal work is essential and the course cannot be completed in less than two years. In certain circumstances students may be able to take the course over three years.
Tutorial Support
Your personal tutor will usually meet with you on your visits and/or be in touch between them. This tutor will be your first point of contact when you are working on the study and reflection between visits here and will work with you in thinking about what you have discovered throughout the course.
Equipping for Ministry Pack
You can download the Equipping for Ministry Information Pack by clicking here. To view this document, you may require Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded FREE by clicking on the icon below.
Contact Us
To find out more about Equipping for Ministry, please contact Judith Jenner at Woodbrooke by emailing judith.jenner@woodbrooke.org.uk or call +44 (0)121 472 5171.
