In June last year the Bench of Bishops endorsed a way forward for ministry training in the Church in Wales involving the creation of a new approach that brings together high quality theological education delivered both in a residential context and in local areas throughout the various dioceses. For the first time the whole Church in Wales will have a single shared programme for discipleship and ministry training delivered by thenewSt Padarn’s Institute, which will be launched on 1st July 2016.
The first meeting of the new St Padarn’s Council took place in Cardiff on 1st September. The Council has responsibility for forming strategy for theological education across the Province including education for discipleship and training for lay and ordained ministries, both residential and non-residential. The Council will also oversee the structures and arrangements for St Padarn’s, being put in place over the coming months.
St Padarn’s aims to work closely with dioceses to support and enable the transformation of ministry and discipleship. It will benefit from partnerships with Welsh universities (being developed currently with Cardiff University and University of Wales, Trinity St David). It will serve the whole of Wales bringing high quality training to both residential and locally-based students.
The St Michael’s College site will continue to support training as the St Michael’s Conference Centre. It will be the main hub for St Padarn’s and residential training, but will connect with other delivery sites being established across Wales. This network will support dispersed learning especially through local groups.
The development of St Padarn’s presents a dynamic and exciting way forward for the Church to embrace and resource its strategy for growth.
You can follow the journey of the creation of the new training institute here.
