From the PrincipalAt the end of the academic year, I usually breathe a sigh of relief and sit back amazed that we all got through another one. This is ridiculous, because we have a solid and stable College; full of enthusiastic folk, brimming with ideas, and grounded in a shared sense of serving a merciful God. Becky and Dulce continue to administer our lives gracefully (avoiding most of the banana skins), and keeping up a cheerful office with the aid of Dulce’s cakes. Our growing library is trimmed, catalogued, and watered by Rosie Irvine, while Chris Irvine has joined us as an Honorary Teaching Fellow and consultant on the arts and the arcane. Suzy Gregory continues to reveal the mysteries of writing, rhetoric, and fluent argument, turning those who think they can’t into those that know they can. And Guido de Graaff masterminds our academic accreditation and the complexities of Common Awards while teaching ethics and doctrine and even giving academic papers in Oxford.

As the College has grown and added new programmes, the infrastructure has got much more complex. I have, therefore, appointed Simon Stocks ‘Senior Tutor’, with special responsibility for overseeing the Ordained Ministry programme. John Seymour, who joined us last year, has taken on the job of refining and developing our placement programme, supporting the large number of clergy, including a good few alumni, upon whom we rely for this vital part of ministerial formation.

With a support team like this, you’d think I’d be left twiddling my thumbs and consuming bonbons. Not a bit of it. I scurry and puff, and Becky (who has revolutionised our recruitment processes), keeps me supplied with a bewildering stream of appointments. Occasionally, but not very often, I write a few more lines of my rather neglected book on the Devil.

Fond farewells

Sadly, we say goodbye to Clare Herbert and Bea Clifford. Bea has spent the last two years as a very faithful academic registrar, earning us compliments for our administration of grades and greatly improving the once reviled but now surprisingly appreciated Moodle. Our prayers and gratitude follow Bea into her new ventures.

Parochial ministry demands virtuoso spinning of multiple plates and the capacity to combine the sublime with the ridiculous in a single afternoon. Only rarely is that exemplified and demonstrated in a theological college. Clare (now Doctor) Herbert, however, has pulled it off - to the good of us all. She has moved from residential planning and curricular design, through theological reflection, to pastoral care and spiritual guidance, without grinding a single gear. She has also cheered the staff, held us to account, fuelled our hopes, and preached the gospel. A hard act to follow. May God richly bless her and Philippa in their new home in Emsworth.

(That, of course, would have made a fine last line had not Clare ruined it by refusing to leave us adrift without her help. She will, therefore, return – a bit like the Rolling Stones – for another stint next year as an Associate Tutor and consultant for some important developments in our Pastoral and Practical Theology programme.)

God bless.Yours, Revd Dr Alan GregoryPrincipal

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Revd Dr

Clare Herbert

‘All Change’ sums up my time at St Augustine’s College. I arrived five years ago when one Principal had left and another was about to be interviewed. I worked closely with Ronni Lamont teaching Pastoral Care, and then with Georgie Heskins, adding Mission to this agenda until John Seymour arrived. We moved from Canterbury to West Malling, gaining a new logo and name, and shedding administrative staff members along the way, while adding delightful new ones. In that sense it has been a rollercoaster.

But underneath the changes, the task of our formation in Christ, the formation of all of us, has kept me anchored, stretched, and fulfilled. Now another change looms. The last five years of thinking and talking, with students and staff alike, has prepared me well. Thank you all!

New beginnings for Clare Herbert

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St Augustine’s College of Theology Staff (from left to right) Simon Stocks, Lorraine Turner, David Flagg, Rosie Irvine, Alan Gregory, John Seymour, Anthony Hammill, Becky Young, Harvey Howlett, Chris Irvine, Dulce Peddar (insets from left to right) Suzy Gregory, Guido de Graaff, Clare Herbert

Honorary Fellows Theological education in the Church of England deserves a lot more celebration than it gets. Instead, rather like small boys on the subject of school food, complaining about theological colleges has institutionalised itself as an expected and uncontroversial moan. There’s no conspiracy behind this, of course, and no simple cure either even if one could identify what exactly needs curing.

What might help, though, are people willing to speak up for theological education in networks that have some influence on the attitudes and opinions of laity and clergy, as

well on those who view the Church from a wary distance. In other words, we need to promote the ways in which theological education builds up the Church and helps it engage persuasively in local and national culture.

With this in mind, St Augustine’s went in search of men and women willing to represent us in their various Church and public spheres. To our delight, we have now appointed our first four Honorary Fellows to be our ambassadors:

• The Rt Revd Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally (and SEITE/St

Augustine’s alumna!)

• The Rt Revd Bishop of Woolwich, Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu

• The Venerable the Archdeacon of Hackney, Liz Adekunle

• Tom Tugendhat MBE, Member of Parliament for Tonbridge and Malling

Their charge reads, “in the spheres of their work and ministry, to advocate and represent with enthusiasm theological education in general and, in particular, the virtues of non-residential training and the opportunities and resources of St Augustine’s.”

If you’d like to find out more, see our website at www.staugustinescollege.ac.uk.

Please remember our Honorary Fellows in your prayers as they begin their ambassadorial role.

Revd Dr Alan Gregory

Cool jazz at the AbbeyOn the 25th May, we held our second St Augustine’s Day celebration, this year with the Rt Revd Jo Bailey-Wells, Bishop of Dorking, as our speaker. The afternoon was well attended by alumni, present and prospective students, tutors, and Sisters from the Abbey. Also among the guests was Jemima Lewis from the Church Times who is featuring us in a forthcoming article on theological colleges and religious communities.

Bishop Jo took for her lecture the Ascension theme of ‘looking up’ and crafted a passionate vision of mission and discipleship around the symbol of raising hearts and minds to God. Good conversation, excellent food, and some fine jazz played by Tim Boniface and friends finished our day on a happy note. Next year’s event falls on the 24th May, when Rowan Williams will be our guest.

Revd Dr Alan Gregory

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A selection of photos taken during St Augustine’s Day celebrations at Malling Abbey on the 25th May 2018

Ecumenical Journeys

For over two decades, final year students have spent an ecumenical weekend hosted by the Roman Catholic seminary at Bovendonk in the Netherlands.

Owing to changes in their programme, we made our farewell visit there in 2017. This left us wondering where to go next, so we decided on a varied series of ecumenical ventures including some a little further afield. For our first three trips we decided to go to Bruges for 2018; have booked a visit to Estonia, hosted by the Lutheran church, in 2019; and in 2020 (funding permitting), St. George’s College will welcome us to Jerusalem.

Our visit to Bruges got things off to a brilliant start, staying at St Andrew’s monastery near Bruges, sharing in the brothers’ silent meals and attending their prayers. We also spent a day with the Anglican congregation in Ghent, meeting members of what is now a very international, indeed global community.

Though the number of Anglicans in Belgium is very small indeed, the Church has a significant ecumenical role, especially in mediating collaboration between Roman Catholicism and the Protestant and Pentecostal churches. The Catholic Church has experienced precipitous decline over the past 20 years with a loss of active support especially dire among the Flemish population. In the context of such a traumatic crisis ecumenism takes on a new importance, and it was heartening to discover the lively congregation in Ghent making its mark in this area. Bruges itself was our other destination, more historical in focus since the city is one of the most complete medieval towns in Europe. Here we learned about the recent rebirth of the city as a tourist centre, visited a stunning Michelangelo sculpture of the Virgin and Child, and feasted on cake and beer.

We believe that a more adventurous approach to our ecumenical weekends will yield benefits both in enriching students’ understanding of the diverse forms of ecumenical venture, and heightening their awareness of Christian mission in contexts very different from our own. Our biggest challenge in developing this programme, though, is raising the necessary funds. If you would like to support us, please make a designated gift using the donations form on our website, or join the Friends and Clergy Friends of St Augustine’s.

Revd Dr Alan Gregory

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Library Move During August we will be moving the books from the library in Southwark Cathedral to Trinity House, where the Monday evening classes will take place. This will hugely increase the opportunities for students to access this collection, as the library will be open during office hours from Monday to Saturday. This allows students to use the library throughout the week in a way that was not possible at the Cathedral, and we are confident that it will be a great improvement.

We are hoping to extend this facility to alumni and others – more details to follow. Look out for photos and more information in the next newsletter!

Revd Dr Alan Gregory

Placements!As I come towards the end of my first year in post, placements – such a vital learning and vocational experience for students - are taking a central place in my thoughts. There are three reasons for this: not only is this the season when students’ placements need to be confirmed for next year but marking for placement portfolios flags for me the strengths and weaknesses of our current arrangements. Watch out for revised and simplified placement briefings and a guidance booklet cover the different kinds we offer: parish, mission, pastoral, church, pioneer, mixed mode, contextual theology. Finally, with Clare leaving post, from the autumn I will pick up responsibility for mixed mode as well as pastoral placements.

If you would value having a student on placement in your parish – or having a mission project undertaken there – do drop me a line so that I can put the learning experience you can offer in my database. I would love to hear from you. The best way to contact me is by email, on: j.seymour@staugustinescollege.ac.uk

Revd Dr John Seymour

Theological Education SundaysSunday 3rd June was ‘Theological Education Sunday’ at All Saints, Sanderstead. Simon Stocks preached at both morning services, taking the story of Samuel hearing God’s voice in the night as a model of getting to know God better. Thinking about Eli, many people in the congregation who had ever been woken in the night by a small person found there was something they could engage with! Guido de Graaff also attended, and after the services there were several lively conversations about the work of the College. We are most grateful to the Rector, Revd Canon Martin Greenfield, for welcoming us so warmly, and to his Curate, Revd Jeremy Groombridge. Jeremy, having completed his training for Ordination at the college and now undertaking MA studies as an Independent Student, was well able to endorse the benefits of theological education, and spoke very warmly of what he had gained from his programmes.

Why not consider having a ‘Theological Education Sunday’ in your parish? We would be delighted to promote the many ways – not only through the College – in which people can study in order to grow in their faith.

Revd Dr Simon Stocks

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Transforming formation