“My experience of formation with SWMTC, firmly rooted in my home church, in work, in family, and in study has been incredibly positive. Each has informed the other, readying me and equipping me for 21st century ministry.”
SWMTC offers part-time training for ordinands within the Church of England. Ordination candidates are sponsored by their home Diocese. We would also be very open to training ordinands from other denominations if interested – something we used to do regularly in the past.
Why train with SWMTC? We are committed to theological learning that is deeply rooted in local contexts. We understand the church in the South West, and our training and formation prepares people for ministry in a variety of settings. Students are able to continue working and belonging to their local church, while receiving an accredited high quality theological education and receiving formation within a community of worship, prayer and learning.
The Taught Programme
The taught commitment for each year is: 7 residential weekends which take place at Marjon University, Plymouth, 14 online classes, and 14 reflective practice seminars.
Dates for 2024/25 are:
7-8 September 2024
19-20 October 2024
30 November – 1 December 2024
18-19 January 2025
1-2 March 2025
7-11 April 2025 (Lent School)
3-4 May 2025
7-8 June 2025
Evening classes are taught locally in Exeter and Truro or on Zoom.
Residentials
For ordinands, a single 5 day residential will take place in Lent, or just after Easter.
The focus of each residential is as follows:
Year A – Leadership and Mission
Year B – Pastoral/Funeral Ministry & Interfaith Issues
Year C – A Bespoke Programme
Students also develop their understanding of mission and worship in the local church by leading services, preaching and leading small discipleship groups. Alongside this are sessions in how adults learn and communication skills. Students are also able to pursue an area of theology or ministerial practice that interests them via independent learning projects.
Ordinands usually attain either a Certificate of Higher Education (180 Credits) or a Diploma (240 Credits), in Theology, Ministry & Mission, with the option of progressing to BA Honours degree in Theology, Ministry and Mission. These awards are validated by Durham University.
Placements
Our students have the opportunity to undertake two placements during training.
Ordinands will undertake placements as part of their training according to the following pattern:
Ordinands:
Year 1 – Observation Placement
Year 2 – Extended Placement
Participation in placements will resource Theological Reflection, which will be assessed in the appropriate module.
Support
The Staff Tutor is the member of the core SWMTC staff responsible for supporting and monitoring the student’s formation.
Ordinands are allocated a Journal Tutor, who serves as critical friend to the student’s personal and theological development, working with them on their learning journal. The Journal Tutor is appointed by SWMTC in consultation with the candidate. They are based in local communities and work independently of the core SWMTC staff.
The Training Minister is a key person in enabling the growth and development of the Ordinand’s vocation. They may have travelled a similar road in the past, and will almost certainly know the student already and will have supported them during the selection process. The Training Minister can also offer the example of an ordained life, provide pastoral support to the student and any family, and share their skills and experience.
All ordinands are strongly encouraged to have a spiritual director or ‘soul friend’ to whom they can speak in absolute confidence about their life of prayer and journey of vocation, during their training and beyond
How to Apply
SWMTC training for ordained ministry is available only to those who have been selected for training by the Church of England or other denominational body. Applications must therefore be made through your local diocese, which will have a rigorous selection procedure involving a process of interviews and meetings, followed by a formal selection conference (or an equivalent process in other denominations).
Enquiries: If you are considering training for ordination, your own home minister should be the first contact. If this is not possible, you may contact the following.
Diocesan Directors of Ordinands:
Diocese of Exeter: The Revd John Fisher, ddo@exeter.anglican.org
Diocese of Truro: The Revd Jane Vaughan-Wilson, 01736 351825, jvwilson@truro.anglican.org
Open days: SWMTC holds Open Days for prospective ordinands, which provide an opportunity to see SWMTC at work and to chat to existing students and staff. Please contact the Training Coordinator and Administrator on admin@swmtc.org.uk for details of our next Open Day.
Entry requirements: You may be asked to study Encountering Theology modules during the selection process. In the Diocese of Exeter, the Diocesan Director of Ordinands may recommend the Foundations course to those exploring ordained ministry.
Fees: For Church of England ordination candidates, the National Ministry Development Team of the Archbishops’ Council covers all pre-ordination training fees, and provides a book grant and travel expenses.
“I could not have contemplated training in a college because of my family and work circumstances at the time, so training on a regional course was ideal for me. I am able to train, work, see my family and keep in touch with my home church all at the same time, which means that I can keep a sense of reality while I am training. One of the great advantages of SWMTC over college courses is the variety of churchmanship and styles which we are exposed to – we work with and learn from each other and I believe leave the course with a rounded and wide formation for ministry. The balance between practical and theoretical learning is just about right… I feel I have made many friends over the three years and the staff have been supportive and challenging at the same time. SWMTC is a real family community which its students value for the rest of their ministry.”
