WSC Student Summer Placements

Placements are at the heart of ministerial and theological formation here at Wesley Study Centre, Durham, because practical theology is rooted in reflection on experience of ministry. A wide variety of placements are offered to student ministers offering opportunities to work alongside churches, training institutions and community projects, across a wide range of contexts. These placements give students invaluable insights as they prepare for ministry, provide important opportunities for cross-cultural engagement, and create vital links on both local and international levels, where shared learning can take place. WSC students undertake term-time placements, primarily in local settings but their summer placements can be anywhere across Britain and indeed across the world. Over the summer, WSC students have been in India and the United States, in Central Hall city centre work and in Fresh Expressions, in Christian Media and in an Art Gallery. Below are reflections in the students own words about their summer placements. They share how their experiences have formed them and shaped their understanding of ways in which God is at work through the agency of the church. If your circuit might be interested in supervising a WSC student for a summer placement, whether in Britain or overseas, do get in touch. Please note that reflections from Helen Bamber and Anne Coates (who visited Tamil Nadu Seminary in South India) and Pete Brazier (who is on an exchange visit to Duke Divinity School, South Carolina) are under the Student Life heading on our website (see Placement to TTS India 2011 and The Hazzards of Duke).

Tim Coleman ( 2nd Year Diaconal Student) The Holy Biscuit, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
The Holy Biscuit has a bush that grows close to the path and the entrance to the building. Rob, the minister responsible for the project, thought it would be a good idea to remove the bush to create a cleaner aspect to the building. Remy Zack, the owner of the Biscuit Factory art gallery - the partner of the Holy Biscuit - who has a Jewish background, got wind of this idea. His response was: No way! The bush stays! You never know when He might turn up again! A humorous reply typical of the relationship between these two men, their conversations often sprinkled with Biblical references injecting humour. The bush is still there. Remy was perhaps more concerned with the aesthetic appearance of the building than the possibility of a divine encounter. However, I saw it as in some way reflecting the story of the Holy Biscuit and pointing towards the mission of the venture. A Methodist Church no longer needed for worship and on the brink of being sold was rescued and renovated to become the Holy Biscuit, a place full of the potential for an encounter with God because you never know when He might turn up again. This is the mission that is the Holy Biscuit. The Holy Biscuit operates in partnership with the Biscuit Factory art gallery located nearby and functions as a space for displaying and selling art by non-commercial artists that the Biscuit Factory cannot offer space to within their own art gallery. The Methodist Church also uses the space for local community outreach using art and creativity as a means of engaging people with concepts and ideas related to the Christian faith. The mission of the Holy Biscuit has three distinct aspects, one is to support and encourage the development of a community of Christian artists, who worship together once a month in the Holy Biscuit. The second is to connect to a wider range of people through the Biscuit Factory than the Church could do otherwise and lastly to work within the local area, creating opportunities to nurture the kingdom of God.

Tracey Hume (2nd Year Diaconal Student) North Road Methodist Church, Durham
North Road Methodist Church is situated at the end of a high street of shops, businesses and a bus station in the centre of Durham City. I had the privilege of spending two weeks there in July, predominantly with Norma Nevin, the Mission and Development Worker based at the church. I had requested a placement which was involved in city centre ministry and this was certainly what I got. I was able to get involved in a range of activities which included some retail chaplaincy work to the local shops. Along with Norma, we visited all the shops giving copies of Lukes gospel to shop workers and having a natter. The opportunities for developing relationships in this context are numerous. North Road also runs a cafe on Fridays. I was in my element having prayed for an opportunity to help out with a church-based cafe for years (I always said I had a cake ministry!). The cafe offers a space for locals to have a coffee or a three course meal cooked and served by a group of fantastic church volunteers. I was a runner serving all the meals and having brief chats with customers. One local gentleman, who attends most weeks, felt that the cafe offered him another marker in the week, a place to go and chat to people in what could be quite a lonely week. He also valued the listening service the cafe offers. Food and hospitality were important in the ministry of Jesus; seeing the cafe in operation has reinforced my feeling that it should continue to be an important part of the ministry of church communities. City centre ministry is not without its challenges but North Road is continually seeking new ways of engaging with the people who live and work in the area and exploring ways of making worship accessible. It was a really useful placement to reflect on what is church? How can churches try to meet the needs of locals? How can the Sunday congregation best relate to the people coming into the building during the week? No easy answers but a great place to begin to think about the questions and also to witness people with a passion for city centre mission.

Rick Ormrod (2nd Year Presbyteral Student) The Gym, Lancashire

God is at work in Morecambe. That was my impression after a two week Fresh Expressions placement at The Gym with Revd Peter Brown in the Lancashire seaside resort. The Gym is a Fresh Expression based in a church building whose congregation had ceased to worship. Rather than sell the building the Circuit decided to plant a new church in the Poulton-le-Sands area of Morecambe. Talking with Peter Brown and other leaders, I was excited by the vision of a church serving not only the spiritual needs of the community but also helping in practical ways to meet very real need. On Sunday, there is a morning Messy Church and an evening worship service. The main focus for the church is Tuesday when there is a Baby Gym, an after school club for ages 5-11 and an evening teenage youth club. The young mums were really appreciative of the Baby Gym and the young people definitely enjoyed their different sessions, because they had something to do. During the testimony segment of Youth Gym, I was surprised that virtually all the 60 teenagers present listened respectfully and with interest. The hope is that if children and teenagers come to the Lord then their families will follow. This strategy of reaching families and community through children and teenagers was new to me and one which I will take with me. In Morecambe I saw the power of the gospel to change lives and the transformation that is possible when Christians decide to pursue the vision that God has given to them.

Ian Rutherford (2nd Year Presbyteral Student) Premier Christian Radio, London
It was great to follow up an excellent Media Lit Course run by CODEC at St John`s College, Durham University with a placement at Premier Christian Radio in London. It provided a dynamic practical demonstration of the principles we had discussed within the course. I was struck immediately talking with Peter Kerridge (Chief Executive) and Charmaine Noble-McLean (Director of Content) by the ambition of the Directors at Premier to use all forms of media to broadcast the gospel to the whole nation and the sheer breadth of the output from the premises in Pimlico. It was very enjoyable to sit in the studios on air and see how each show was produced and presented (a real variety of content to meet the needs of the different target audiences) but it was only when I covered the telephones for the stations fundraising Radiothon that I realised how vital and significant the operation is. One young man said Premier has been like a mother and a father to me and an older lady explained Im housebound but I can still join in the worship. A visit to Premiers fantastic website www.premier.org.uk opens up all of the other media elements explored within the placement. Prayer requests can be submitted to Prayerline; a forum to interact and discuss matters of faith in a safe and friendly environment is provided by Premier Community; and if you need to talk confidentially a Christian helpline, Lifeline has a dedicated and fully trained team of listeners operating 365 days a year. It was good to talk about editorial issues with John Buckeridge with regard to the three magazines produced by Premier- Christianity (news, features and reviews), Youthwork (ideas and guidance for Christian youth workers) and Christian Marketplace (resourcing retailers and suppliers). Premier is extending its production of TV and video programmes and is also heavily involved in political analysis and campaigning. During the placement a petition of 140,000 signatures was delivered to 10 Downing Street with the sponsorship of 6 MPs from across the parties to demand that RE is added to the English Baccalaureate. It was clear to me that Premier is keen to assist local churches to use social media to connect with their congregations and broader networks and to ensure that their websites are attractive and effective and this challenged me as to how I relate as a Student Minister to these developing areas of witness. It was a delight to be introduced by Peter Kerridge to Tony Miles, one of the Ministers at Westminster Central Hall, Media Chaplain and experienced Radio Presenter. His advice is relevant to all Methodist Ministers build relationships with your local media, get some media training, write some Pause for Thought scripts, send in stories and issues and, above all, pray for your media contacts. I am so pleased that the Wesley Study Centre has included this media training element within my training for ministry.

Ian Rutherford ( 2nd Year Presbyteral Student) Victoria Hall, Sheffield

My four week placement was to Victoria Hall at the heart of the City of Sheffield an exciting, challenging and fascinating experience. This welcoming and friendly Centre of Mission and Service has 28 nations represented in its congregation, 60 user groups operating from its premises, hosts a weekly drop in for Asylum Seekers and Refugees and a Sunday lunch for the vulnerably housed and is a strategic witness within this vibrant city. I was privileged to be given the opportunity by the Superintendent the Rev Dr Noel Irwin to preach into each of the preaching contexts at Victoria Hall and to be involved in pastoral ministry and mission planning. I was deeply impressed by the strong commitment to receptive and practical ecumenism within the City Centre.

A highlight of the month was quality time spent with Revd Dr. John Vincent and his wife Grace hearing their insights and experience from faithful discipleship and service in the City and connecting with the Ashram Community (of which John is Leader) which has significantly affected me. Victoria Hall is a very special place with a clear and effective role within the City.

Tracey Hume (2nd Year Diaconal Student) Manchester Central Hall

In September I had the privilege of going on placement to Manchester Central Hall with Deacon David Smith. Central Hall is in the heart of the city and serves the retail sector as well as those living in and around the centre. I had requested a city centre placement where I could engage with those on the margins of society and explore the unique opportunities of city centre ministry. During the two weeks, I had a wealth of experiences to reflect upon which have helped me to discern areas of ministry that I feel God is calling me to pursue in some capacity, and also to identify some of my gifts and areas for continued formation. Among other things I had the opportunity to hand out food parcels to folk from different backgrounds who had fallen on hard times. I was able to offer a cup of tea and a chat and prayer if wanted and to hear their incredible stories. Many of these people were asylum seekers, a completely new experience for me and their encounters provided me with new tools for ministry. David had arranged for me to meet various locals in the coffee shop across the road to hear the realities and history of the area. My eyes were opened to the more hidden aspects of Manchester life after a chat with a local security firm owner. The coffee-shop owner talked of his commitment to the area and the changes he had seen; and the local gym owner talked about holistic approaches to well-being, including the need to engage with our spiritual selves. I have returned from placement having encountered Christ in the faces of so many, been challenged to think about where Christ is and can be in our city centres, and received a new passion for city centre ministry.