Summer 2009
NEWS from
www.ridley.cam.ac.uk
In this issue: FROM THE NEW PRINCIPAL “Walls Down...” p 2
MICHAEL WARD The Making of The Narnia Code p 3
EMBER LIST 2009 Pull-out centrefold
20 YEARS ON AND FLOURISHING Faith in Business p 14
GOSPEL CHOIR Mission to Farnborough p 5
NEW APPOINTMENT Tutor in Christian Doctrine p 6
PATHWAYS IN PRAYER Conference update p 15
From the new Principal: “Walls Down...” In the last edition, I reflected on my experience of sinking down roots as an evangelical Anglican. This time I want to focus on the second element in Ridley’s winning formula of “Roots down, walls down, bridges out”. My childhood introduction to “walls down” came from attending a village church, where the 1662 prayer book took centre stage, school chapel, where sung eucharist and incense were commonplace, and Scripture Union camps led by Anglican clergy, where biblical teaching and choruses were standard fare. By University I had become a convinced evangelical, yet saw it as a priority to combine active involvement in the Christian Union and an evangelical church with regular attendance at College Chapel. After graduating, “Much can be gained from a willingness to engage graciously and with integrity” “walls down” continued when I served as a lay assistant in inner city Liverpool, where an anglocatholic flagship church and two evangelical churches were part of the same team. This early exposure to the breadth within Anglicanism served me well at Lambeth Palace, in supporting successive Archbishops in their Anglican Communion activities. The huge diversity in world Anglicanism is partly due to the varying churchmanship of pioneering missionaries and partly due to attempts to develop Anglican worship and witness that is authentic in each local context and not overly
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“When walls are down low enough, what you can see is frequently unexpected”
“English”. Given the current difficulties in the Anglican Communion, I cannot help concluding that both “roots down” and “walls down” are sorely needed across the wider Communion. There must be limits to diversity, but within these limits much can be gained from a willingness to engage graciously and with integrity, not least with an eye to the imperative of mission. Beyond Anglicanism, my “walls down” ecumenical experience received its first major boost when I was preparing for ordination. My wife and I spent a semester on exchange from Ridley at Virginia Seminary in the USA. While there I studied ecclesiology at the Catholic University of Washington, which introduced me to the unimagined changes that took place in the Roman Catholic Church through the second Vatican Council in the 1960s. When in France for my curacy, the experience of being in a minority denomination made engagement with other churches almost inevitable. Taking this further for my MPhil thesis, I studied and encountered the bewildering array of French Protestant denominations, along with the so-called new communities and French Catholicism. This paved the way for another dimension to my role at Lambeth Palace, supporting the Archbishop in ecumenical affairs. Responsibilities included facilitating links and dialogue with the Church in China, the Vatican, and churches in Continental Europe. In my experience, when walls are down low enough, what you can see is frequently unexpected. Located as it is within the Cambridge Federation of Theological Colleges, Ridley is well-placed to offer this vista to rooted evangelical Anglicans.
The Making of The Narnia Code “I believe Christ’s tomb was empty.” It’s rare to hear those words spoken on national television. Still rarer to hear them uttered by a distinguished scientist. Rarest of all, perhaps, to hear them during Easter week, when broadcasters like to court controversy by airing programmes that throw doubt on the faith. And yet these words were heard on BBC1 in April this year by nearly two million people who tuned in to watch The Narnia Code, a documentary filmed partly at Ridley, which explored the argument of my book, Planet Narnia. Based on my PhD, which I began while at Ridley (1999-2004), Planet Narnia argues that, in addition to the fairy-tale level of the stories and the obvious Biblical parallels, the Narnia Chronicles contain a third layer of significance, derived from C. S. Lewis’s lifelong love of the heavens, those heavens which “are telling the glory of God” in the words of Psalm 19, Lewis’s favourite psalm. I stumbled across this hidden theme one night in my room at the top of E Staircase, and I’m very grateful to Caroline Yandell, the current occupant, for letting us film a sequence inside the room.
He was interviewed (in Adrian Chatfield’s office) about the possibility of the universe having a destiny beyond its natural life, and a meaning not reducible to mere material considerations. As far as I was concerned, the whole documentary, which took months to make and cost over a hundred thousand pounds, was worth it for two million people to hear those words: “I believe Christ’s tomb was empty.” Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia
Further information at www.planetnarnia.com
Covenant Design Group meets at Ridley “Ridley-Cambridge” are words that have been prominent in Anglican Communion circles recently. Soon after the end of the Lent Term, Ridley Hall hosted the Communion’s Covenant Design Group (CDG) and the most recent draft of the Anglican Covenant has been given the name “Ridley-Cambridge”. The group met under the chairmanship of the Most Revd Drexel Gomez, former Primate of the Church in the Province of the West Indies, and came here at the invitation of the Principal, who was formerly the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the CDG.
The distinguished scientist who confessed his faith was the Revd Dr John Polkinghorne, a former member of the Ridley Council, some time Professor of Mathematical Physics and former President of Queens’ College, Cambridge. “I stumbled across this hidden theme one night in my room at the top of E Staircase”
The Covenant Design Group, here with Ridley’s Principal, Development Director and Bursar
The Ridley-Cambridge draft received significant attention at the fourteenth meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council held in May 2009 in Kingston, Jamaica. Information about their meeting and the text of this latest draft of the Anglican Covenant can be found on the Anglican Communion website: www.anglicancommunion.org 3
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Formation through internship Katy Wehr writes about her time at Ridley working as the Simeon Centre’s first intern. Over a year ago, I followed a cyber “rabbit trail” to the Ridley Hall website and I noticed the call for interns on the Simeon Centre page. Living in the US, I hadn’t heard of Ridley or its new Simeon Centre but I had recently studied theology at Regent College in Canada and the description of the Simeon Centre as being for “Prayer and the Spiritual Life” seemed like the thing I was still hungry for more of: formation. It turned out that I was the first intern at the Simeon Centre – that meant that the Simeon Centre staff (Adrian Chatfield, Jane Keiller and Rosemary Kew) and I wrote my job description as we went along. During my first term I had “I was profoundly influenced by the daily rhythm of Morning and Evening Prayer that became a part of me” lots of variety: helping with music for chapel, hearing Jane or Adrian speak about prayer at area churches, sitting in on Life and Service classes, writing role-plays for the Pastoral Counselling class, making tea or photocopies and helping lay the groundwork for the upcoming Restoring Prayer conference. During my second term I took on some bigger projects like leading music for Adrian’s three-day intensive course on prayer, team-planning the Preparation for the Great Journey of Lent day in February, auditing an MA course Pastoral Care in the Early Church and researching and leading a two-part series for Ridley students on Celibacy and Holiness. I was also confirmed by Bishop David of Huntingdon on 12 February in the Ridley Chapel. I loved my time at the Simeon Centre and at Ridley. I don’t think I have ever had such joy in the work I was doing and in the people I worked for and with. On another level I was profoundly influenced by the daily rhythm of Morning and Evening Prayer at Ridley that became a part of me. The regular planning of and participating in worship was also a good discipline 4
and one that gave me a better understanding of (and more hope for!) Anglicanism – both historically and globally. Thank you, Ridley Hall and Simeon Centre for letting me be a part of your life for a while! The memories of my six months with you will always be a part of mine. If you are interested in internship at the Simeon Centre, contact Jon Kara Shields, the Centre’s current intern, on jks47@cam.ac.uk or Adrian Chatfield, the Centre’s Director, on ac588@cam.ac.uk
Pioneering “Breakout” 2009 Ridley Hall played host to the first ever gathering of pioneer leaders organised and hosted by Ridley Pioneer Tutor David Male with Fresh Expressions and Church Army. It was a truly historic moment with 60 pioneers attending from throughout Britain from a variety of denominations. They were joined by a number of Ridley students. There was wonderful input from Bishop Graham Cray, Mark Russell, CEO of Church Army, and Professor Richard Bauckham. There was lots of space for discussion and sharing of experiences and ideas.
But above all it was a place to find encouragement and support from fellow workers. One pioneer commented “I am going back inspired and knowing that I am not alone”, while another commented, “you have restored my faith in the church.” The use of Ridley and its resources prompted one pioneer to add, “It was a great connection point between the academy and the practitioners.” At the end of the conference it was unanimously decided that this needed to become a regular fixture. Plans have already begun for next year’s Breakout conference. Contact David Male on dm432@cam.ac.uk to be included on the mailing list for future conferences.
Gospel Choir Mission to Farnborough
No sooner had the Lent term finished than twenty-five members of the Ridley Hall Gospel Choir (students, spouses and members of staff) were on their way to the Church of the Good Shepherd, Farnborough. It was a packed weekend. After a meal with our wonderfully hospitable hosts we were straight into our Friday evening workshop. Being joined by young people from the church and local community, the workshop was great fun as we sang gospel music together.
enjoyed ourselves greatly, and it seems our audience would have been happy for us to keep on singing late into the night judging by the standing ovation we received. Even so, the highlight of the weekend was the service on Sunday morning. In a packed church in which there were many “fringe” people present, an evangelistic message was preached and the roof almost came off as choir and congregation worshipped the One we had proclaimed as Lord throughout the weekend. It was a memorable and moving experience which touched the hearts of many of us. Much prayer and planning went into the weekend and we are very grateful to Revd Rachel Bennetts, our hosts, and all those at the Church of the Good Shepherd who made the weekend such a joy for us. Special thanks must go to our hard working and inspiring musical director, Mark James.
Saturday morning saw us singing in Kingsmead, Farnborough’s covered “We thank God for the shopping centre. In prime position Gospel that we share” opposite Sainsbury, many stopped to hear us, and a good number chatted to members of the choir as we shared our faith and gave out invitations to our concert. It was a great privilege to take the Gospel into the centre of the town and to receive This was the first time that the Gospel Choir had been such a warm reception. It’s not often that you get to on a mission weekend, but we hope it won’t be the see so many smiling faces amongst those who are dolast. God opened many hearts and minds during our ing the weekly shop. time in Farnborough and its fruit is continuing to be seen: new people have joined the church and several On Saturday evening over 200 people, many of whom have started a Christian basics course. We thank God were not Christians, came to our evangelistic concert for the Gospel that we share, and for the joy he gave in which we presented the Gospel through song, tesus in joining with our friends at the Church of the timony and interview. The response was very enthuGood Shepherd. siastic and our audience certainly didn’t hold back when it came to joining in with “Great is He”. We all
Caroline Yandell
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Art and Spiritual Insight
New appointment
The Centre for Youth Ministry
Tutor in Christian Doctrine
“Young people’s imaginations tend to get toned down these days,” said Mark Stanyer, a third-year youth and community student who was born East Africa but lives and works in Cambridge.
St John’s Church, Egham, has a knack of producing theologians to teach at Ridley!
Mark was talking about what he had learned from an experimental art course at the Centre for Youth Ministry. Not only had it taken the group around many of the art galleries in London in the company of their instructor, but had also got them all working on art projects of their own; Mark worked with stencils. When he realized how much the course had helped him spiritually as he used his imagination and began Art offered other ways of creating, he decided to try exploring what it means out some of the things he to be Christ-like had learned on his own youth group. He set the teenagers at Cambridge Community Church to work, giving them materials and asking them to create something that reflected their own understanding of the Christian journey. “The things they came up with were all rather stereotypical,” Mark said, “But I am certain if we had had more time and could have done further sessions they would have gone deeper.” It was particularly helpful for those who are visual rather than verbal learners, and the very act of engaging in art opened up the group to one another. Conversation evolved naturally without adhering to what was previously a noticeable girl/boy divide. The CYM module that got Mark so animated is called “Human Personhood through Popular Art,” and is led by the priest and artist, Neil Lambert. Neil was at Ridley a few years ago and is now vicar of a parish in the Aldershot area. Mark uses words like eye-opening and prophetic as he spoke of how art had been broadening his Christian perspective, giving him other ways of exploring what it means to be Christ-like. 6
In 1985, Jeremy Begbie was Curate there when he was recruited to the teaching staff here. Now that he has moved on to Duke Divinity School in North Carolina, his successor is the Revd Dr Craig Holmes, the present Curate of that parish! Craig Holmes will take up his appointment as Tutor in Christian Doctrine at Ridley Hall in January 2010, but until then he intends to make the most of his remaining time in the parish. After undergraduate studies in Geology at Southampton University, Craig went as a PhD student to Royal Holloway, University of London where he spent three years sampling and modelling methane emissions in the London area. It was while he was at Royal Holloway that he met his wife, Becky, who is at present Head of Drama at a grammar school in the Egham area. Craig is hardly a stranger to Ridley, having trained here for ordination, during which time he studied for his second doctorate in the area of Hermeneutics, which is due to be completed in the next few months. He says, “I was a student at Ridley from 2001 to 2007, which must be some kind of record, and belonged to both B and G staircases during that time.” His name already appears on the Ridley Croquet Champions plaque, which means he will certainly add to the competition next summer in this most popular of sports at Ridley. In welcoming Craig to Ridley, the Principal Andrew Norman said “Craig is a gifted and engaging teacher and theologian, with a heart for mission. As a former Ridley ordinand, he represents home-grown talent which we are delighted to be reclaiming!” The Holmes declare, “We’re both really excited about joining the Ridley community and our move back to Cambridge” in the company of their lively female Labradoodle called Harrie.
“Craig is a gifted and engaging teacher and theologian, with a heart for mission”
Ember List 2009 With this pullout centrefold we invite you to pray for this year’s leavers as they prepare for their future ministry, whether it be in the world of work or in parish or youth ministry.
Chris Bessant (formerly Project Manager, software development) Parish: St Nicolas, Great Bookham, Guildford Diocese Having spent 20 years working in IT within the banking sector, I’m really looking forward to my new mission! Ridley was a whole new experience of life, and I feel reappointed to serve God afresh in a new town. My prayer life and walk with Jesus have gone on in strength, for which Ridley has been a great support. Going back to Guildford Diocese is perfect for my family, and I can’t wait to get started.
Andy Byfield and Anna, Charlie,
Hebe and Edward (formerly School Master) Parish: Emmanuel Church, Wimbledon
Two action-packed years have flown by. We’ve all loved living in the heart of Ridley and the centre of Cambridge. Charlie and Hebe will miss being the noisiest members of the community, but we’re very much looking forward to serving Jesus and making Him known in Wimbledon (not to mention watching some tennis!).
Matt Coles
(formerly Commercial Manager, Marks and Spencer) Parish: St Mary’s Chesham The last three years have been happily packed with college rugby, Christians in Sport, Oak Hall, “Relay”, Faith in Business, exploring military chaplaincy and the mental health care of ex-servicemen and women. Not forgetting the BTh. Or Federation Worship. I am leaving with fond memories and am very excited to make new ones, as Vicky and I move to Chesham.
Graham Collingridge and Jane, Laura and Bex (formerly County Manager, Mental Health Strategy) Parish: Bitterne Park Parish, Southampton What a rich experience it has been at Ridley: a trip to Israel, farming in Wiltshire, leading choral evensong, an AngloCatholic placement, guided prayer with a Russian Orthodox priest, and lots of essays. The family has made some great friends here too. Now it’s “Southampton, here we come” (pity the football team just got relegated!).
Toby Crowe (formerly Early Years Teacher) Parish: St James’s, Alperton, London Diocese My head’s full of new knowledge. Thanks, Ridley, for excellent teaching and committed staff. Emma and I will miss the community here – we thank God for it and all his blessings (including James, born on 7th May)! Now we look forward to joining the people of St James’s and sharing their discipleship. Perhaps all this new knowledge will help?
James Fletcher (formerly Church Worker in Dagenham) Martin Castle and Rebecca and Nathan (formerly Town Planner) Parish: Church of the Martyrs, Leicester
During our time at Ridley we got engaged, then married, moved house and had Nathan – all within two years! We’ve learned just how faithful God is through all the challenges of life. The love and support of the Ridley community has been immense. We’re really looking forward to life back in Leicester, in a parish which serves a decent curry!
Mark Castleton (formerly Library Assistant) Parish: St Mark’s, Salisbury Diocese
After three years at Ridley I will be moving back to my sending diocese in Salisbury. Now fully armed with my Red book, some clever sounding words and a coffee addiction, I feel sure that I will take the curacy world by storm. God Bless, stay in touch.
Parish: St Nicholas, Tooting
Three years at Ridley seem to have sped by and I can’t really believe I am leaving. Having said that, I am really looking forward to starting in Tooting and getting fully involved in parish ministry.
Lydia Gaston (formerly PA to three Legal and General Insurance Directors) Parish: Christ the King, Erdington, Birmingham Diocese
I’ve had a fantastic three years at Ridley and although I am very excited about leaving it will be a mix of emotions. I have some fantastic memories from my time here, including Mark’s proposal on C Staircase. Mark and I have enjoyed a very happy two years starting married life in the Precincts. I have felt richly blessed by God, who has worked in my life bringing me to Ridley and our relationship has grown through what I have studied and experienced while here. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us next.
Trevor Golding
(formerly Engineering Manager) Parish: Christ Church, Highbury Studying at Ridley, after several years in industry, was always going to be a challenge. However, Ridley has been a place of affirmation and enrichment as God has blessed me through my study and especially through fellowship with students and the staff. I am sure that Lois and I will draw on these blessings for many years to come.
Annette Hawkins
(formerly Development Manager) Parish: St Helen’s Ore, Chichester Diocese I am returning to my sending Parish in Hastings as a Pioneer Curate. Armed with Dave Male’s book(!) I will oversee the youth and children’s work and be planting a Fresh Expression. Very sad to leave Ridley where I’ve been greatly blessed by the staff and my fellow students, but excited and looking forward to living with my husband John again!
Andrew and Anne Jablonski
(formerly Engineering Consultant in the Rail Industry (Andrew), Chemistry teacher, Scripture Union schools worker (Anne) Parish: Church of the Ascension, Harrowby and St John’s Londonthorpe, Grantham (Andrew), St Wulfram’s, Grantham (Anne) As we first met in Cambridge when both studying science this was a romantic return with a difference. It has been a great opportunity to study theology in such beautiful surroundings with inspiring tutors and colleagues. We have had two wonderful years as part of the community at Ridley and at St Andrew’s Chesterton. We shall miss the view of the river from our house, the daily cycle ride across Midsummer Common, the staircase and the chapel. We now look forward to joining the Christian community in Grantham.
Emma L. Johnson
(formerly Short term CMS mission partner) Parish: St Paul’s (Evenwood), St Mary’s (Cockfield), St John’s (Lynesack) and St Mary’s Mission Church (Woodland), Durham Diocese “…though she with giants fight, she will make good her right to be a pilgrim” (edited version of hymn!). Many thanks to all at Ridley who have enabled me to be a better pilgrim and giant-slayer! I look forward to my pilgrimage turning northwards where “awes gannin te gan te me curacy wheres loadsa reet canny hinneys, gadgies, lads an lasses longin te knaa the Lord!”
Rachel Livesey
(formerly Principal Lecturer in Tourism Management) Parish: All Saints, Streetly, Lichfield Diocese God has blessed me with an amazing two-year roller-coaster ride. Ridley has been exhilarating, terrifying (in a “but I know it’s safe really” way) and, like all good roller-coasters, it’s over far too quickly. Yet, whilst I would love to do it all over again, I am far too excited about getting out there and doing it for real!
Jamie Mackay and Linda, Kirsty and Roseanne (formerly Policeman & PE Teacher) Parish: Walesby Group of Parishes, Lincoln Diocese
From a suburban parish, to a semi-rural attachment church we are now off to a rural benefice in the Lincolnshire Wolds with eight parishes but nine churches including a rambler’s church. We are looking forward to serving the Lord in these communities.
Charlie Moloney (formerly Controller of unruly children and purveyor of religious ideas) Parish: Retford, north Nottinghamshire Charlie is looking forward to doing new things in north Nottinghamshire amongst the young people (even though they don’t have sushi or a cinema there). He’s hoping to learn a few things about church and blur the edges of what church is held to be.
Jeremy Parsons and Ruth, Anna, Louis and Raphael (formerly Marketing Director) Parish: St Martin, Cambridge
Coming to Ridley in 2007 was a challenging change of routine (not location) for our family. To our amazement, God’s next step means living utterly by faith. As NSM (non-stipendiary) curate at St Martin’s, I will combine parish ministry with earning my living as an “ordained entrepreneur,” helping businesses and local start-ups to grow and thrive in these tough times.
Kate Picot (formerly a Macmillan Nurse) Well, if anyone had told me two years ago that I would be moving to Houston in Texas for my curacy, I probably would have gone into a state of shock………..However, my time at Ridley has been great preparation for ordination and I am ready for this new challenge. I am also excited to have the opportunity to use my previous training within the pastoral care team for a church community with over 8000 people…should keep me busy for a while!
Julia Powley (formerly Chartered accountant, then church lay minister) Parish: Holy Trinity and St Barnabas, Carlisle Ridley has had its ups and downs for me, but I’m very pleased to have met so many great people. I’m looking forward to getting back into parish ministry, and to living in a house instead of a room!! Plenty of space for visitors if you dare to venture that far north. . .
Richard Priestley
(formerly Church Army Evangelist/Church Planter) Parish: Broughton with Loddington and Cransley and Thorpe Malsor, Peterborough Diocese As a Pioneer minister Richard will be leading a church plant in the new village of Mawsley and developing fresh expressions of church in this rural benefice of four village churches.
Alistair Rycroft and Lucy
(formerly Youth pastor) Parish: St Michael-le-Belfrey, York We are very excited about the move to York. Lucy will be stopping work in order to be a Mum, and Al will be doing lots of student work along with the usual curacy stuff. He’s looking forward to finding new victims for his old jokes.
Jez Safford (formerly Youth Worker) Parish: Grange Park in the Benefice of Collingtree, Couteenhall & Milton Malsor Shelley and I are very excited to be returning to Peterborough Diocese. Life at Ridley has been another blessed experience (tried leaving after CYM training but just had to come back...). I will miss the intimacy of good friendships and the privilege of working, praying and playing with an amazingly talented bunch of fellow students and staff. God is soooooooo good. x
Marcus Purnell (formerly Business Analyst) Parish: St Benedict’s, Northampton Being part of Ridley has been a real joy for us – Thanks be to God! And as one who was close to Mark Autherson before he died I know that he also loved the place and was grateful for all that he received here. We have relished this bit of our journey and it will be hard to say goodbye. So much good stuff and so many great people – thanks to all! Our next episode promises to continue this theme and we look forward to getting stuck in!
Christina Randall James (formerly Global wanderer)
My husband Mark and I are moving to Charlottesville, Virginia. Mark will begin a PhD, while I will hopefully soon find employment as I discern vocation and what life has in store next.
Christopher “Tiffer” Robinson
(formerly Student Minister at Coventry Cathedral) Parish: South Hartismere Benefice, St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese My wife Amy and I are looking forward to ministering in a rural context; 8 churches in 11 parishes, with a breadth of churchmanship and style. Please pray for us as we seek to make a difference to the communities there, and that we would form good relationships with others in the area our own age.
Harry Steele (formerly Lay Youth Minister) Parish: All Saints Ecclesall, Sheffield Zoey and I varied our training quite a bit at Ridley, so after doing one year fulltime we returned to the Parish we left and I continued training “mix-mode”. After a year as Lay Youth Minister I was ordained as deacon June 2008. I continue to work with The Uncut Project – a church for young people and young adults.
Mike Terry (formerly Commander, Royal Navy) Parish: St John the Evangelist, Fareham I’ve finally escaped! It’s been a really great time; came as a single independent student for one year, left as a married ordinand after three! (don’t read Ortberg’s life-changing book about getting out of the boat when you’re in the Navy...). Thanks to everyone who’s made Ridley and CTF so fantastic. And, of course, GOD!!! Portsmouth, here we come!
Nicky-Sue Terry (formerly Event Coordinator & Speaker for CWR) Parish: St Mary’s, Alverstoke, Gosport
Ridley has been a wonderful community within which to wrestle with God in theory and practice, to journey with companions through the wilderness of formation and to rejoice together in the gracious – and surprising – purposes of God. A new landscape opens and the adventure of faith continues… Looking forward to your paths intersecting again with ours.
Paul Tullett (formerly Supply Chain Manager)
We wish Sally Autherson and her family every blessing as they return to Reading. We give thanks to God for her grace following the death of her husband, Mark, who would otherwise have been part of this Ember List.
Parish: St Mary Magdalene, Taunton www.stmarymagdalenechurch.org.uk
My two years at Ridley have been trying at times though very rewarding. I would not have chosen another way and will look back on my time here with many happy memories. I am going to St Mary Magdalene’s which is a civic church in the centre of Taunton.
Ruth C Turner (formerly Worship Leader)
Parish: St Thomas’ Church, Brampton, Chesterfield
I am going to miss all these academic essays...not! But will miss the community of Ridley, excellent teaching and brain stimulation I’ve been forced into. I love Cambridge in the spring but know I’m going to a beautiful part of the country because Chesterfield is adjacent to the Peak District. It is a new start in a new place and most of the time I’m looking forward to it (-;
Caroline Yandell (formerly General Practitioner and University Clinical Lecturer) Parish: St Peter’s, Henleaze, Bristol God never ceases to surprise! I had no idea that I would be at Ridley for a third year, nor did I expect medicine to be an important part of future ministry. Bringing medicine and theology together in my final year has been a gift and I now look forward with excitement to combining clinical work with curacy, and to developing my interests in medical ethics.
Jane Yeadon (formerly Librarian) Nick Wood-Roe (formerly Tax Manager) I can’t believe that my two years are over already! It’s been an amazing journey and I’m looking forward to all that is ahead. Having been based in London for a while, I am now heading down to Salisbury diocese and will be based at the Cathedral for my first year. Please come and say hello!
Third Year CYM students enjoying time out from the ‘Human Personhood through Popular Art’ module
Parish: St Nicholas & St Luke, Deptford. Southwark Diocese Returning to live and study in college so long after my first degree was certainly a challenge, but it has been amazing and I have learnt more than I ever could have imagined (some of it even in lectures!)
I am now looking forward to putting it all into practice in a wonderful, if challenging, area of South London.
The Centre for Youth Ministry Please pray for students at Ridley’s Centre for Youth Ministry who have just completed their final year in youth work training. Their training placements have been varied, from church- and community-based youth projects to national youth organisations. Some will continue in these posts after graduation, while others are currently looking for work. This year’s leavers are: Hannah Burton
Ben Rose
Rebecca Cheadle
Mark Stanyer
Steve Crossman
Geoff Sutton
Mark Davis
Glynn Trebble
Neil Fox
Pete Tyson
Brian French
Ryan Venn-Dunn
Fiona Harriss
Gareth Verow
Chris Johnson
Tom Wade
Ben Just
Amy Watson
Thank you, Maureen! Ridley is saying farewell to Maureen, as she retires after fourteen years of dedicated work at the College. For ten years she worked in the kitchen and more recently joined the Domestic Team, responsible for ‘E’ and ‘B’ staircases. A quiet presence around the
college, Maureen will be much missed by her colleagues and students alike. Maureen, you leave with our gratitude for your work, and we wish you all the very best in your retirement.
May 2009: The Domestic Staff team as Maureen retires
From the archives: The Domestic Staff team back in 1928
Ridley now ...
Some things change, some things never change!
... and then
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However, it does not take a genius to know that being “fully alive” takes work. Between us, we have been through glorious times and sad times as the church finds its path through the happenings of life. As well as saying that St Paul’s Hammersmith is a church that has become part of our heritage and faith journeys, we would be the first to admit that it is by no means perfect. What it is though, is a church that seeks to allow its people to be the Church: to raise up leaders who find their calling in the workplace, local schools and streets, a Church that watches expectantly for what God is doing and longs to be part of that unfolding picture.
A church “fully alive” “What is it about St Paul’s Hammersmith that inspired three couples to leave and come to Ridley this year?” Put like that, people are likely to draw one of two conclusions. Either coming to Ridley was a last ditch attempt for us all to get out of the heady world of West London, or else St Paul’s church has some form of magic dust that sprouts ordinands like trees sprout leaves. Disappointingly perhaps (for magic dust would certainly liven things up), neither of these is true. What is true is that St Paul’s Hammersmith has played a huge part in instilling a vision in us all and helping us, both ordinands and spouses, to work out our calling in the context of a supportive and dynamic community.
For Charlie, Will and Tom, the unfolding picture is one of ordination into the wide spectrum of the Church of England. For Sarah, Lisa, and me (and the growing numbers of children!) it is working out our own callings into other forms of ministry, whether through jobs, family life or church. As many people will have found in coming to Ridley, it is a wrench to leave behind friends, prayer groups and communities that have shaped, supported and loved you. Yet I am convinced that the test of God’s work in us is not in looking back but rather in how we choose to embrace the future that He’s set for us. In a myriad of ways, St Paul’s Hammersmith has played an integral part in who we all are and inspired in us all visions of churches that one day we will be called to be a part of. These visions will, as they do, differ from couple to couple, person to person, and yet they all come with the excitement of being sent out by a common community of which we are privileged to have been a part. Katy Holbird
“Being ‘fully alive’ takes work ... we have been through glorious times and sad times” When St Paul’s was planted in 2000, Will Leaf was part of the original community. He writes that “the grounding vision of the plant was to see a community that was being continually transformed to the glory of God – in the words of Irenaeus – to be ‘fully alive’”. As the church has grown in maturity, faith and understanding of this mission, we have been blessed with leaders, teachers, prayer-ers, “daughters who prophesy, young men who dream dreams, old men (but don’t tell them I said that) who see visions.” 12
Charlie and Sarah Boyle, Tom and Katy Holbird, and Will and Lisa Leaf, with friends Tom and Sarah Jackson, also from St Paul’s
Night Vision is published by Canterbury Press. If you purchase it through Ridley’s Amazon webpage, a donation will be made to the College.
Night Vision New book on mission and club culture by Ridley student We congratulate Ridley student, Jon Oliver, on the publication of Night Vision, a book he has edited and to which he has contributed that deals with reaching out and exploring new approaches to mission among the club culture and the nightlife. Night Vision offers a collection of inspiring and challenging stories about people finding a meaningful expression of their faith, engaging with the mission of God and exploring new forms of church – all within club culture and the nightlife. Graham Cray, a former Principal of Ridley Hall and now Archbishops’ Missioner to Fresh Expressions writes, “A variety of approaches is described here ... examples to enrich our imaginations as we engage with our contexts ... If you are considering engaging in club or night life ministry, here is an excellent primer.”
Part of the Ridley landscape There is a set of stone steps down from the Reception at Ridley into what was once the living quarters of the old Porter’s Lodge. No one lives there now, but for more than a dozen years it has been the home of Grove Books. In almost forty years, Grove has published literally hundreds of titles in eight different series of pithy booklets designed to introduce readers to the subject, perhaps whetting their appetite to learn more. Each year thirty-two new titles are published, which means that somewhere between fifty and sixty thousand volumes leave here each year in one or other of the eight current series Grove Books publishes. Later this year new series dealing with Leadership and with Education will add to the range. “Somewhere between fifty and sixty thousand volumes leave here each year” Grove is a fabulous resource to have available to enrich the whole Ridley community as well as the Cambridge Theological Federation. A number of Ridley staff are involved in the process of birthing new booklets, whether in the selection of titles or the writing of them. Having moved here from Nottingham in the late 1990s, Grove is now very much part of the Ridley landscape.
Night Vision is available on Amazon Ridley Hall is part of Amazon’s Associate Program. When you purchase something from Amazon, they will donate a percentage of your purchase to the College. To make this work, you have to enter Amazon’s website through our website when you buy. Why not bookmark the link: www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/amazon.html
Books can be ordered from Susanne Thompson at sales@grovebooks.co.uk or via the website
www.grovebooks.co.uk
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Faith in Business: 20 Years On and Flourishing Faith in Business began life 20 years ago as the brainchild of Principal Hugo de Waal. It has experienced two changes of name, from the catchy God on Monday through the sober Ridley Hall Foundation to Faith in Business, first used of the quarterly journal we started in 1996. It is a name that describes more fittingly what we’re about: a project that has an affirmative but not uncritical attitude to business and explores how faith operates in business. From 1989 to 2009, our core business has remained the same:
So what of the future? I summarise the plans of Faith in Business in the phrase Hope for the World and add to that “The Role of Christian Faith in Encouraging Enterprise and Promoting Integrity in the Global Economy”. I see a dual thrust for our research, events and publications over the next two to three years, hopefully culminating in a new book which:
Richard Higginson expounding a biblical theology of work to a class of Chinese church leaders and businesspeople in Hong Kong
• to make positive connections between Christian faith and the business world
• to equip businesspeople with a theological and ethical basis for Christian discipleship at work • to develop a well thought out Christian perspective on topical business issues.
A Divine Conspiracy? After a period when – even while running some high quality, well-attended events – the project wobbled, partly through sparseness of financial resources and partly because I thought I was on the verge of moving on, Faith in Business is emphatically resurgent. I am now happy to accept that there seems to be a divine conspiracy to keep me at Ridley for a while longer! A recent surge of generous donations has put the project on a much more solid financial footing. I have accepted invitations to speak on either business ethics or theology and work in a fascinating variety of places (e.g. Vancouver, Bratislava, Hong Kong) and feature on a Songs of Praise programme on May 17 about Christian entrepreneurs. Our springtime conferences attract a healthy mixture of returning regulars and new participants attracted by the specific topics each year offers. 14
Hope for the World
Explores the practice of international social enterprise, business that is concerned with transformation of society. This is a growing phenomenon, especially in the developing world, often with Christians at its heart. My aim is to identify excellent examples of social enterprise, explore their theological roots, publicise what is going on and encourage more people to get involved as social entrepreneurs.
Engages with the current financial crisis, unravelling its roots and offering a Christian commentary. In this crisis I see a host of interrelated issues: an undue dependence on debt; a regrettable change in the ethos and practice of banking; a shift of power from West to East; neglect of the classical Christian virtues; breakdown of trust; and much more besides. Our intention is to hold a residential consultation involving top practitioners and thinkers, probably in partnership with another organisation. We will then share the fruits of this thinking and invite other contributions at a major conference in 2010. The financial crisis is very severe, the future looks bleak, but there is a real opportunity to build a better, fairer, more humane economic system if lasting lessons can be learnt from what’s gone wrong. Hence the title Hope for the World. If you’d like to be part of the work of Faith in Business in establishing grounds for that hope, do get in touch. Richard Higginson, Director, Faith in Business For more information about the Project’s work, see www.faith-in-business.org or contact Richard by telephone (01223 741074) or by email (rah41@cam.ac.uk)
Restoring Prayer
about a particular way of praying, and pray with them.
Conference update
These range from Praying with Icons and Praying and Dreams to Praying in the Spirit and Praying with Stuff! This last might best be described as praying with dirty hands, using objects and actions as the “words” of our prayer. Bishop Simon Barrington-Ward will be taking us back to the roots of early Christianity in The Jesus Prayer, while Chris Rose from the Amos Trust brings to prayer a passion for justice.
Our sense of excitement grows daily, that we shall soon be welcoming Eugene Peterson, with Alister McGrath, Anne Dyer and Paula Gooder, as our speakers on Restoring Prayer: September 3–6. And our hearts’ desire for the conference is that we gather together first and foremost to pray. It would be a sadness, a tragedy even, if we were simply to talk about prayer! To this end, we have invited a number of people to lead Pathways in Prayer on the Friday and Saturday, small groups where we can learn from those passionate
As you prepare to come, and invite your friends, please pray for us all, that prayer may be restored to the heart of God’s church. Adrian Chatfield
Places are still available – book online at www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/scprogramme.html or call Rosemary Kew on 01223 742964
Online Giving to Ridley When I was a rector we were upgrading our church’s website. I asked my adult children how important a congregation’s website was.
They and their spouses were adamant that if a church did not have a web presence they were unlikely to join it! Recently, I tried something similar with younger folk about giving to Ridley. This time I asked whether they were more likely to respond to a personalised direct mail letter by sending a cheque, or to give some other way. “Some other way” won hands down – particularly online giving. We were listening! Whatever your preference it is now also possible for you to make donations to Ridley through our website. All you have to do is click the “Make A
But there will soon be more than that. We are working on an official Ridley Facebook presence that will enable you to reach that secure site from your own Facebook account. Credit card is one way of giving at www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/giving.html
Donation” button on the opening page and follow the instructions. That click will take you to a highly secure site managed by the Charities Aid Foundation. Also, if you are a UK taxpayer and are therefore eligible for Gift Aid, that can be confirmed as you make your gift.
To explore the various ways you can support the ministry of Ridley Hall through your gift, please visit the Ridley website www.ridley.cam.ac.uk/giving.html ...and explore the various options. If you have questions, then either email or call the Development Office where we will give you all the help you want. Richard Kew, Development Director E: rk383@cam.ac.uk T: 01223 741069
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