On a Saturday in early September 2024, I embarked on a train journey to Blackburn, the cathedral to be precise, on a reduced ticket thanks to my senior railcard. This would be a journey I was to make weekly, on a Tuesday evening, during term time for the next 2 years. This particular Saturday was my enrolment Eucharist during which I formally enrolled for Licensed Lay Ministry (LLM) formation with Emmanuel Theological College (ETC). This was hugely thrilling, but what also excited me was the prospect of my ETC lanyard! (I really needed a life!!) And – they sold ETC hoodies! Birthday and Christmas all at once!

Following the Eucharist, celebrated by +Philip, and which was, incidentally, extremely well attended by new and returning students, we had a humorous and enlightening talk by the (then) college Dean, Rev Canon Dr Michael Leyden. After that, we met in our formation groups, with our formation tutor who asked us what we hope to gain from our 2 years of formation. I said that I hoped to be able to talk more confidently about my faith, something which I could do beautifully to an empty room but put me in front of a real person…..well……….! And off I went home, buzzing and full of eagerness.

A couple of weeks later and I made that trip again, on my first Tuesday evening classroom session. Having already acquired access to the college online platform – Moodle – I made the massive mistake of looking ahead to the assignments over the first year. I should not have done that because it scared the daylights out of me! Then, during that first session we were asked to think about why we believe what we believe – that we would need to be able to articulate that. I struggled because, well, I simply believed. I hadn’t thought about clarifying why I believe. At the start of my formation (they prefer to call it that rather than training) I was overwhelmed with potential expectation.

I need not have worried. We were taken, slowly and calmly through our formation weeks, completing a module each term. My first module was foundational theology which was a gentle but solid grounding in theological thinking. During that first module I got to know my fellow students and became very familiar with ETC life. As students we also got the chance to individually create and lead the evening prayer sessions which occurred each Tuesday before classes began. By Christmas, the first module was complete; in January, my first marked assignments brought encouraging results.

Subsequent modules included the New Testament, Creeds and Councils (in which we looked closely at the various doctrines, for example, the doctrine of God, or the person of Christ, or the Holy Spirit etc.). That concluded my first year and it flew by!

September 2025 and I was back at the cathedral for my next opening Eucharist at which I was no longer a newbie but a returning student. The first session of my new module, Leadership and Theology for Ministry & Mission, went fine. But then, the following Sunday, I broke my foot! So, the rest of that module was completed via zoom. Not quite the same but perfectly doable. Then came the Old Testament module (try covering the Old Testament in one 10-week module!!) and the final module, Christian Discipleship. Also, during that second year, there was the preaching module which was covered across four formation days culminating in an assessed sermon and essay. Finally, July 2026 my college days were complete and by end August all my final assignments submitted (grades still awaited) – formation completed! The very last step will be my licensing, 25th October, at St George’s in Chorley. Do come along and support me, if you are able.

So, can I now articulate why I believe what I believe? Yes, I can. Maybe not brilliantly but I now have much more background information and insight into all things theology, Biblical and Christian. Plus, I have had a supervisor who knows a thing or two about theology so that has been enlightening. In fact, I have to say that I have been blessed with such great support from Fr Andrew (my supervisor, in case you hadn’t guessed!) and everyone at church and for that I thank you all.

Once I am licensed, I will be allowed to wear my blue preaching scarf and I have a number of ideas I am thinking of trialling. The first of these will be a Pastoral Visiting Team. Home Communion visits show how much housebound parishioners value time to talk, yet those visits are often time limited, but pastoral visiting would, I hope, address this. I see the team as people, associated with the church, making contact and visiting parishioners who are poorly, housebound or who, for some reason, are unable to attend church, short term or long term. The team could visit or phone people who are ill, housebound or temporarily unable to attend church, reassuring them that they are remembered and prayed for.

I am also considering short rosary series, varied across the week so that we can pray different mysteries, together with future morning or evening prayer sessions. These ideas still need careful thought—I must not try to run before I can walk!

I love the reading from Philippians today. Don’t be anxious; give our requests to God; think good thoughts, positive thoughts. And that peace – the peace which is so deep that it simply cannot be comprehended, will be ours. I am confident that the past two years will yield positivity. I pray that what I envision does happen. And I pray that my wonderful church family will be with me all the way.

If you are free on the afternoon of 25th October, I would love to see you at St George’s, Chorley.

To hear more about the Pastoral Visiting Team, please stay after Mass on 11th October for a short meeting.

Please pray that my licensed ministry supports Fr Andrew’s work in the community and helps bring the love and message of Jesus Christ to all.