Rural group gets started

This year's rural context training group based in the Woodbridge Group of Churches, Wiltshire

31 August 2009

Trinity's students who will based in a rural community during their training gathered for the first time yesterday to be welcomed by the churches.

At a group service in Garsdon, Wiltshire, one of the six villages making up the Woodbridge Group of Churches near Malmesbury, the three new Trinity students (Peter, Rachel and Velma) and one continuing student (Jonathan) were introduced and welcomed with their families by the Rector, Revd Richard East (in the doorway, right). The preacher at the service was Revd Dr David Wenham, Vice-Principal of Trinity (far right), who has pastoral oversight of the group. The students and their families have all moved into the Woodbridge villages and will come to Trinity two days a week for classes. (In the photo Peter is third from the right, Velma fourth from the right, Rachel fifth from the left and Jonathan left in the doorway.)

Next week the students will join the other context groups in Trinity to talk about their training timetable. Trinity has three other ‘context-based' training groups, all in Bristol, where the students train while based in and involved with a community and its church or churches.

The newest context group, which starts this academic year, is based in two Bristol churches, Woodlands (independent) and St Matthew's (Anglican). It is hoped that this will help Trinity's non-Anglican students to find appropriate practical church experience.