Woven threads

Doreen and I travelled to Cambridge yesterday for a special celebration of the past 30 years of the Integrated Training Course of the Congregational Federation.  The event was held at Westminster College where we were welcomed by the Principal, the Rev Dr Susan Durber.  We enjoyed a splendid lunch in the dining hall, a tour of the college, and a lecture on Luke's Parables.  Add to that the joy of meeting with many friends and it was an very enjoyable day altogether.

But there are some interesting points to note.  The ITC was set up by the Congregational Federation after the forming of the United Reformed Church in 1972 in which the majority of Congregational churches had felt this was the journey on which they were being led.  But it left the remaining 500 or so continuing Congregational churches with a challenge regarding the training of their emerging ministers.  The ITC developed as a model of excellence in distance learning with university accreditation.  Immediately after 1972 the relationship between the URC and CF were at times uncomfortable but long since attitudes on both sides have become more than amicable.  There is something a little intriguing in that a former Director of Training for the Congregational Federation was the Rev Michael Durber, the husband of the now Principal of Westminster College (Michael died tragically following a road accident).

Westminster, which describes itself as "a centre of learning for the URC", is also listed as a college recognised as providing appropriate training for ministers in the Congregational Federation.  It is not insignificant that the event for celebrating one educational body was held in the home of another.  Each holds the other with respect and honour.  Parts of 1Corinthians 12 come to mind regarding respect for difference while celebrating unity.

When God led my footsteps into the pastorate at Herstmonceux in 1990 I had the opportunity of doing further training and theological study through the ITC under Michael Durber, and benefited enormously from this.  My earlier quite thorough training within a mission context in 1963 to 1965 had been uncertificated so this was an added benefit.  So yesterday's celebration delighted me as a beneficiary of the Training Course.  But it was also good to return to Westminster where I had taught students from various Cambridge colleges  on a mission module a number of years ago.  One theology student at that time is today an ordained Anglican priest and a member of my local management committee for Rural Sunrise.  Tracing threads God has woven into one's life can be fascinating.