Eastern Region Ministry Course
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Region Ministry Course, based in Cambridge
, is a non-residential theological training course which offers initial ministerial training on behalf of the Church of England
, the Methodist Church in Britain, the United Reformed Church
, and occasionally other churches in England. Currently more than 80% of the students are ordinands sent by the Church of England
. Students typically attend the course for two or three years.
The ERMC was formed in September 2005 as an amalgamation of the former East Anglian Ministerial Training Course and part of the former St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course. Students tend to come from the Eastern region of England, including the counties of Norfolk
, Essex
, Suffolk
, Cambridgeshire
, Bedfordshire
, Luton
, Hertfordshire
and Northamptonshire
(or parts thereof). ERMC also takes students from Diocese in Europe of the Church of England, which covers the European continent. Students from a broad spectrum of church traditions are represented on the course, and students are encouraged to participate in liturgies of various types through the year.
The ERMC is one of the seven full member institutions of the Cambridge Theological Federation
. Students usually take academic programmes offered through the CTF and validated by Anglia Ruskin University
, namely either the BA in Christian Theology or the MA in Pastoral Theology. As a non-residential course, training is offered in two different forms of a dispersed learning mode: either through attendance of evening classes in the St Albans centre, or by means of weekly meetings with a personal tutor located near the student's home. The small core staff team of ERMC also runs six training weekends per annum as well as an eight-day summer school.
Formational training, whereby all aspects of a student's life and experience are combined, is a key part of the course, and academic tutorials are supplemented by supervisions with a local priest or minister. Regular meetings with a (non-affiliated) person to allow the student to receive spiritual direction
are also encouraged.
There is also a small 'mixed mode' training scheme associated with ERMC: the Peterborough Project offers full-time training for ordinands of the above-mentioned churches, especially the Church of England.
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, is a non-residential theological training course which offers initial ministerial training on behalf of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, the Methodist Church in Britain, the United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
, and occasionally other churches in England. Currently more than 80% of the students are ordinands sent by the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. Students typically attend the course for two or three years.
The ERMC was formed in September 2005 as an amalgamation of the former East Anglian Ministerial Training Course and part of the former St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course. Students tend to come from the Eastern region of England, including the counties of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
(or parts thereof). ERMC also takes students from Diocese in Europe of the Church of England, which covers the European continent. Students from a broad spectrum of church traditions are represented on the course, and students are encouraged to participate in liturgies of various types through the year.
The ERMC is one of the seven full member institutions of the Cambridge Theological Federation
Cambridge Theological Federation
The Cambridge Theological Federation is an association of theological colleges, courses and houses, based in Cambridge, England. The Federation offers several joint theological programmes of study open to students in member institutions; these programmes are either validated by or are taught on...
. Students usually take academic programmes offered through the CTF and validated by Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University is one of the largest universities in Eastern England, United Kingdom, with a total student population of around 30,000.-History:...
, namely either the BA in Christian Theology or the MA in Pastoral Theology. As a non-residential course, training is offered in two different forms of a dispersed learning mode: either through attendance of evening classes in the St Albans centre, or by means of weekly meetings with a personal tutor located near the student's home. The small core staff team of ERMC also runs six training weekends per annum as well as an eight-day summer school.
Formational training, whereby all aspects of a student's life and experience are combined, is a key part of the course, and academic tutorials are supplemented by supervisions with a local priest or minister. Regular meetings with a (non-affiliated) person to allow the student to receive spiritual direction
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
are also encouraged.
There is also a small 'mixed mode' training scheme associated with ERMC: the Peterborough Project offers full-time training for ordinands of the above-mentioned churches, especially the Church of England.