The guest speaker at the recent meeting of Churches Together in Malvern representatives was the Rev. Paul Folland, Pastoral Dean at Regents Theological College (RTC). RTC has now been in Malvern for ten years. The mission of the college is to train leaders and to transform lives, by challenging students in the areas of heads, hearts and hands:
- Expand heads: to think, reflect and engage. To gain a greater understanding of God, His Word and His world. To be useful in the real world and to serve God there.
- Enable hands: to make a difference to real people by putting into practice what is learned. To take up placements in education, chaplaincy, pastoring, Christian ministry, for example.
- Expand hearts: not just expand knowledge.
This is achieved through the undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
Currently there are about 60 – 70 undergraduate students and 75 postgraduate students. Some Malvern churches have provided placement opportunities for RTC students.
Catherine Holmes, assistant manager at the Lyttelton Well encouraged everybody to support the Well which is a truly ecumenical venture. The bookshop now has its Christmas stock and she showed a selection of books. She also appealed for more volunteers for the coffee shop.
An update on Homelessness in Malvern included the setting up of the ‘mini’ Maggs Day Centre in the Salvation Army premises on Newtown Road. It will cost about £30,000 to set up the centre and run it for a year.
Several Methodists from our three churches responded to the recent Friends’ (Quakers) invitation to hear Mel Kirk, CEO Maggs, give a very informative talk on this new Maggs Day Centre for Malvern. I am sure we shall be hearing more about this venture over the next few months.
Mary Wetherall