Category: Meet the students

Folake is a former student at St Augustine’s, and was ordained in 2018. We asked her to tell us a bit about her journey towards ordination, and how studying at St Augustine’s helped to prepare her for her current role. My journey through discernment I had been involved in prayer ministry since I was 15 years old, and really wanted to do something with that. When I began to worship at the Rochester Cathedral in 2008, I noticed this area of need there. When I took the idea to the Rev. Canon Jean Kerr, she…

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Beverley is an ordinand studying full-time at West Malling Abbey, St Augustine’s College of Theology. We asked her to tell us a bit about herself, and what being a student here means to her. A bit about me My primary training was in nursing, though I’d originally wanted to be a teacher. After qualifying, I did a couple of teaching certificates and worked as a nurse tutor, health visitor and also as a consultant for KCC Social Services in training and leadership development. I had a passion for training, and one day I realised that…

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Ollie Phipps is a first-year ordinand based in Kent and studying part-time at West Malling Abbey, St Augustine’s College of Theology. We asked him to tell us a bit about himself, and what being a student here means to him. A bit about me I was born into a Christian household and have been a lifelong churchgoer, becoming part of the fabric of the Church – leading youth and other groups. When I started my nursing training, over 20 years ago now, I started seeing a lot of death and severe illness; so many young…

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Mark is an ordinand based in Chelmsford Diocese and studying part-time at West Malling Abbey, St Augustine’s College of Theology. We asked him to tell us a bit about himself, and what being a student here means to him. A bit about me I felt called to ministry from a young age, even though I didn’t know exactly what that meant. I have a Pentecostal background, and I’ve always been passionate about sharing my faith and going to church. I was part of the youth leadership team for my church for many years, with 130…

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I didn’t want to remove myself from day to day life in London away from regular church life, and the programme has the balance right for people who like me who want to throw themselves into full time theological study…. see the rest of Tim’s story here.  

Esther is a first-year ordinand based in Surrey and studying full-time at West Malling Abbey. We asked her to tell us a bit about herself, and what being a student here means to her. I’m originally from Barry in South Wales, and grew up with a Pentecostal Baptist church background. I spent some time doing missionary work in Nicaragua, and when I returned to the UK, God gave me the opportunity to move to Surrey to work with young people in an Anglican church. Having never worshipped in the Anglican style it was very new,…

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