Our Certificate in Pastoral Ministry has a single aim in mind, to help each student become a better and more effective disciple of Jesus Christ.  To this end we have developed a course which is unique in Wales, and possibly unique in the whole of Britain.  The course is based in the town of Aberystwyth situated right in the middle of the West Wales coast, on the edge of beautiful Cardigan Bay, and two and a half hours drive to the north, south or east of the Principality.

Facilities are provided by St. Michael’s Church, Aberystwyth which has become a centre of renewal for the last 30 years.  We are into the fifth year of running the Academy and have made substantial changes as a result of the experience we have gained.  Currently students have a number of different options.  They can either take the Certificate as a full time one year course, or they can do it part time over two years, or they can accumulate modules and work towards the certificate over a number of years.

We offer two days a week of class based teaching covering the contents of the whole Bible, a basic outline of Christian doctrine, an overview of Christian history [how we got to where we are now] together with insights into ethical and pastoral issues.  In addition there are two days a week of practical involvement in ministry in local churches and within the community.  Each week includes a reading and study day.

Not only do we want to get to know God better but we also want to understand ourselves better so we include an outward bound element, learning about our response to stressful situations; a three day spiritual retreat; a Myers Briggs personality analysis; a Network programme discovering our spiritual gifts and we also devote time to discovering our personal creativity. 

One of the most valued parts of the course is that every student keeps a personal journal which is used as the basis of a mentoring interview every two to three weeks.

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Each week is divided into five activity categories, although the shape of the week will vary according to individual placements. 

Worshipping with and serving in a local church on Sundays is part of the regular pattern.  Monday is set aside as a reading day, whilst class based work takes place on a Tuesday and a Friday.  Usually Wednesday and Thursday are for the placements, and Saturday is set aside as a day off.

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The development of a personal daily devotional discipline is fundamental to the course, and every student will be encouraged by example and mentoring to establish a rhythm of prayer and Bible reading which will set them up for life.

Regular worship within the local Christian community and involvement in a variety of churches of different denominations will broaden our appreciation of the wider church whilst allowing opportunities for involvement in ministry and leadership.

A 3 day retreat in Ffaldybrenin, Pembrokeshire, allows time and space to seek the Lord for ourselves and to be open to his voice.  This is a guided retreat in which all our students participate.



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Within the twelve months we will have taught the contents of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  Ideally each student will have read the Bible through from cover to cover during that time.  Our concern is to ensure that we know not only what the Bible says, but also how we may live it practically in our generation.


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Each main doctrine of Christianity from the being of God and the creation of the world to the ascension of Christ and his return will be covered in our teaching sessions.  We want our students to be fully informed as to the core of Christian truth, but also to know how each of these doctrines relates to and impacts upon our every day lives.



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We can only be effective disciples if we have a clear idea of our own strengths and weaknesses, so part of our programme is devoted to a discovery of ourselves.  The course begins with an outward bound module where initiative, leadership and risk taking will be part of the sessions.  There follows a full review of the performance of each participant.

This is followed later in the term with a Myers Briggs personality analysis; a Network programme for discovering our spiritual gifts [from Willow Creek Community Church]; time devoted to discerning areas of personal creativity; insights into various spiritual pathways which are part of the way we have been made; as well as the fortnightly discipling sessions with individual mentors.


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All our students are given a number of placements within and outside the church.  There is ample opportunity to gain experience of children’s and youth work, to see a student ministry in operation, to participate in an Alpha course in a hand’s on way, to engage in home visits to the elderly and the sick, and to visit in the local general hospital.  Teaching is given on leading Bible studies, sharing a testimony and preaching a sermon.  All of the practical work is tied into the teaching programme giving the opportunity for instruction and theological reflection.

Placements are also arranged with other local congregations so that students see a wide variety of different expressions of the church.  They also have the opportunity to see non church based Christian organisations from the inside such as Plas Lluest which is a Christian centre for people with learning disabilities.

Each year is usually accompanied by a mission away from Aberystwyth.  We are currently investigating the possibility of going to France to engage in some camp site evangelism.

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