Yesterday  was the Sarum College 2024 Ceremony for the Presentation of Academic Awards. The days running up to this event, make many demands on a range of people working across the college. The choreography of our movement from College to St Thomas’s Church in the centre of town; the careful production of the service, within which the presentation of awards takes place; the catering and are welcoming visitors, as well as making sure that our guests of honour are looked after. 

Of course, we have done this many times before – but although there is a familiarity about it each year, the event takes a different shape, simply because a new set of people gather together to celebrate their academic and formation achievements. Each cohort of students have a character and their characters! Across these years, friends are made for life and community, nurtured and deepened.

One thing, of course that we cannot organise ourselves for is the weather! Despite the BBC weather app informing us, that was likely to be rain for our 10 minute walk from College to Saint Thomas’s fortune seemed to shine or at least to prevent the predicted showers.We negotiated ourselves across two major roads much irritation of one or two ‘pressed’ drivers.Saturday shoppers stopped and gazed on in both interest and curiosity wondering perhaps what was going on – the two Bishops  ( Bishop Alastair Redfern, Chair of Sarum Trustees and Bishop Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury) attired in red convocation robes were of particular interest to the crowd !

There was a wonderful air of expectation as we entered the church. friends and family were capturing these moments on their mobile phones.The graduates took their places carefully stewarded by Chris and Annette.

The platform party took their seats, and I was glad to welcome everyone and especially to say thank you to those who had made the day possible – family and friends who had supported their loved ones on their long and sometimes challenging journey of learning; the serum College community, including our hospitality team, Jayne Downey, and all those who support the work of library resources, and of course, the academic faculty, who were gathered looking onwards and forwards to their students.

I was especially glad to pause for moment before the proceedings began to remember all those so profoundly devastated by war and conflict, especially the peoples of the Ukraine and the Middle East. it was a reminder of how fragile and complex our world continues to be admit, so many gifts and blessings of our lives.

 

Alan Smith ( smiling here before the service in the centre) was our honoured guest. He is the first Church Estates commissioner overseeing the management of the historic resources of the Church of England that are used to support ministry and mission across the country. 

Alan is also an author and an advocate participation, inclusion, and social justice. As the 13th holder of this office, he bears his responsibilities with both grace and a disarming lightness of touch. He told me that his 27 years as a senior financial executive with HSBC for preparation for this vocation of working with these historic resources for the common good.

I ended my introduction with this : 

Alan has the gift of discerning wisdom that can be pursued in realistic and effective ways. He has a genius for understanding the large picture, recognising the importance of levers and strategic details, while always noticing the elements that so often are ignored or undervalued.

As a leader, he has impressive skills in mediating ways ahead which are creative, but also inclusive.

He is beginning to sound like a good graduate of Sarum!

So – as I look back over the day – what struck me ? What did I notice ? What might we learn from this and the community of learning here at Sarum ?

 

1. Learning brings us energy and life. It is transformative. It changes lives. It helps us all to live well. Learning is vital for the wisdom we need to negotiate the questions and complexities of living. Those present spoke of what a difference learning in this place has made to them. ‘ You have shown me how to dig deeper’; ‘ I have grown beyond all my expectations’ ; ‘I am going to the library today to borrow a couple of books – your team have set me on a life long adventure’ – these thoughts were shared with me over lunch.
2. Learning is life long and knows no boundaries. I am constantly surprised at the way in which opportunity in education is so unevenly distributed. Some of our Sarum graduates have come to learning later in life and in these years they seize the opportunity to be supported, guided, and enthused by our skilful academic faculty. learning should be open to all.  This community is committed to inclusion and participation. It is a place where students of a whole range of skill, abilities and life experience can be challenged and grow as they dig deep into questions, ideas, and intellectual traditions. 
3. Sarum graduates want to make a difference to their communities and the world we live in. Liberated perhaps from some of those assignments and writing projects, I heard some of our students engaging with challenges in their particular locality. ‘You have shown me how to put theology to work.’said one student. Even I was surprised to learn that our regular Friday evening, theological reflection sessions were missed by some, and that they were encouraging people in their communities and churches to think about where we might find God. Good learning, sows the seeds – that time and space and love can in both unexpected and often surprising ways, bear fruit.
4. Generative learning is tough and takes time. This means that we need to learn how to read and assimilate the wisdom of the centuries. ‘it wasn’t always easy learning here.’ said one student, ‘but my teachers have shown me where to look and how to look’. Learning is always leading us into new places of noticing and appreciating the complexity of the world both  on the inside and the outside.
5. Learning as often done best in a community. as I looked around the church yesterday and across the College in the Common room and refectory I had a sense of life, long friendships being formed and sustained. ‘I love Sarum’ said one student, ‘it is home to me’. 

So I look back on the day with a great deal of pride. Sarum has built and will continue to develop a reputation for sound learning for human flourishing. We shall continue to develop our engagement and teaching that empowers and enables the gifts of discovery, insight and generativity. We are passionate about who we are and what we do.

Take a look at our learning offer. Spend a little time wandering around the pages of our website if there’s something that interests you getting in touch with us. If there is something that is missing please point us in the right direction