Are you engaged in mission with, or do you feel that God may be calling you to work in, marginalised communities? Are you wondering what it means to discover God in low-income neighbourhoods, prisons, social justice initiatives, among the homeless community or a myriad of other seemingly forgotten groups?
We know that God is found ‘in the margins’. While the energy of marginalised communities is often vibrant, ministering in these areas can be very challenging. Even those who already have training and skills in ministry may not be equipped to engage well in these contexts.
Mission on the Margins Overview
In developing and delivering the Mission on the Margins Track, St Hild has collaborated with Urban Life – a team of theological accompaniers who journey alongside individuals, groups, collectives, teams and churches to stimulate reflection on mission practice in marginal contexts. We hope this collaboration will resource practitioners to help them make sense of what’s happening in the communities in which they are serving today – as well as equip them for long-term engagement.
Our Mission on the Margins Track is an accompanied learning process to resource practitioners for sustainable, life-giving mission in contexts at the margins of society. For example, participants may be involved in (or hoping to be involved in) leading or resourcing mission in one of the following:
- Rural communities
- Post-industrial contexts (e.g., former pit villages)
- Urban estates and low-income neighbourhoods
- Social justice initiatives
- Work on social action projects, including with the homeless, prisoners,
refugees and individuals affected by sexual exploitation
The Student Experience
Each student on the Mission on the Margins Track benefits from an individually
tailored experience to ensure that the learning is appropriate for them and their
context. This creates a challenging and relevant process of accompaniment, peer
learning, and academic work at the appropriate level. In addition to their tailored
academic pathway at St Hild, students on the track have access to:
- A peer learning network through termly track seminars and an annual online Practitioner Morning. Participants on the track can share learning with current and former students, develop their skills in reflective practice, and are encouraged to present work in progress.
- Individual tutoring with track leads, either Anna Ruddick or Carmel Murphy Elliot. These termly one-to-ones build a relationship that can support students in developing their own thinking and practice across the whole course of their study.
How does the track fit in with my programme of study?
Participation in one of the practitioner tracks is available to all St Hild students and
can be combined with undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate level study, or as part of an
informal learning pathway arranged with one of our tutors. There is no additional
charge to be on the track.
Whatever your entry point, it’s our aim to inspire you, equip you and stretch you, and
enable you to engage with other practitioner-academics.
Relevant module options?
Alongside your participation in the track, you may also find one of our modules helpful
in deepening your learning. We deliver:
Mission & Ministry in Marginalised Contexts at Level 6 (TMM3961) and Level 7
(TMM45920). In academic year 2026-27 this will be in the autumn term in person at
the Sheffield centre. In 2027-28 it will be delivered online on Saturdays during the
Winter/Spring term.
Reflective Practice Placement (TMM43020). This is delivered online during the
Summer term every other year and will next be on offer in 2027-28.
Specialisms include:
Mission on the Margins, Church Planting, Christian Spirituality and Rural Ministry
Explore Study options
Practical Theological Approach
Our teaching prioritises questions of justice and takes a Practical Theological approach, focusing on contexts and lived experience as sites of our doing theology.
All course assignments are designed with your ministry focus in mind and use creative and relevant forms of assessment, for example:
- Personal learning journals
- Context-based reports
- Oral presentations
- Practical skills assessments
- Groundwork for work intended for a public context, including training materials, rationales for funding bids, and articles.
Dissertation or Independent Learning Project
We can also supervise your dissertation or Independent Learning Project. These elements mean that the academic conversation is enriched by your ministry practice and that the work you produce during your study is of direct benefit to your current or future ministry contexts.
You will have the opportunity to talk through the modules during the interview process, and these will be confirmed with an individual study pathway.
Key Dates for 2026-27
Track Seminars:
- 29th September 2026 (7.45 – 9 pm Online)
- 26th January 2027 (7.45 – 9 pm Online)
- 18th May 2027 (7.45 – 9 pm Online)
- Practitioner Morning Saturday date tbc March/April 2027 (10 am – 1 pm Online)
Urban Life
The Mission on the Margins track and associated modules are delivered by Urban Life in partnership with St Hild Theological College. Urban Life is part of Urban Expression and works to resource those living and ministering in contexts that experience marginalisation. Find out more about us here: www.urbanlife.org
For an informal chat about the track, please contact Anna Ruddick at anna@urbanlife.org
Is something stopping you from taking the leap?
Come and talk to us about special needs adjustments, options for grants and scholarships, and also childcare and travel concerns – we want you here and will find a way to help!