A Short Introduction to the Mirfield Centre

The Mirfield Centre is currently a work of the Community of the Resurrection (CR),

which is a religious order of the Anglican Communion.

It is situated in the buildings of the College of the Resurrection (CoR), a Church of England theological college in Mirfield, which is also the venue for weekly and residential teaching of the Yorkshire Ministry Course (YMC), the Wakefield diocese School of Ministry and other Christian educational programmes and the Wakefield diocese learning resources centre. CoR and YMC work in close association with the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds and the School of Ministry with York St John University.

The Mirfield Centre was established in 1997. It had the aim of offering encouragement, education and formation for men and women from all the churches in order to be the People of God in this new millennium. The life, worship and resources of CR were seen to be one of the foundations on which this could be built. From the beginning the Mirfield Centre was intended to be more than a venue for disparate groups. It looked for real encounter and creative dialogue between the wide variety of perspectives which exist, leading to communities of theological exploration. While the work and form of the Centre has undergone changes, these aims remain.

The Mirfield Centre currently offers day events, and Summer residential programmes, short educational courses and also contributes a variety of services to groups who choose to come. The Centre’s programmes focus on the themes of prayer, education, pastoral support and encounter. The programme of day events alone has attracted about 400 participants a year. Most of these come from West and South Yorkshire, but some also from Lancashire and Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, North Yorkshire and Teesside.The Mirfield Centre aims to work together with others when possible. Groups that have collaborated on programmes with the Centre include: USPG, the Church Mission Society, KRAFT(asylum seekers),

the Mothers Union, Bradford Churches for Dialogue and Diversity, and the Training Forum

of the Diocese of Wakefield. Staff have also worked actively with local organisations, including CLAY, Jubilee 2000, ministers’ fraternal and inter-faith council.

The resources of the Mirfield Centre include a part-time staff member as administrator, three CR brothers and the Director of the Centre. It has a pleasant and well-equipped meeting/eating room, office space, the use of other rooms on site, as well as residential spaces in the Summer. Participants in Centre events are able to eat in the new refectory or CR refectory as appropriate. The Centre uses the Community church and 19 acres of grounds. It has been able to draw on the range of experiences and contacts of the Community & College and has good working relationships and contacts with many Yorkshire church bodies.