Sally Elizabeth Sadler

I am very grateful to the trustees of the James Pantyfedwen Foundation for the generous grant they made towards the fees for my part time Master of Theology degree. When I first made my application to Cardiff University in 2018 I had no idea that it would take so long for me to complete my studies, but at that stage no one realised that Covid was on its way or the effect it would have on so many lives.

Cardiff University offered several pathways for their MTh students, with the tuition being offered jointly through the South Wales Baptist College and St Padarn’s Institute. I chose the practical theology option recommended for people in any type of Christian ministry, which covered modules ranging from ‘Contemporary Theologies of Mission’ and ‘Ministry in Contemporary Society’, to ‘Contours of Christian Theology’ and ‘The New Testament in Social Perspective’. I appreciated the variety of the options on offer, and found them stimulating and helpful.

For my dissertation I looked at plygain carol-singing, and whether there is a role for plygain today in the context of the church’s plan for mission and outreach. Plygain is an important part of the spiritual tradition of Welsh-speaking Wales, particularly in Montgomeryshire and Carmarthenshire, but plygain carols are almost unknown outside Welsh-speaking areas, but as an important part of the country’s heritage I believe they deserve a wider awareness. I hope to be able to follow this up in the future by perhaps introducing these carols to people who are, as yet, unaware of the depth that they contain.

Many thanks for your generous sponsorship. The course benefitted me in many ways, and the transferable skills I have learned will be useful to me throughout my life.