Born in Norwich, UK, Simone Yallop has always been a regular church goer. Settling in the Netherlands after moving in 1981, she raised a family, engaged in church roles, and pursued training as a Lay Reader. It was a pilgrimage to Rome in 2022, which led Simone to the Centre for Theological Leadership Training (CTLT) in the Cayman Islands, and a remarkable journey to become a Valedictorian of her CTLT's BA Theology class. She now shares her enriching journey of the past year with us:

“I was born in Norwich in the UK in 1956. My parents were Anglican, and I was brought up to go to St. Andrew’s Church in Norwich on Sundays. My father was Churchwarden and my mother sang in the choir. My parents had been involved with the Crusader movement in their youth and encouraged me to also attend the evangelical Crusader classes on Sunday afternoons. 

In 1981, after having worked for a few years in the UK, I moved to the Netherlands to get some experience working in mainland Europe. My intention was to stay for a couple of years and then return to the UK. However, more than forty years later I am still here. I have settled in the Netherlands and my children and grandchildren were born here. 

I have been working with the same company since 1981 and for most of that time I have been worshipping at St. Mary’s Anglican Church Twente, a chaplaincy of the Diocese in Europe. In 1995, I became chaplaincy council secretary and have been working in several different roles in the chaplaincy ever since. 

In 2013, I put my name forward to train to become a Lay Reader. I was accepted and began training in 2014. It was a marvellous period of theological study and practical experience. I was admitted and licensed as a Lay Reader in October 2019. 

In June 2022, I had the privilege of attending the pilgrimage to Saint Paul’s sites, organised by the Anglican Centre in Rome. It was a wonderful experience to take part in this pilgrimage. It was excellently led by Father Scott Brodeur, S.J., professor at the Gregorian University in Rome. 

It was thanks to Bishop David Hamid, of the Diocese in Europe, that I came to hear about this pilgrimage. It came with his recommendation, to those of us who are Lay Readers in the Diocese in Europe, for this unique opportunity to reflect on St Paul’s life, witness and martyrdom, in the city where he lived and died. 

The pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Paul was organised for the first time in 2022. As it was a pilot for future pilgrimages, Archbishop Ian Ernest, Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome, had invited members of his family and his friends for that special week. One of his friends was Bishop P.J. Lawrence, who had been his director of training when Archbishop Ian Ernest was Bishop of Mauritius. Bishop Lawrence is now the Director of the non-denominational Centre for Theological Leadership Training (CTLT) in the Cayman Islands.

During the pilgrimage, on the day that we visited Tre Fontane Abbey, the place of Saint Paul’s martyrdom, Bishop Lawrence spoke to my Reader colleague and I about the theological courses offered by CTLT and gave us each a copy of the CTLT prospectus for the year 2022-2023. 

As part of my training as Lay Reader, I studied for and obtained a Certificate in Christian Studies with St. John’s Theological College in Nottingham in the UK. I had for some time been thinking about taking my theological studies further to help me to become a better preacher. My forthcoming retirement from work in September 2022 would allow me more time to do this. 

When I returned home to the Netherlands following the pilgrimage, after some prayerful thought, I decided to get in touch with Bishop Lawrence to find out more about the courses offered by CTLT.  

Bishop Lawrence invited me to join the CTLT BA Theology class. I was very happy with this invitation. Since September last year I have been attending the lectures online via Zoom. It has been challenge because of the seven hour time difference between the Netherlands and the Cayman Islands, which has involved me in attending lectures in the middle of the night. However, it has been worthwhile. The lectures have been very good and the lecturers have done an excellent job.  

The CTLT BA course took just one year. The graduation was held on Sunday 25 June 2023, in the Cayman Islands. To my surprise, Bishop Lawrence informed me that CTLT decided I should be the Valedictorian for the BA students this year and would represent my class in giving the Valedictorian speech at the graduation ceremony. I felt very honoured by this.  

My visit to the Cayman Islands was a special experience. It was wonderful to meet the people there from CTLT who were most kind and hospitable.  

I have been tremendously encouraged and inspired by the responses I have received to my story. One person remarked that this was an extraordinary opportunity, not only to further my own learning, but to build bridges with new and previously unimagined communities far away. Another complemented me on being an ambassador for our diocese, while yet another suggested my ministry back home would be deepened because of the adventures on which God has taken me in these months. I am very grateful for the enriching experience that I have been given and am convinced that it will significantly benefit my ministry."