UPPER ROOM

Interested in Upper Room 2026-28?

  • Read on for more info!

  • Get in touch on upperroom@advancechurches.uk and one of our team can help you consider appropriate next steps.

  • Attend our final taster event on Saturday 18 April - details and booking below.

What is Upper Room?

What do we want? Upper Room is a leadership development programme we have developed supporting the growth of leaders who lead with faith, think biblically and relate graciously. It trains leaders in an integrated way: combining theology and practice; considering the whole of life; and transforming hearts and minds.

How do we do it? Upper Room is centred on discipleship groups, each of 6-8 people, facilitated by a mentor, high quality self-study materials and regular day conferences. Upper Room provides:

  • Integrated learning: leadership learning and theological education.

  • Strong partnership: churches are working closely with the Upper Room team.

  • Flexible format: based around discipleship groups, with a range of self-study resources.

  • Mentors who are disciplers: learning for life, guided by seasoned leaders.

  • Robust approach: evangelical and considered, encouraging critical thinking in a relational context.

Who is it for?

Upper Room is open to church members (by which we mean formal/committed members) of churches within S&L Advance. Each participant should be in active mentoring relationship in their local church. We ask for a reference from your church leader.

Upper Room works best when you are already serving, or being open to serve, in some leadership role.

Upper Room works best following successful completion of School of Leadership, or equivalent experience of leadership.

Want more detail?

To get a feel for what it involves, click below for a sample of self-study notes, a course brochure and overview.

To see how Upper Room fits alongside other training, please visit the training page and hit to ‘COMPARE’ button.

Learn more

Dates

The final Day Conference for the 2024-26 cohort is Saturday 18 April 2026.

This also serves as a taster event for prospective participants for the 2026-28 cohort.

For the 2026-28 cohort, provisional dates for 2026-27 are Saturdays 19 September 2026, 9 January 2027 and 17 April 2027.

Book for a Taster event

Find out more

For more information contact and talk to one of the following:

  • Core ‘organising’ team: Steve Jones (Oxford), Andy O’Connell (Abingdon), Paul Meathrel (Cheltenham)

  • Mentors (past and present): Al Barnett (Aston), Nick White (Didcot), Raych Bloomfield (Aston, The King’s School), Jeremy Blakey (Oxford)

The course fee (2026/28) is £750 per year, which covers the costs of day conferences, the administration necessary, and time for those who support and oversee the course and its mentors. Local churches often subsidise ~50% of this, so please discuss this with your local leadership team.