The Anglican Bishop of Exeter will ordain 13 people this weekend in a service at Exeter Cathedral.The group, who come from all walks of life, include a former senior member of the Met Office, and a psychiatric nurse.
Each will become a deacon for a year and serve with a more senior priest.
Three of the new deacons are in their thirties; the oldest in his seventies. Four of the new deacons will be self-supporting clergy.
The diocese says that the number of people coming forward for ordination has increased in the diocese in recent years.
Tom Benson was a psychiatric nurse for 24 years who stopped going to church as a teenager. But he started going back after he had children of his own and experienced a ‘sudden, acute’ awareness of God’s presence in church one Sunday, he said.
“It would appear that God was letting me know that he could see me, even if I was not looking for him!”
He fought against the call to ordination for a few years before giving in and he started training for ministry three years ago. Tom will serve his curacy in Bideford, Landcross, Littleham, Monkleigh and Weare Giffard.
David Carrington spent 20 years working for the Met Office before he sought ordination. He said he had spent years thinking about whether he had a calling, but it was only proved right recently. Becoming a full time ordained minister is a ‘huge privilege’ he said. David will be serving in at St Peter, St Paul & St Thomas in Bovey Tracey.
The Rt Rev Michael Langrish said he was thrilled by the number and the quality of candidates for ordination this year.
“It is wonderful to see so many good people being called forward to serve the Church in Devon in this way. For the last few years we have seen numbers rising as more and more people are taking on the challenge of spreading the Gospel in this beautiful, diverse county.”
The Rev Amanda Rylands, diocesan director of ordinands, said: “I have enjoyed spending time with this group of people as they have been exploring God’s call on their lives. It is a privilege to share with them at the start of their ordained ministry here in Devon. I am sure each in their own unique way will enrich the lives of others in the communities to which they go.”
A further 11 people will be ordained priest in various churches around the diocese this autumn, after serving as deacon for a year.
The new priest is given wider duties and in particular can administer Holy Communion.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
SIC: RI