Celebrations took place this weekend as 15 deacons were ordained at Christ Church Cathedral. A former police officer, teacher, chartered accountant and software engineer were among the ordinands who will now take up curacies across the Diocese of Oxford in the next part of their training. The services were led by the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, watched by friends and family of the deacons gathered at the cathedral.
Bishop Steven said: “It is a joy to welcome these deacons to the Diocese of Oxford, where they will begin to live out the ministry God has called them to. I pray for God’s guidance as they embark on the next step of their journey. We are blessed to have them.”
Sermons were given by Canon Professor Mark Chapman and the Revd Canon Janet Binns. Revd Janet said: “As you step into your new roles as deacons, remember the critical importance of prayer. Stretch out in prayer not as a last resort but as your first response. When was the last time that you prayed with such intensity and desperation, recognising that without God’s intervention your efforts are in vain?
“Let this ordination be a reminder that your ministry must e undergirded by a deep commitment to spiritual discipline and vitality. Only through earnest prayer can you hope to see God’s blessings and interventions in your ministry.”
Following two or three years of training, the deacons will now serve as curates in a range of church contexts and traditions – urban, rural, large and small parishes – across some of the 808 churches, serving a growing population of 2.5 million, in the three counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.
Each new deacon brings a wealth of experience from different walks of life, parts of the world, and career backgrounds. Some are joining ordained ministry early on in their life and others are taking on the calling in retirement. Apart from those who remain as a distinctive deacon, the curates will be ordained priest next year.
Read more about our new deacons. Visit our Facebook page to see photo galleries from the ordination services. Or watch back the broadcast on Christ Church Cathedral's YouTube channel. They are:
From the Archdeaconry of Dorchester:
Thomas Frances Caroe, to serve in the Benefice of Wantage
Emma Jane Firth, to serve in the Benefice of Dorchester
Martyn Geoffrey Thorne, to serve in the Benefice of Cholsey and Moulsford
Dov Reuben Whittle, to serve in the Benefice of DAMASCUS
From the Archdeaconry of Oxford:
Paul Stephen Charles, to serve in the Benefice of Kidlington with Hampton Poyle
Reema Maria Shinhmar, to serve in the Benefice of Oxford St Aldate
Joshua David Stenner, to serve in the Benefice of Littlemore with Sandford on Thames
Jessica Frances Taylor Wyatt, to serve in the Benefice of Oxford St Andrew
From the Archdeaconry of Buckinghamshire:
Alison Elizabeth Drury, to serve in the Benefice of Walton, Milton Keynes
Lydia Rose Lee, to serve in the Benefice of High Wycombe
Joanne Ruth Wigley, to serve in the Benefice of Buckingham
From the Archdeaconry of Berkshire:
Alison Dean, to serve in the Benefice of Walbury Beacon
Leonie Victoria Fowler, to serve in the Benefice of South Newbury St George, St John and St Michael
Andrew Stuart Medlicott, to serve in the Benefice of Bray with Braywood
Elizabeth Helen Quainton, to serve in the Benefice of Bracknell
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Notes to Editor
For media enquiries and high-res photos, please contact Rebekah Sharrock on 07880 716761.
About the Diocese of Oxford
The Diocese of Oxford is the Church of England in the Thames Valley region of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. There are over 800 churches in 626 parishes, the largest number of churches of any diocese in the Church of England. The diocese is also home to 285 schools and academies educating some 60,000 pupils.