Introducing our new ordinands 2023

Joy Dunton

"I am very excited to be a part of the team at St Mary Bredin. I am half Spanish; half English and my husband Drew is from Texas. We met in London and got married last year. My faith journey started as a child when I discovered prayer and developed a close friendship with God. This deeply impacted my life and when I was baptised as a teenager, I felt God was calling me into ministry. After studying Theology at a Bible College in Yorkshire, I went on to work as a Student Pastor at HTB in west London which is where I understood my call within the context of ordination. I then trained and did a master’s in Systematic Theology at St Mellitus College. Outside of ministry I enjoy taking dance classes, visiting family abroad and getting lost in a good book!"

Lynn Overington-Hickford

"I was raised an Anglican but followed a twist in the spiritual path and spent most of my adult life as a Quaker, from my early twenties for about thirty years. Moving to Deal in 2014 brought me back to the Church of England. I’ve been experiencing the call to ordained ministry for over twenty years, which seemed crazy in the silence of a Quaker meeting for worship!! Five years ago, the call to ordained ministry became a shout I could no longer ignore, there was a moment in the car when I just had to say ‘yes’. I have been sustained by the certainty that God knows what he’s doing, even if I don’t. Formation has been an adventure with many metaphorical hills climbed, but now I’m ready and excited to begin my ordained ministry as an SSM in the Parish of Upper Deal and Great Mongeham.

My work life has encompassed twenty-five years of nursing, followed by some years working for Age Concern and then for Social Services. I’m now back in the NHS in a non-clinical role, but still patient facing. I will continue with this part-time. I am married with two adult sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law, and a grandson."

Sharon Paine

"I have been married to Carr for 43 years. We have three dogs who keep us well exercised. I took early retirement from the Civil Service a few years ago, and felt then that this release from full time work meant I was being called to a new direction in life and service. 

As a result of an Alpha course, I had been confirmed in 1999. As my faith grew, I became increasingly aware of the call to serve. Although I was active in my involvement with my local church, this still left me still feeling there was more I was called to. Thanks to our incumbent I was given the opportunities to dip my toes into the waters of worship leading, and I am grateful for her trust in me. Eventually I commenced training as a Reader in 2018, thinking that was the end of the journey. How wrong I was!

The Reader training had provided me with a thirst for a closer relationship with God, which in turn made me question what next? So, this is what next. An adventure into faith into the future."

Hollie Butler

"My family and I are so excited to be part of what God is doing at St Luke’s Maidstone. I am married to Marinus, South African, and we have two wonderful boys, Delarey (13) and Leo (11). We also have a cheeky little dog called Johnty. We love to be together, silly fun, long walks, video games, Monopoly, Braai (BBQ). I love to run, I’m always up for a fun challenge; growing up, Judo was my sport. I was raised in a loving home, oldest of three sisters. My parents have always modelled the love and hospitality of Father God who welcomes all. In my 20s, South African friends shared the gospel with me and since then many people have been part of my walk with Jesus, sharing their faith in ordinary ways, doing life together. I have worked in the NHS as a Cardiac Physiologist for 22 years; when I returned to work after having Leo I made a new commitment to be used by God. I felt called to serve as a Pastoral Assistant for Families and Children; during this ministry I set up the first rural School Pastors team in our local secondary school. I had a growing desire to be involved in mission and evangelism. God spoke to me through Christian radio, friends, through His word and during prayer, I was encouraged to explore a call to ordained ministry and train at St Mellitus College in London. I am expectant to see what God is doing in this next season."

Seb Lundberg

"Having first sensed the gradual unfolding of a vocation to ordained ministry from when I was much younger, it is wonderful to have reached this point of ordination in the Diocese of Canterbury. I am married to Mariann, we have a two-year-old son, and are joyfully awaiting the birth of our second child in roughly three months. Following several years of ordination training at Ripon College Cuddesdon, we are delighted to be moving into this next phase for my curacy at Bewsborough Parish.

Many different things have inspired me over the years during my faith journey. However, most recently I have found myself especially struck by the faithful and humble lives of St Francis and St Clare of Assisi. In the weeks leading up to my ordination as deacon, I had the joy of spending some time in Assisi, walking in the footsteps of these servants of God. I believe the Franciscan charism has great potential in guiding the Church today, with its commitment to simplicity, humility, social and environmental care and justice. I hope in my ministry I can offer and share something of this spirituality, which in all things seeks to bear the peace and goodness of Christ."

Lawrence Tuck

"I was baptised and confirmed in an Anglican Church in London, Canada. I was also a server/crucifer, and was looking into studying for the ministry. However, it was many years and two countries later before I felt God kick my shins so badly that I found myself stumbling towards ordained ministry. I’m putting my full faith in the understanding that He knows what He’s doing.

I have been a bookseller, university librarian, and university lecturer. I have also performed duties as a house husband. For the past few years I have been a volunteer worker for Age UK, Crossroads/Macmillan, and the NHS chaplaincy. I hope to spend some time volunteering for the Pilsdon Community in the future, alongside my duties with Reculver Parish as an assistant curate. I am a third order Franciscan and a Cursillista."

Jane Barker

"I have been a Christian for the last 13 years, although I’m pretty certain God was trying to get my attention for many years before that. I come from a family of non-churchgoers so it came as a surprise following the death of close family member when God told me to ‘come to church’. I started at my local church and was confirmed in 2012 - a day I still describe as my happiest. I served as a churchwarden for five years and also trained as an ALM in healing and wholeness. I still regard this as my core ministry, however, during discernment my passion for prayer and preaching was evident and is coupled with care for the vulnerable and weak in our society, my sermon message will always be that ‘God is Love’ and however many times we make mistakes or fail he forgives us and loves us the same today and forever and that will never change. I regard myself as Anglo-Catholic and love our inclusive acceptance of everyone and the warm welcome we offer at Borden and Milton.  I have worked in retail for 35 years selling shoes. I guess my day job is selling ‘soles’ but my vocation is helping to save them! I love to prayer walk and to date have completed 50 walks around our parish. Very excited and looking forward to serving as a deacon for the next year and I am so happy that God finally got my attention!"

Charlotte Sleigh

"I have felt the call to ordained ministry since 2005, alongside my vocation to teaching and learning in a university context. I look forward to seeing how these two areas of practice become more integrated as I move into a curacy at the wonderful, inclusive and historic parish of St. Martin & St. Paul, Canterbury.  In particular, I am burdened by the call - for myself, and for others - to lament and yet live with radical joy in this time of ecological catastrophe.  I am married with three teenage children and love music of (almost) all kinds. "

Andrew Tapsell

"I am delighted to be serving my curacy in the Diocese of Canterbury.  I grew up in Kent before living for a few years in Norfolk where I met my wife, Rhona.  We now have two children, Arthur and Rowan, and we are excited to be on this journey of faith and ministry together in the benefice of Tenterden, Rother and Oxney.  Since I first pursued a calling to ordination, I have developed a keen interest in spirituality and the natural world and in how we exercise our mission to care for God’s creation as the church.  I enjoy the richness and diversity of worship in the Church of England, particularly the potential found in fresh expressions including forest church.  Creativity is at the heart of my vocation.  As an artist, I feel called to live out my ordained ministry creatively, seeking to bless and be blessed by those whom I serve."

Claudette Gayle

"God’s word tells us our journey begins before the foundation of the earth, which in some ways is true. I think my journey begun when I accepted that there was a Creator who had a Son Jesus and considered me worthy enough to die for. This happened in a ‘Damascus Road’ experience after being invited to a ‘Holy Ghost Revival’ at a Pentecostal church in 1990. Ever since then I have tried to listen, be directed by God as to which way I should go. I do not know where I will end up or how I will get there but what I have learnt along the way is to trust God in all things. Now I am trusting God on this part of my journey being ordained a Deacon, where I will serve my curacy in Seasalter Whitstable."