On Saturday (3 July), the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, ordained 10 new priests and 11 new deacons at services in Folkestone and Canterbury. She licensed an additional priest to serve in the diocese.
"This was a joyful celebration in the midst of what has been an extraordinarily difficult and challenging year," said Bishop Rose. "It is a huge privilege to welcome such a diverse and talented group of priests and deacons to love and serve our communities. These are people who have had the courage to answer God's call on their lives, to step out in faith and follow that call, trusting God for wherever that may lead and whatever it may bring. I will be keeping each of them in my prayers as they grow into their new ministries."
(Photographs from both services are avaible on our Canterbury Diocese flickr account here.)
The ten new deacons ordained at Canterbury Cathedral on Saturday were:
- Miriam Bier Hinksman (Bridge Benefice)
- Karen Burgess (King’s Wood)
- Nicholas Carpenter (The Six)
- Claire Coleman (Ramsgate, St Luke)
- Andrew Edwards (Maidstone, St Martin)
- Jack Greenhalf (Whitstable)
- Susan Manners (Stour Downs)
- Anthea Mitchell (Maidstone, St Paul)
- Debra Scoble (Elham Valley Group)
- Caroline Turvey (Kingsdown, Creekside and High Downs)
- Jennifer Walpole (Saint Dunstan, Saint Mildred and Saint Peter Canterbury)
In the same service, Geoffrey Abasolo-Munnery was also licensed to begin ministry in the Church of England as a priest in Ashford Town. The service is available to watch again on the Canterbury Cathedral YouTube channel.
Anthea Mitchell, who is based in Maidstone, will continue her work as a hairdresser alongside her ministry. Reflecting on her calling, she said, "My Anglican identity has developed very slowly over the last thirty years, and God has somehow brought me (sometimes kicking and screaming) to this next part of my journey. I feel a very strong calling to ministry in the workplace and will continue in my present role as a hairdresser and salon owner where I enjoy relationships with a diverse range of people in the community. I hope to bring a little of the light and peace of God to those unlikely to wander into our churches, and trust that God will meet people in that space and begin to draw them to God’s self."
Jack Greenhalf was a police officer before he plucked up the courage to say 'yes' to his calling to ministry: "I grew up in East Sussex and became a Christian in my late teens. I began to feel called to ordained ministry a few years later but decided to continue with my career as a police officer. Fifteen years later, married for the second time, and with three adorable children in tow, I realise just how much growing I needed to do! I am told that nobody ever feels quite ready to take this step, but with the love and support of the Holy Spirit, my family, and my colleagues, the adventure ahead seems a little less daunting."
Click here to find out more about our new deacons.
In addition, last year’s deacons were ordained as priests in a special service at Holy Trinity Church in Folkestone - they are:
- Alice Bates (St Peter-in-Thanet)
- Ylva Blid-Mackenzie (Benenden and Sandhurst)
- Charlotte Coles (The Len Valley Benefice)
- Ben Forbes (Deal, St George)
- Lucy Fyfe-Jamieson (Canterbury, All Saints)
- Paula Jardine-Rose (Tunstall with Bredgar)
- Charmaine Muir (Canterbury, St Mary Bredin)
- Cathrine Ngangira (Bearsted, Holy Cross, North Downs Benefice)
- Angie Stupple (Dover Town)
- Jennifer Walters (Margate All Saints, Westbrook, and Margate, St John the Baptist)
The service is available to watch again on the Canterbury Diocese YouTube channel.