Licensing of Louise Bearder as Priest-In-Charge of the Benefice of Blyth and Scrooby with Ranskill
It was a wonderful evening on Monday as the Revd Louise Bearder was licensed as Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Blyth and Scrooby with Ranskill.
As well as marking a new season for Louise and the benefice, Louise is also the first Mission Associate to be in post as part of ‘Cluster One’ which links together some of our northern and most rural benefices, as part of the rural pilot. It was a particularly meaningful moment as the Rev’d Becky Hancock, Lead Mission Enabler for that cluster, and the Rev’d Liz Mack, who is shortly to be licensed as Priest in Charge of another of the benefices in the cluster, stood alongside a kneeling Louise as the Bishop blessed her and prayed for her ministry.
In his talk Bishop Paul drew on the historic medieval doom painting that is still visible on the wall of Blyth church as a reminder that God has been at work through the centuries, and therefore even as we may face uncertain times in the world with political instability, economic uncertainty and the weather disrupting our agricultural rhythms we can have confidence that God continues to be at work over all. And just as the doom painting reminded those who see it of God’s presence at the end of time, so the reading from Philippians 1 reminds us that God is the great completer finisher, and we should be confident that He will complete his work in us and in his Church, until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus.
Louise was born and raised in Worksop and qualified as a nurse in 1987, working at Bassetlaw Hospital until 2023. Her church journey includes worship at Priory Church Worksop and St Anne’s Worksop, where she became a Reader in 2015. After studying Theology at St Mellitus College, Louise was ordained Deacon in 2022 and Priest in 2023, completing her curacy at Christ Church Worksop and St Luke’s Shireoaks.
We delighted for Louise and for the communities in the benefice of Blyth and Scrooby with Ranskill, as they begin this new phase of ministry together. Please join us in praying for Louise as she settles in to the role and for a fresh move of the Holy Spirit that will bring an overflow of God’s blessing to these churches and communities.
