Licensing of Revd Lizzie Osborne as Mission Associate at Woven St John’s

Wednesday 25th July was a joyful evening at the licensing of Lizzie Osborne; the new Mission Associate at Woven St John’s in Bilborough.

Licensing is a special service of celebration that marks the beginning of a new phase of ministry both for the leader and for the people of the community.

Although Lizzie and her family have moved up from Kentish Town in London to join the church, the event was also very much a ‘home-coming’ for Lizzie:

“I was born and brought up in Nottingham; Bluecoat Aspley was my secondary school and I have been in St Margaret’s for school acts of worship many years ago. So whilst it feels like a big move up from London, I also have a sense of coming home.

After leaving university I worked for a church in South East London as a Youth and Children’s worker, here I loved building connections with kids from the local estate through after school clubs and work in local primary school. So when Ben I got married, we made the move to an estate in Cambridge to be part of a church community trying to share the love of Jesus with our neighbours. During this time I had a very clear sense that God was calling me to get ordained and so I started training at Ridley Hall in Cambridge. During training our eldest Eleanor (now 6) was born.

After finishing training we moved back to London for a curacy at St Luke’s Kentish Town, where we have been for the last 5 years, and where our second daughter Naomi (now 3) was born. We have loved building a strong sense of community and connection in Kentish Town, and making the most of being so close to the centre of London. However, we sense that God is calling us to come and serve at St John’s and in the wider Woven Church. I am excited to help lead a church with such a strong sense of family and so embedded in the local community.”

Archdeacon Phil Williams led the service and shared an inspiring and encouraging message on Jeremiah 1 ‘“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart’. He encouraged Lizzie at the start of her new chapter in ministry, and also invited each person to reflect on God’s love for them, and the call God has placed on their life.

As the evening went on the sound of worship flowed through the church and out into the streets – some even came and entered the church for the very first time, drawn to what was happening there.

We’re so thrilled to welcome Lizzie and her family, and we pray for a continual move of God’s Holy Spirit in this church and community.