Ordination Weekend Highlights
It was a glorious, sunny weekend as friends, families and colleagues gathered at Southwell Minster to celebrate the ordination of five Priests and seven Deacons.
Ordination of Priests – Saturday 28th June
The Ordination of Priests was a joyful service that celebrated and welcomed Jamie, Sam, Marsha, Graham and Carl into this new phase of ministry.
The Venerable Tors Ramsey, Archdeacon of Newark, delivered a powerful sermon on purpose and transformation, thinking particularly about what happens when we are ‘stopped in our tracks’. Drawing from the book of Philippians, she reflected on Paul’s encounter with Jesus: how a man once known for persecuting the Church was transformed into one of its greatest founders, and his life, name and reality were radically changed.
She reminded the candidates of the sacred nature of their calling:
“This is the life that the priest and deacons are called to – to offer an invitation to people to be stopped in their tracks. To hold out the hope that each human being can know who they are: that they are fearfully and wonderfully made and have a purpose in life; they are deeply loved and that their Heavenly Father has called them by name.”
Ordination of Deacons – Sunday 29th June
Sunday was also wonderful day as the seven deacons were welcomed into ordained ministry for the first time at a special service in a packed out Southwell Minster. Lesley, Anna, Jane, Wendy, Liam, Luke and Olly, were all ordained deacon by Bishop Paul, surrounded by family and friends.
Bishop Andy gave the sermon, reminding the candidates, “you are called, like Peter and like John, to be rocks”. Drawing on Matthew 16:13-19, he shared three ways in which we are all called to join in the task of building the church: to simply surrender, to stay steadfast, and to steward securely.
We give thanks to their families and friends of the candidates for the love and support they have given throughout their training and for making it such a joyous weekend of celebration. Please join us as we continue to pray for the candidates as they settle into and continue their ministry.
A full gallery of the ordination weekend photos is now available. Click here to view the Ordination of Priests gallery, and here for the Ordination of Deacons gallery. You can also download the photos to share.
If you’d like to watch back either of the services, you can do so via this link. You can also read candidate stories here.
As we’ve celebrated the ordinations over the past few weeks, it may be that you have felt God stirring something in your heart about his call on your life, whatever that might look like. If you want to explore this further, visit our vocations page for more information about support we offer for those exploring their calling: