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Jul/Aug 2019 the Church of England Around Staffordshire, Northern Spotlight Jul/Aug 2019 Deacons 2019 A hydrogeologist, a physiotherapist and a This year’s intake of curates follows the barrister are among 18 new deacons to be ordination of 18 new curates in 2018, all of ordained at Lichfield Cathedral this weekend. whom went on to be ‘priested’ at services across the diocese the weekend before. Nine men and nine women a range of places and backgrounds will now be curates after Hydrogeologist William Small completing either two or three years of training. was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and has lived in Following their ordination as deacons by Bishop South Africa, Sweden, Israel, Michael at services on the last Saturday and France and Burundi since. The father-of-four Sunday in June, they will start parish ministry has worked to bring clean water and the gospel in a variety of churches across the diocese of Jesus Christ wherever he has gone. He will including several in non-stipendiary (self- serve as a self-supporting minister in Harlescott, supporting) roles. Shrewsbury. “I felt a calling to start looking into ministry. I grew up a Roman Catholic, I’ve continues on p3 -> The Church of England around Staffordshire, northern Shropshire and the Black Country A tall (ship) story #NewRevs 2019 People from St Michael’s Church in Colwich, “We sailed from <- continued from p1 Chris Lane (bottom left) grew up in Walsall near Rugeley, found their sea legs and Chatham in Kent, to been through where he still lives. After being a barrister for made memories on their maiden sea voyage Ramsgate, then across Pentecostal 15 years, he is swapping the court room for together. Church member Wesley Till tells us the channel to Bologna Church and church planting, working in ‘pioneer ministry’ more: (dodging tankers on the now I’m in at St Peter’s in inner Walsall. “I practised in way!) before returning the Church of asylum and immigration law for the latter “At the end of our new Alternative Worship overnight to Brighton. England! The part of my career. I felt God was calling me to service last November, Steve (Deall – curate) scary part is work among people who were on the fringes showed a slide of a sailing ship and asked if “Steve summed it up: being willing to of society. I would represent people and then anyone fancied an adventure… ‘The whole experience say ‘yes’.” say ‘goodbye’ to them, so you were there for was fantastic, living very short periods of their lives. As a minister, “Eight would-be sailors (mainly from St together as community was a real embodiment Treena Larkin I will be in people’s lives long-term and have Michael’s) signed up for a trip onboard the tall of what it means to be a Christian family, no (pictured top the opportunity to walk with them through the ship Morning Star of Revelation (MST trust). matter what age. We learned from each other; left) from issues they face.” MST is a Christian organisation specialising the young crew teaching us oldies how to sail Wolverhampton in working with young people from all and us oldies giving them a little bit of our life worked for Other new deacons have backgrounds in social backgrounds whether they have a faith or experience. When I reflected on our setting off 25 years as a care, teaching, children’s and youth work, not. Their website states that they are about: on the night sail across the Channel leaving physiotherapist. driving instruction, voluntary works, biomedical ‘Changing young people’s lives through youth the safe harbour, it struck me that it was really She started science and as a fettler at a pottery factory. work at sea. We want to see all people live life poignant that as a her Christian to the full no matter where they have come group we were setting journey ten from or where they are going. Jesus came so off into the darkness, years ago that he may give us life and give it to the full’. perhaps a good via the Alpha metaphor for how we course and “MST’s main work is with young people but live our Christian lives; will serve as a they welcome other Christian groups on their setting off with the curate in Penn voyages. Although the majority of us couldn’t light of Christ into the Fields. “Almost be described in any way young in fact (our ages darkness of the world six years ago ranged from 17 to 73), we all found a place and trusting each other and I lost my mum a position as the ship’s crew for the voyage. ultimately trusting in suddenly. It was God to keep us safe.’ a time when the church Diocesan Director of Vocations Lindsey Hall “Our voyage certainly left us with very fond really showed said: “It is great to have such a range of gifts memories about what had been an exciting me their love. and personalities in this year’s new curates. We and inspirational experience. The title on MST Through that need people who can share the Good News of website is: ‘Be Inspired. Live Life to the Full.’ and time I had a Jesus in their communities, workplaces and local the MST states: ‘We believe that every person sense of where churches in fresh ways. If you’d like to explore who sails with us has the right to live life to God was calling how God may be calling you please get in touch the full. We do this through our: Love, Care me. I want with [email protected]“ and hospitality. Our group all agreed that this people to know was certainly true of our experience on ‘The the love of More - including videos of William, Treena and Morning Star of Revelation’. Christ and I’m Chris and information on new deacons (and last passionate about year’s deacons who have just become priests) For further details of The Morning Star Trust walking alongside ordinands and photos from both services can visit https://www.mst.org.uk people.” be found at lichfield.anglican.org/NewRevs2019 Follow us on Twitter @Lichfield_CofE 2 Regular updates on our website www.lichfield.anglican.org 3 Join our Facebook Group “The Church of England’s Diocese of Lichfield” The Church of England around Staffordshire, northern Shropshire and the Black Country BioBlitz in churchyard From Russia with love All creatures mostly small were found during “One of the things that’s exciting me is that Fifteen pilgrims from across the Diocese, led by the evening an intensive 24-hour study of a churchyard in now everybody’s getting excited about wildlife, Bishop Michael journeyed to Moscow to explore we went to the central Lichfield last month. asking ‘Could we have a little patch of long the faith and practice of Russian Christianity. Bolshoi Theatre. grass and see what wildflowers are in it’, ‘Isn’t it • The holy men exciting that we’ve got a veteran yew’. Deborah Walton and John Binns recall: “The and women – a purpose of the ten-day pilgrimage was to visit to Sergiev “Sometimes a churchyard can feel like a bit gain new experiences and faith and form Posad with of a burden to the people that manage it as new relationships: a faith journey as well as a the shrine of volunteers, but perhaps the tables are turning physical journey. Each day had a theme with St Sergius of a little and the general public’s getting more a visit to a place as a focus for faith-reflection Radonezh. interested and I think it’s a moment when, if including: • Beauty and people reach out to the public, they’ll find a lot icons – with a visit to the Tretiakov Gallery, of interest there and possibly a bit of help as well.” • Familiarisation with the city and culture of and also the Marfo Marinsky monastery. Moscow including a visit to the Lutheran • Reflection – with a tour of the Kremlin and Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul where its further Moscow sights. Dean Lena Bondarenko welcomed us and told • Liturgy and worship – sharing the eucharist The BioBlitz at St Michael’s was one of six us about its ministry. with a Russian congregation at Saints Cosmas events around the diocese as part of Love Your • The Anglican community – sharing in the and Damian Church. We shared lunch with Burial Ground week organised by the charity eucharist and a delicious shared lunch at St members of the Metropolitan Anthony of Caring For God’s Acre. Bats, woodlice, wood Andrew’s Church in Moscow. The chaplain, Sourozh Foundation before a river cruise and mice, slugs, birds, insects, trees and flowers Revd Canon Malcolm Rogers, was very enjoying the sun-soaked sights of Moscow.” were all identified in a joint operation by welcoming and invited Bishop Michael to children, adults and experts. celebrate and preach. Other pilgrims said: • A Christian society - the vision of early “Experiencing how the Orthodox church Ray Allen organised the event for St Michael’s: Russian Orthodoxy for church and connects with all generations in a Sunday “I think it’s so important nowadays when we’re service has left me challenged and wondering losing so many species in this country. We’ve The other Lichfield Diocese churches taking how the church here might do things differently sown a new wildflower meadow for example part were St Martin’s Preston Gubbals near to encourage intergenerational worship.” to try and increase the flowers and insects that Shrewsbury; Clifton Campville; St Editha’s we get.
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