ORDINATIONS to the DIACONATE in This Issue
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News from the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney September 2019 Scottish Charity No: SC022180 Issue 106 ORDINATIONS TO THE DIACONATE In this issue: Bishop Anne writes: Page 2 On Saturday 28 September at 3pm new deacons will be ordained in St Andrew’s Celebrating Clergy Cathedral to serve in this diocese. After a few years with no ordinations to the Milestones diaconate, now three come along at once. Mike Blake will be ordained deacon to serve half time at St Andrew’s, Alford in a bi- Page 3 vocation ministry. This means that Mike will have a stipend for half of his week, and Celebrating for the other half will be in regular employment. Mike is the first such bi-vocational curate in the Province. relationships across the ocean Jenny Holden will be ordained to serve as full-time stipendiary curate at St John’s, Aberdeen. Jenny’s stipend will be paid half by the Charge and half through a Provincial Pages 4-5 grant. Reflections from the Both Mike and Jenny have been selected and trained for priestly ministry as Ordinands incumbents, so the next step for them should be ordination as priests in 2020. Both will be serving in Charges where they will be exercising a significant leadership role. Pages 6-9 Whatever ministries they might be called to in the future, they will remember that they are first of all, and always will be, servants. As curates (first deacons and then priests) News from they will be able to lead services with reserved sacrament. around the Diocese Jean Souter will be ordained to serve as a non-stipendiary vocational deacon. Vocational deacons are appearing across the Anglican Communion, and by the end of Pages 10 -11 September there will be around ten in the Province. Jean will be the first to serve in Reflections from the this way in Aberdeen and Orkney. Vocational (or permanent) deacons are associated Provincial Youth week with the bishop of a diocese, and his or her leading of mission. As bishop I will place Jean into situations where she can help churches connect with their communities, Reflections from an especially through exploring what the Gospel of Jesus Christ means in a particular eco-walk context. Each placement might last one or two years, and then Jean will be moved on. Vocational deacons do not lead services including the reserved sacrament, rather they Upcoming events are present in worship to assist a bishop or priest. I encourage you all to pray for Mike, Jenny and Jean as they take up these ministries. Page 12 You are very welcome to be present with us at the Cathedral for the ordinations on From the Archives: 28 September. Diocesan Treasures Mike, Jenny and Jean reflect on their journey to ordination on Pages 4 and 5. Friday 27 September, 10:30-12:30 All are welcome to join us at the Diocesan Office: Marischal College, Broad Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1YS Donations to Macmillan Cancer Support Very Rev’d Dr Emsley Nimmo 25 years since the first Emsley celebrates 40 female ordinations to the Priesthood years since his This year marks 25 years since the first female ordinations ordination to the to the priesthood took place. priesthood, and has served as Rector of This milestone is to be marked at a provincial event held St Margaret’s Church, at St Ninian’s Cathedral in Perth on Saturday 14 December Aberdeen since 1990. at 2:00pm, and all are welcome to attend. Emsley was made Dean Emeritus of the Diocese by Bishop Anne at the Choral Festival in June in recognition of his service as the Dean of the Diocese. Mother Mary Agnes Mother Mary Agnes of the Society of Our Lady of the Isles (SOLI) in Shetland celebrates 50 years since she took her life vows. She moved to Shetland 35 years ago in 1984 to set up SOLI, which was founded in 1987. Photo: Ian Young, Press and Journal dated 18/12/1994 Rev’d Ian Ferguson Bishop Bruce Cameron, then Bishop of the Diocese of Ian celebrates 40 years Aberdeen and Orkney, with the eight women who were since his ordination to ordained to the priesthood at St Andrew's Cathedral the Priesthood. He has Aberdeen in December 1994. served in the Diocese as Back row from left: Jane Burchill, Margaret Eaton, the Rector in Westhill Ruth Edwards, Dorrie Firmin. Front row: Kate Gibson, since 1982. Anne James, Cilla McKenzie and Joan Shepherd. Rev’d Robert Spencer Bob celebrates 25 years since his ordination to the Priesthood. He serves as a member of the ministry team in Ellon, and has also Three of the clergy ordained in the service 25 years ago CELEBRATING MILESTONES FOR OUR CLERGY OUR FOR MILESTONES CELEBRATING looked after remain in the diocese. Congratulations to Ruth Edwards, St Matthew’s congregation in Oldmeldrum for Kate Gibson and Anne James. the last ten years. Bob is pictured here with the Rev’d Dr Dennis Bishop Anne Dyer Berk as he celebrated this milestone in Ellon. Bishop Anne celebrated 25 Rev’d Canon John Walker years since her ordination to John celebrates 40 years the priesthood in a service at since his ordination to our Cathedral on 29 May. She the Priesthood. John is was one of the first woman to currently Rector of the be ordained priest in the Donside Group of Diocese of Rochester. and Churches in Inverurie, was the first female Bishop of Kemnay, Auchindoir and the Scottish Episcopal Church Whiterashes, where he in 2018. has served since 2005. It is wonderful what comes to you via your church The Bishop of Connecticut and the Bishop of website. This message was received by St Devenick’s Aberdeen and Orkney are pleased to announce Church, Bieldside: their nominations for canons to each other’s Dear People of St Devenick’s, cathedrals. I hope you don't mind me OCEAN THE ACROSS RELATIONSHIPS CELEBRATING reaching out to you to ask for your prayers from my home here in Toronto, Canada. I was baptised at St. Devenick’s on March 24, 1963 as a baby as Louise Mary Dightam, daughter of John and Elaine Dightam. My mother still remembers the people at S. The Revd Rebekah Hatch (pictured left) has been Devenick’s being very friendly. My parents came from nominated by Bishop Ian Douglas to be a canon Yorkshire and lived for a time in Cults and then Banchory of St Andrew’s Cathedral Aberdeen. In making while my (late) father worked in Scottish television. In this nomination Bishop Ian said: 1966 we emigrated to Toronto, Canada where I still live. ‘The Revd Rebekah Hatch is an active, wise I am reaching out because I recently pulled out my and energetic young clergy person who will baptismal certificate to complete my application for represent Christ Church Cathedral and the postulancy for ordination as a priest in the Anglican Episcopal Church in Connecticut with joy and Church of Canada in the Diocese of Toronto. I went online distinction. ‘ to see where I was baptised and felt right away that I would be at home in your church. I reflected that in 1963 The Revd Lynsay Downs (pictured right) has been no-one would have imagined that the baby girl at the font nominated by Bishop Anne to be a canon of Christ might be seeking ordination one day in the future! Church Cathedral, Hartford. In making this nomination Bishop Anne said: Anyway, I wonder if you might pray for me as I prepare for my postulancy interviews on 22 May – there are a ‘I am very pleased to nominate Lynsay to number of us being interviewed, and limited spaces. It represent our diocese to Connecticut. Lynsay would mean a lot to me to know that the church that is an experienced priest with a particular started me on my journey as a disciple of Jesus was interest in enabling churches to better holding me in prayer. respond to neuro-diversity, for example autism. Many churches in this diocese are Wishing you every blessing this Easter. The people of concerned with the inclusion in worship and St Devenick’s will be in my prayers. church life of those with various disabilities. Peace, Lynsay will be look forward to sharing some of Louise Simos what we are learning in Connecticut.’ St Devenick’s Church took Louise’s request to heart and These nominations have been accepted, and the prayed for her, especially on 22 May, and received this bishops look forward to installing the new follow-up email: canons in their cathedrals in due course. I am excited, humbled and not a little overwhelmed to share that I have been selected as one of six postulants for ordination in the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. Now Harvest is upon us, the fields stand rich with begins a two-year formation and mutual discernment corn and your magazine is rich with words and process which may, God willing, result in ordination as photos from across the Diocese. Thank you all. transitional deacon and then priest. The diocese It has been a joy to struggle to fit it all together. encompasses some 200 parishes, urban, suburban and rural, in Toronto and the surrounding communities. Heartened by your response for news and views, we hope to enhance the presentation over the coming issues Thank you for your prayers from across the ocean! I am – your pictures will help this process so please keep news looking forward to the next steps in my postulancy – I will and pictures coming. The deadline for the Christmas be placed in a parish to serve on Sundays, and there are edition will be Friday 29 November.