27th June 2009

Ordination 2009
Picture: Owen Spencer-Thomas
More in Picture Gallery

Sixteen clergy are being deployed across Cambridgeshire and west Norfolk following their ordination this weekend (Saturday 27 June).

Hundreds of people flocked to Ely Cathedral to support the candidates who are to serve in parishes across the Diocese of Ely.

This year four of the eight deacons are women – a figure reflecting the growing number of women clergy within the Church of England nationally.

The deacons ordained by the Bishop of Huntingdon, the Rt Revd Dr David Thomson were: Christine Barrow to serve in the parish of Girton, St Andrew; Jenny Gage to serve in The Three Rivers Group; Sarah Gower to serve in the parish of St Neots, St Mary; Timothy Hayward to serve in the parish of Buckden with the Offords; Anthony Lees-Smith to serve in the parish of Chesterton, the Good Shepherd; Jeremy Parsons to serve in the parish of Cambridge, St Martin; Barbara Pearman to serve in the East Marshland Benefice; Brenda Stewart to serve in the parish of Abbots Ripton, St Andrew with King’s Ripton, St Peter and Houghten with Wyton St Mary;

The priests ordained by the Bishop of Ely, the Rt Revd Dr Anthony Russell, were: Stephen Anderson to serve in the parish of St Mary the Virgin, Great Shelford; Kathleen Bishop to serve in the Raddesley Group of Parishes; Gita Bond to serve in the parish of the Ramseys St Thomas a Beckett and St Mary and Upwood St Peter; Alasdair Coles to serve in the parish of Chesterton St Andrew; Mary Jepp to serve in the parish of Godmanchester, St Mary; Christopher Lowe to serve in the parish of Cambridge, St Andrew the Less; Philip Sharkey to serve in The Shingay Group of Parishes; Timothy Yau to serve in the parish of Farcet Hampton, St Mary;

The period closest to the feast day of St Peter the Apostle, celebrated on 29 June, is traditionally the time when the Church of England ordains most of its deacons and priests to serve within the Church.

For further details go to http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/ordination.html

For details and more information:

Canon Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE
Bishop’s Press Officer
52 Windsor Road
Cambridge
CB4 3JN

Phone: 01223 358448
Mobile: 07801 492151
email: owenst@btinternet.com

27th June 2009
Ref 0951