During eight services in Bristol Cathedral over the coming weekend (10 & 11 October), the Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, Bishop of Bristol, and the Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield, Bishop of Swindon, will ordain 23 candidates as priests and deacons.
On Saturday 10 October, 13 candidates will be ordained as priests. This is an important moment in their ordination journey and follows a year spent working alongside an experienced priest.
On Sunday 11 October 10 candidates will be ordained as deacons and each begin working alongside an experienced priest in the Diocese.
These ordinations were due to take place in July but COVID-19 restrictions made that impossible. Instead, virtual services were held to ensure they could start or continue their work in the church.
Revd James Cannan will also be licensed as Assistant Curate so that he can minister in the UK, after recently moving from the USA.
The services are subject to existing Covid-19 restrictions with a maximum of 30 people allowed at each service. Candidates have had to limit the number of people they can invite. The services will be live-streamed on Bristol Cathedral’s Youtube account and social media accounts so family and friends can watch from home.
The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull, Bishop of Bristol, said:
“It is a great joy to be ordaining these women and men called to serve in God’s church. As with the country as a whole, it has been a challenging year for them not least because their ordination was delayed because of Covid. More than this, they are embarking on the next stage in their journey at a time of upheaval, loss and searching as the whole country come to terms with the impact of the pandemic.
“My prayer is that our new deacons and priests will find ways to speak of Christ’s love and hope in a turbulent and uncertain world.”
Details of service timings:
To be Ordained Priest on Saturday 10th October 2020 in Bristol Cathedral
- 10am: Paul Freeland; Simon Halls; Joanne Hodge
- 12 noon: David Jones; Matt Stone; Emily Swinerd; Aidan Watson
- 3pm: Andy Carter; Laura Doe; Mary Hotchkiss
- 5pm: Aggy Palairet; Laura Verrall Kelly; Pippa White
To be Ordained Deacon on Sunday 11th October 2020 in Bristol Cathedral
- 10am: Anjali Kanagaratnam; Tom Morgan; Mark Nam
- 12 noon; Rob Stewart; Vicky Wicks
- 3pm: Chris Brown; Gaby Doherty; James Cannan to be licensed Assistant Curate
- 5pm; Kandis Douglas; Cheryl Hawkins; Jo Morris
Details of how to watch: