28 June 2025
On Saturday 28 June Chelmsford Cathedral hosted a special celebration of lay ministry.
Chelmsford Cathedral hosted our annual Lay Ministry Celebration Service on Saturday 28 June.
The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, led the service, celebrating all Lay Ministry across Chelmsford Diocese.
The preacher for the day was Gail Hughes, Licensed Lay Minister (LLM) from St Laurence, Blackmore. Gail has been the Formation Tutor for this year’s cohort of new Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs).
During the service Bishop Guli licensed four new LLMs.
LLMs are theologically trained, and their role involves working alongside ordained ministers and other lay leaders in their church community. They have a clear leadership role and can use their leadership skills in a variety of ways, as an adult educator – training or mentoring other lay ministries, focusing Christian nurture or as someone who attends to the connection between faith and daily life.
Six new Pastoral Assistants were also authorised at the service. Pastoral Assistants offer pastoral care in the church and wider community. They are people who have a passion for communicating the message of Christ to others through caring action.
Speaking ahead of the service, Bishop Guli said:
“It’s a great joy and a privilege to license our new Lay Ministers and see the authorisation of our new Pastoral assistants at our annual Lay Ministry Celebration Service. I thank God for their ministry and the ministry of all those across our diocese who serve their church communities in a wide variety of lay roles. Please join me in praying for them as they begin this new journey.”
Caroline Harding, Lay Ministry Adviser and Warden of Readers in Chelmsford Diocese added:
“The Annual Lay Ministry Celebration service is a highlight in the Diocesan calendar. It is an opportunity to gather together as disciples of Christ from all corners of our wide and diverse Diocese and to celebrate and give thanks for all the ways in which we serve God and our local communities across Essex and East London. Whilst celebrating all ministries, we particularly honour those who have completed their training to become Licensed Lay Ministers and Authorised Pastoral Assistants. We give thanks for their commitment and hard work and look forward to how their ministries develop as they seek to see where God is working and join in.”
Meet our new Licensed Lay Ministers
Annie Fraser will be serving at St Mary the Virgin, Great Warley
Helen Sherfield will be serving within the Halstead Team Ministry
Pamela Straw will be serving at St James, Clacton
Jacky Wragg serving in the Pariah of Rayleigh
We introduced our new LLMs through our social media channels in the run up to the Lay Ministry Celebration service, search @chelmsdio or the hashtag #ChelmsdioLLMs on Facebook, X, Instagram and Bluesky.
Our new Pastoral Assistants
Our new Pastoral Assistants who were authorised at the service are:
Sarah-Jane Beetwell serving the parish of St Nicholas Laindon with Dunton
Delia Cooke serving at St Mary's, West Bergholt
Alison Davies serving the parish of Wickford & Runwell
Suzanne Emond serving at St Andrew's Chelmsford
Michelle Jackson serving at St Thomas' of Canterbury, Brentwood
Janet O’Toole serving at Meadgate Church, Great Baddow
Watch the service
Watch our Lay Ministry Celebration Service
View our Gallery
Below you can view an array of images from our Lay Ministry Celebration Service on Saturday 28th June.
-
Caroline Harling, Diocesan Lay Ministry Adviser and Warden of Readers, The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford and Bishop’s Chaplain, Revd Dr Rachel Pennant.
-
New LLM, Jacky Wragg read Ephesians 4:1-24
-
Our new Licensed Lay Ministers
-
Preacher at the service - Gail Hughes LLM from St Laurence, Blackmore
-
Bishop Guli presents our new Pastoral Assistants with their certificates.
-
Prayers of Intercession were Led by new LLM, Helen Sherfield.
-
Our new LLMs were licensed by Bishop Guli during the service.
-
Our new Pastoral Assistants
-
Our new Licensed Lay Ministers with supporting representatives from their parishes, members of the Bishop's Leadership Team and Diocesan Warden of Readers and Lay Ministry Adviser Canon Caroline Harding LLM
-
Our new Pastoral Assistants with course coordinator Hazel Kempton, Lay Ministry Adviser Canon Caroline Harding LLM, Saturday's preacher Gail Hughes LLM and members of the Bishop's Leadership Team
Share your photos
If you attended the celebration service, we would love to see your photos. Share them with us by tagging @chelmsdio on social media with the hashtags #ChelmsdioLLMs and #CelebratingLayMinistry.
Lay ministry in our Diocese
There are a wide variety of lay ministries in our diocese. For more details about lay ministry options, training and resources visit lay ministry page of our website or contact Caroline Harding, our Diocesan Lay Ministry Adviser and Warden of Readers.
