4 October 2023
On Saturday 30 September, twenty-four new priests were ordained at four services across Essex and East London.
Here are our new priests pictured on the eve of their ordination, on their ordination retreat at the Diocesan House of Retreat at Pleshey.
They are pictured with:
- The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford
- The Rt Revd Roger Morris, the Bishop of Colchester
- The Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, the Bishop of Barking
- The Ven Mike Power, the Archdeacon of Southend
- The Ven Chris Burke, the Archdeacon of Barking
- The Ven Robin King, the Archdeacon of Stansted
- The Revd Tim Goodbody, The Diocesan Director of Ordinands
Services
There were four services taking place across East London and Essex.
The Ordination of our Colchester Area Priests at St Peter ad Vincula, Coggeshall at 10am led by the Rt Revd Roger Morris, Bishop of Colchester.
The service was livestreamed on the St Peter ad Vincula YouTube Channel.
The ordination of our Bradwell Area Priests at St Peter's Hutton at 11am led by the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford.
The service was livestreamed on the St Peter's Hutton YouTube Channel.
The ordination of our Barking Area Priests at Becontree St Martin at 10.30am & Loughton, St Mary 2.30pm, both services were led by the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens, the Bishop of Barking:
Meet our new Priest
We introduced our new Priests on our social media channels in the run up to the ordination services. Search @chelmsdio on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #ChelmsdioNewPriests.
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Serving the Barking Area
Priesthood
Those who were ordained on 30 September, had served as Deacons for a year. Whilst some deacons are called to a vocation as a distinctive deacon, most deacons go on to be ordained as priests. The ministry of a priest is one of leadership and mission, helping all Christians to realise their potential as they witness to Christ. They help to build up the Church, through:
- the celebration of the sacraments (including baptism and holy communion)
- teaching
- preaching
- pastoral care
Ordained Ministry in our Diocese
If you feel that God is calling you to a role in the Church, there are many different opportunities. A good first step is to talk to your local clergy. You can find out more about Ministry in the Church of England, including ordained ministry by visiting the 'Exploring Vocations' page of our website.
Exploring Vocations