Diocesan Vocations Seminar

From Tuesday 12th to Friday 15th October, 9 postulants for Holy Orders gathered at St Columba's House, Woking, for the Diocesan Vocations Seminar. This annual event, led by our Director of Ordinands, the Revd William Gulliford, is an important step for those in our diocese who are contemplating ordination as deacons or priests. The days together follow the pattern of a national Church of England Bishops' Advisory Panel (BAP), which selects those to be trained for the sacred ministry. Postulants from our diocese are first approved by our assessment team at the annual Vocations Seminar then proceed to a national BAP.

Fr Gulliford was assisted by other members of the Ministry Team of the Diocese, Canon Ulla Monberg, Deacon Frances Hiller, Ms Margaret Jeffery as well as Bishop Geoffrey and myself together with some of the Assistant Directors of Ordinands, the Revd Barbara Moss, Canons Michael Bullock, Robert Innes and Malcolm Bradshaw. Three of our former ordinands, now in training or ordained and serving other dioceses returned to give presentations on their experience of the process of selection and training. They are pictured below: Simon Durrant (studying in Bristol), The Revd Ngozy Njuku (now a curate in the diocese of St Albans), and the Revd Ruan Crew (now a curate in the diocese of Bristol).

This year we had 9 postulants (6 women and 3 men) come from 7 different countries across our diocese. Unfortunately a further 2 were unable to attend, one due to illness, and another due delays with his UK visa). Vocations to the sacred ministry are flourishing across the diocese. At any given time our Director of Ordinands is dealing with about 40 individuals in various stages of discernment.

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