Weekend for Enquirers Exploring Priesthood in the Church of England

From 5 – 8 February nine young adults from across the diocese met at George Bell House in Chichester to explore some aspects of vocation to the priesthood. The Revd William Gulliford, the Diocesan Director of Ordinands, and the Revd Stephen Ferns of the Ministry Division of the Church of England, planned the weekend to provide an exposure for the enquirers, most of whom, although deeply committed members of congregations of our diocese and theologically trained, had had little direct experience of the Church of England in England. The participants came from Moscow, Turku, Bologna, Stockholm, Athens, Versailles, Berlin, Vienna and Trondheim. The Revd Deacon Frances Hiller and Ms Margaret Jeffery of the Diocesan Ministry Team assisted Frs Gulliford and Ferns in leading the weekend, along with a former ordinand of our diocese, the Revd Jan Nobel, now an assistant curate in Durham Diocese.

Over the course of the days the participants visited two contrasting local parish communities in Chichester, as well as the Cathedral, to observe the life of the congregations, and to question the clergy and members about various aspects of their ministry and mission. The group explored aspects of Anglican identity, the ecumenical relations and commitments of the Church of England, the discernment and selection process and some practical realities of stipendiary ministry.

The enquirers reported that they found the weekend to be insightful and stimulating. They appreciated the clarity of the presentations, and the stimulating and deeply spiritual group discussions, and valued the opportunity to peer through a window into the life of one part of the English Church, and sample the reality of her ministry in a context very different from our own diaspora diocese. They all returned to their home congregations better equipped to consider the next step in their vocational journey.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Archbishop of Canterbury's Pentecost Letter: A European Consequence

Image
In his Pentecost letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned of certain consequences for provinces of the Anglican Communion which have failed to stand by the three moratoria . (No authorisation of blessings services for same-sex unions; no consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships; and no bishop authorising any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission). One consequence would be that representatives from such provinces w ould not be able to participate in the formal international interchurch dialogues of the Communion. One of those dialogues is the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council ( AOCICC ), the official instrument set up to deepen the relationship of communion established in 1931 between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht . As the member Churches of the Union of Utrecht are all European, the AOCICC is effectively a European body. (I am one of the members, appo...
Read more

Bishop Austin Rios of California

Image
It was a joyful, colourful, multicultural three-hour liturgy. At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, the Revd Austin Rios was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of California. I have known Austin from his time as the Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome, where he was a great friend and collaborator with our own Church of England All Saints Chaplaincy in that city. The liturgy, appropriately, marked the multiculural make-up of the diocese, with prayers, readings, hymns and songs in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Tonga and Mandarin. The final procession was led by a Chinese dragon! I was told that there were about 300 in the procession and 2000 present in the beautiful gothic cathedral on Nob Hill San Francisco. My good friend and ecuenical colleague from Rome Fr Keith Peckers SJ was also in attenance, so the Church of Rome and the Church of England were both represented! Among the bishop friends present were Bishop Mark Edington of the Episcopal Convocation in Europe, a...
Read more