Fr William Gulliford DDO reports on new interns being placed in our parishes


Four new interns on the Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme (CEMES) have just attended a two day residential induction. Fiona Hill (back middle), Joshua Peckett (front middle left), Alison Speed (front middle right) and Annie Bolger to the right of Alison have started their programme which lasts until the end of June 2017.

CEMES is part of a strategy to give those considering ordination a parish-based framework for the discernment of their Christian vocation. As well as structured time in parishes alongside clergy and lay people, taking an active part in the ministry of the place, there is time for personal reflection and spiritual guidance with a mentor and monthly academic input from a theological educator.

After a pioneer year in 2015-2016 with two UK interns being placed in Brussels and Ghent, this year 3 of the interns are from the UK and one from within the diocese. Fiona will be based in St John and St Philip The Hague, Joshua will be based at Holy Trinity Brussels, Alison at Holy Trinity Geneva and La Cote, and Annie in Sts Martha and Mary Leuven. Parishes are asked to cover expenses and all accommodation costs, while the National Church provides a grant per intern of £2,000.

The mentors on the scheme are the chaplains: the Revd Andrew Gready (The Hague), the Revd Canon John Wilkinson (Holy Trinity, Brussels), the Revd Canon Alex Gordon, (Holy Trinity, Geneva), the Revd Carolyn Cooke (La Cote), the Revd Canon Professor Jack McDonald (Leuven).
The North West Europe hub is served by Mrs Janet Sayers (Pastoral Supervisor) and Jack McDonald (Educational Supervisor). The Geneva hub’s team consists of Miss Mary Talbot (Pastoral Supervisor) and Dr Clare Amos (Educational Supervisor).

The Diocesan Director of  Ordinands, Canon William Gulliford, has been working with this wider team to plan the event and to co-ordinate the growth of the scheme. We hope that the scheme will grow. (The Diocese in Europe was actually offered grants for up to 8 candidates this year). We look to be able to find places for more candidates next year, so if your chaplaincy is interested, please contact the DDO.

Please pray for the new interns and their chaplaincies.

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