The Three Graces?

Brill Parish Church, with Tina Sterling, parish priest & area dean, welcoming her two newly ordained deacons.

Lesley Fellows (left) and Jenny Edmans (right) were both ordained together in Christ Church yesterday, as part of this year's company of 23 Michaelmas deacons in our diocese. Tina pointed out how this deployment pattern was like London buses — nothing for ages, then (twenty) three in a row!

Both are servng in the same rural Bernwode benefice. Jenny has deep local roots. She's farmed in the village most of her life, and has come through the Ordained Local Ministry Pathway — three years of hard labour! Lesley has followed a more classic track towards ordination on the Oxford Ministry Course, after a strong background in Engineering research and teaching.

As well as welcoming Lesley and Jenny, it was good to celebrate publicly the large local mixed ministry team they are joining. Having newly ordained ministers mustn't in any way de-skill, or hold others back in offering ministry, along with all baptized people.

Footnote: there's a striking locally made Bishop's Chair in All Saints’, with a female kneeling figure (prophetic?) and the text "Still small voice of calm" — one people instinctively associate with bishops, of course...