Wycombe Michaelmas Ordinations

A glorious Sunday evening in High Wycombe — 10 new priests ordained to serve in Buckinghamshire. With another 6 from Petertide, 2008 has been a bumper year for ordinations. This was Caroline Windley’s first ordination as Director of Ordinands, chief cook & bottle washer.

The place was heaving. Hazel the Verger and All Saints regulars looked after us brilliantly; thanks to David Picken and colleagues. We knew we could rely on you, but it must be a pig of a job keeping everything on track with a complicated service and everyone on a bit of a high.

This evening articulated very clearly the simple facts you won’t read in the papers. Nobody else will tell this truth if we don’t from within the Church, but it’s a fundamental fact about our life — that within the royal priesthood of all his people, God does call, equip and send priests to proclaim his gospel, minister his sacraments, and build up his body. The more open and obedient we are about this process, the richer our life as a Church.

Getting pictures afterwards was a bit like playing killer in the dark, but I see they are beginning to go up on Facebook. Tim the Vicar’s blog got there first with the story. This is a great, big hearted and multi-talented group — just for the record, from Left to Right:
Janet Binns — Slough St Paul — makes things happen, trains, inspires and nurtures — has recently done the London marathon, as well as having a physically, spiritually and emotionally enriching experience in Slough.
Ruth Boughton — Little Chalfont, Chenies & Latimer — musician and teller of stories for children of all ages; inspiring, kind, thoughtful and loyal.
Liz Baker — Milton Keynes — grower of community at the Well Community (SSM), and in the Watling Valley; serving all the churches. responsible for packing her ordination itself out with monks.
Tim Yates — Emmanuel, Chesham — Understands buildings, spiritual and physical; grower of groups, colleague and teacher in a flourishing and faithful church.
Graham Hartnell — Christ Church Flackwell Heath — singing songs of the kingdom in new ways now, growing the Church by growing disciples
Me — Laying on hands and barbecues, trying to keep up with the files and emails, rejoicing in fabulous colleagues.
Alan Crawley — formerly self-supporting Great Marlow, now stipendiary St Michael Amersham — fresh expresser of faith, new job, new challenge. Looking for ways to help people search fruitfully for God.
Lesley Fellows — Bernwode — used to be an Engineering don, but it was all a front for faith, hope, and laughter. Now grows faith whilst perching on five bar gates not far from...
Jenny Edmans — Bernwode — whose background was nursing and farming, family and community. Now grows things by doing pastoral care, children's work and, from today, the breaking of bread.
Jonathan Hawkins — Good Shepherd Southcourt, Aylesbury — surveyor of people’s lives and work and houses, supported and encourager of others; urban curate and New Wine steward and pastor.
Dave Bell — New Bradwell, Milton Keynes — teacher, encourager and all round good sport. Now engaged in growing the kingdom with energy and humour in a former railway community as well as a day job teaching.