22 women and men took the next step in their ministry at St Albans Cathedral over the weekend, as the Diocese welcomed new priests and deacons during its annual Petertide ordination services.
Ordination is both a moment of celebration and the beginning of a lifelong journey of discipleship and service. Throughout the weekend, family, friends, clergy and church communities gathered to support the ordinands as they took this significant step in their ordained ministry.
The ordination of priests took place on Saturday 4 July, led by the Rt Revd Richard Atkinson, the Bishop of Bedford followed by the ordination of deacons on Sunday 5 July, led by the Rt Revd Dr Jane Mainwaring, the Bishop of Hertford.
Preaching at both services, the Revd Canon Tim Goode, Canon for Congregational Discipleship and Nurture at York Minster, reflected on Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28 and the call of Isaiah 61, reminding those being ordained that the Church entrusts “ordinary people with holy things” and calling them to be “not heroes, but witnesses” to the hope and mercy of Christ.
Tim encouraged our new deacons that the highest calling of their ministry was to truly listen, to God, to those they are called to minister with, and to be quiet enough to hear the voice of God: “The deacon is ordained to listen intently at the threshold where God’s whisper meets the world’s wounds.”
Speaking after the services, Bishop Richard said:
“We are delighted to welcome all those who have been ordained at St Albans Cathedral this weekend. God calls his people with a rich variety of gifts. This is so evident in the rich diversity of women and men called to serve as deacons and priests in our diocese, for which we thank God.”
Bishop Jane reflected:
“The ordination services this year were a mixture of recognising the seriousness and weight of responsibility placed on those who are ordained deacon or priest combined with the overwhelming joyfulness that comes from following God’s call on your life.”
You can watch the full recordings of the services on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel:
On Sunday 14 June, the Revd Anne Abok was ordained priest in a specially-arranged early ordination. Sadly, Anne died on 7 July. May she rest in peace.
We give thanks to God for all those ordained this Petertide in the Diocese of St Albans.
Our new priests
| Name | Parish/Benefice |
| Sarah Bagnall | Aspenden, Buntingford and Westmill |
| Patrick Craig | St Albans, St Luke |
| Olivia Davies | Silsoe, Pulloxhill and Flitton |
| Sam De Garis | St Andrew’s Watford and Soul Survivor Watford |
| Beverly Hanshaw | Kingswood |
| Anne-Marie Kramer | Cople, Moggerhanger and Willington |
| Emily Lloyd | St Albans, St Saviour |
| Ali Martin | Chorleywood, St Andrew |
| Jaime Roberts | Royston |
| AJ Hutchinson-Wade | St Albans, St Mary Marshalswick |
| Emma Williams | Boxmoor |
| Clinton Dan-Jumbo | St Albans, Christ Church |
| Stephen Farmer | Harlington, Tingrith and Westoning |
Our new deacons
| Name | Parish/Benefice |
| Becki Chafe | Bishop’s Hatfield Team Ministry, predominantly serving at Bishop’s Hatfield St John |
| Lesley Gray | St John’s, Watford |
| Jayshri Hassan | St Mary’s, Luton |
| Daniel Ide | Bishop’s Hatfield Team Ministry, predominantly serving at Birchwood St Michael and All Angels, and Lemsford St John |
| Sam Jones | Leavesden, All Saints |
| Christopher O’Hara | Rickmansworth Benefice |
| Sulu Pike | Welwyn Team Ministry |
| José Tamayo | St Mary’s, Ware |
| Sadiya Yasmin | Christ Church, Ware |