More than 45 people were licensed and commissioned for lay ministry at a special service at Winchester Cathedral last Saturday, surrounded by family, friends, clergy and members of their local churches.
Bishop Philip described the service as an ‘incredibly important and significant’ occasion in the life of our diocese.
He said, “I think it is a great moment in so many ways as we celebrate the ministries of people who have been nurtured, raised, developed, encouraged, grown and formed in our diocese and in their churches, and now are stepping forward to take a particular role of responsibility within our diocesan family. It’s exciting when people hear and respond to the call of God in their lives and step forward into new phases of life, of service, and ministry.”
The service marked the culmination of up to two years of hard work, study, learning and personal growth.
In her sermon, Bishop Kelly thanked all those being licensed and commissioned for sharing their gifts and graces and encouraged them to respond to God’s call with humility, perseverance and a sense of humour.
She said, “It turns out that God doesn’t call the equipped, rather he equips the called, and God has been doing that with people like you and me for centuries and it turns out He’s rather good at it.
“Today as you are licensed and commissioned, there is the witness and affirmation of the wider church that you are offering yourselves to serve, to take your place, to play your part in the mission and in the ministry of God. It’s going to be a joy, and at times it may be a frustration. You will be called to exercise your ministry in ways you may not even yet imagine, and at other times you may be overlooked or caused to lay things down and that has to be okay as well.”
Worship was led by a band from St Wins in Totton and testimonies were shared from people celebrating the next step in their ministry.
Roo Joyner is a Licensed Lay Minster from St Barnabas in Darby Green and St Mary’s in Eversley.
“Today feels absolutely amazing. Everyone uses the word journey, but it does feel like a real journey. At the start of the course our tutors said that we would really change. You can’t see it at the time, but when you look back you can see the ways in which you’ve changed, and it’s exciting.
“A lot of it is understanding myself and God better. That doesn’t mean finding easy answers but appreciating the complexity, the beauty and all the amazingness of God. I’ve learnt more about how to listen well and how to care for people. I feel the course has affected every area of my life in a good way.
“I lead services and preach at my local church and I’m going to be more involved in pastoral care. There’s so much going on, and I’m excited about the future. I’ve really loved the course and thank you to God for all the blessings he’s given us.”
Melvyn King completed the BCM Worship. He’s 78 years old and worships at St Margaret’s Church, East Wellow.
“My vicar suggested the course would be a good idea and I wanted to do it but on the first day I thought, ‘what am I doing here?’ Most of the people were much younger than me, and they all seemed much more spiritually aware. I was a lapsed Christian for a while and only came back to faith in 2021. I was apprehensive but also had an overwhelming urge to do it. God knew what I could do better than I than I did.
“Our tutor was inspirational and we had breakout groups and made friends there, which worked well. Each group prepared and delivered a sample service and they were all different. It made me realise just how diverse the interpretation of the word in delivery of a service could be. One of the most important things we learnt was to be ourselves when leading a service. I tended to copy what I’d heard before and now I’ve started to develop my own particular style.
“When the course finished, I was disappointed because I enjoyed it so much. I realised that God does not age discriminate and I’ve joyfully gone into my role. I’ve grown confident, I’ve led services and I’ve prepared talks. I don’t know where I go from here but I’m sure when God decides where I’m best serving, he’ll let me know.”
Julie Francis received the Bishop’s Permission to Preach. She is part of the ministry team at All Saints, Mudeford
“There’s been a lot of learning, and I’ve met so many new friends so to see this come to fruition is wonderful. The growth and the way that God is shaping me and others is immense.
“To look at the Bible from all different lenses and to really begin to learn how to study it and to learn how to put an exegesis together and write good commentaries, it really shapes the preaching. It’s a skill that I will keep for life.
“I never thought this would be possible because I don’t have any academic background and so for me to be able to undertake and achieve the BPP is quite a milestone. Even more exciting is that I am now an Ordinand at Sarum Theological College. This is how God shapes us for ministry by his absolute generous grace. He can change our lives and lead us to do things that we never could have imagined.”
The service ended with joyous scenes outside the Cathedral with friends and family. You can find all the photos on our Flickr page here.
Please pray for all those licensed or commissioned as they continue their journey of service and mission across the Diocese of Winchester.
Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs)
- Rosemary Joyner
- Hannah Hoskin
- Angus Watson
- Alison Watts
Bishop’s Permission to Preach
- Sue Cornwell
- Sarah Cullen
- Heather Davies
- Julian Davies
- Julie Francis
- Kirsty Harris
- Graham Hartland
- Maggie Hatfield
- Leonie Hicks
- Andrew Hobley
- Graham Norman
- Marinus Reynolds-Viljoen
- Vince Smith
- David Thompson
BCM Pastoral
- Wendy Howe
- Jill Duncan
- Sally Brewer
- Nicky Bunker
- Jenny Hawkins
- Diana Conway French
- Dilys Temple
- David Temple
- Annabel Peters
- Jacqui Tizzard
BCM Children, Families, Youth Ministry
- Hannah Powell
- Beth Auger
- Sarah Langridge
- Robert Noble
- Olivia Larson
- Rhian Bond
- Clare Lynas
- Janet Barrett
- Judith Thomson
- Ann Rowe
- Alice Kerley
BCM Beyond Church Walls
- Nicola Barber
- Penny Brown
- Cat Moulding
BCM Worship
- Karen Willis
- Richard Willis
- Rachel Cooke
- Mel King
- Sarah Laszlo
- Hannah Powell
- June Bessa
- Robert Saunders
- Philip King
- Pauline Townshend
- Samantha Wright
