Commissioning of Authorised Lay Ministers
Forty-three new Lay Ministers from Anglican churches across Sussex were commissioned in Chichester Cathedral at the weekend having completed their year-long skills-based training. They will now serve in their parishes in a variety of different roles. Photo courtesy of Kate Dillingham
Bishop Will led a special service at Chichester Cathedral this Saturday (29 April) at 2pm to commission the 43 new Lay Ministers from our churches across Sussex. You can follow the live streamed service here You can download the order of service here
The Revd Jayne Prestwood, Officer for Lay Vocation and Ministry, runs the training programme and welcomed them all to their new roles. She said: “It is wonderful to welcome another large cohort of Authorised Lay Ministers who will be exercising different ministries across the diocese.’
Authorised Lay Ministry is recognised across the Church of England as a vibrant and growing expression of lay ministry. The Diocese continues to expand its ALM training programme to provide flexible and affordable skills-based training in a variety of different ministries.
ALM training is a one-year programme and candidates can choose various areas of work: children's, pastoral, youth, family or community ministry as well as worship & liturgy, mission-enabling, or ministry in the workplace.
Newly commissioned Ian Tout, a worshipper at St Peter's Sompting (Parish of South Lancing and Sompting) found the Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) course to be an engaging and affirming experience. He said, "As individuals from parishes, we came together to receive training in our chosen electives. Certainly on the worship and liturgy elective we came with our own experiences, pre-conceived ideas and knowledge of our own traditions and were challenged to speak and work together in practical exercises to further our understanding of liturgy and worship in Christ’s church today. We learned from each other and all grew together as we were able to develop our gifts in preparation for our new ministries.
"The commissioning service was a wonderfully uplifting occasion with well-chosen and appropriate hymns and readings which made it a very special event affirming our ministry. It was good to meet up with new friends that we had all made during the course of our training.
"Our thanks go to Jayne Prestwood and her team of trainers for their support and for this opportunity to give of ourselves in ministry to our churches in the service of Christ”.
Please pray for all our candidates as they start this new ministry.
The names of those commissioned and the parish they currently serve in.
Charles Jardine All Saints in Herstmonceux and St Mary Magdalene in Wartling
Gaynor Deal St Augustine's Scaynes Hill
Maria Brett St Augustine's Scaynes Hill
Patsy Bailey St Mary Newick
Sue Jenner St Ethelburga Church, St Leonards
Austen Hindman St Mark's Church, Holbrook
Matt Thorpe St Symphorian
Rachel Russell Christ Church Ore / St. Helen’s Ore Hastings
Dorrie Langler Chanctonbury Church
Helen Winning Holy Trinity Hurst Green
Iris Collins Ashington
Jill Kerney Sompting & South Lancing
Jo Willis Chanctonbury Church
Mary Thurston Mary’s and St Peters Hampden
Rod Ewen Chanctonbury Church
Sally Scott Ralphs St John's, Meads
Sarah Binney Chanctonbury Church
Sarah Collison Chanctonbury Church
Sue Jenner St Ethelburga Church, St Leonards
Trevor Amey St Mary the Virgin, Willingdon
Karen Park St Mark’s Holbrook
Beverley Boylan St John Tidebrook
Chris Tanner St Mary’s, Slindon (Slindon, Eartham & Madehurst)
Claire Ralf St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering
Den Mackey St Michael and All Angels
Gladys Masvosva St Mary's Church, Kemp Town
Hannah Holloway St Mary Pulborogh
Holly Draper Chanctonbury Church
Ian Tout St Peter's Sompting (Parish of South Lancing and Sompting)
Jenn Marshall St Mary's Clymping (Clymping, Yapton & Ford)
Joan Bull St Mary the Virgin, Felpham
Kim Carter St John's, Southbourne
Kit White St Michael's West Grinstead
Leonard Joseph Christ Church, Eastbourne
Linda Murphy St Peter Cowfold
Mark Ralf St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering
Martin Lindsay St Peter & St Paul, Wadhurst (United Benefice ofWadhurst, Tidebrook and Stonegate)
Sebastian Pelissier St Nicholas, Worth (Worth, Pound Hill and Maidenbower)
Simon Langton St Peter Cowfold
Stephen Stordy St John Tidebrook
Sue Graham Smith St James Birdham
Tim Jackson St Mary Hartfield
Tina Robertson St Julians Kingston Buci and Shoreham by Sea
You can find out more about training for Authorised Lay Ministry from the Diocese of Chichester website:https://www.chichester.anglican.org/Authorised-Lay-Ministry