Churches across London welcome 28 new clergy

Twenty eight men and women have been ordained in St Paul’s Cathedral to join London’s broad and growing team of clergy.

The ages of the new deacons, at the start of their career in the Church, range from 25 to 63 and they bring a broad variety of experience and expertise, adding to the already diverse group of over a thousand priests who serve communities in the Diocese of London.

A British army infantryman, the MD of an accounting firm and a worker from the charity Kid’s Company were among the graduates of theological colleges and courses who have followed their vocation to serve the church as parish priests.

Among the ordinands was Adrian Teare, a former infantryman who served in Afghanistan and will now be joining the church of St Paul Tottenham, David Green, a Managing Director and part–owner of an accountancy firm, who joins St Martin’s Ruislip, and Sue Colman, who has worked with vulnerable children at the charity Kid’s Company and will be joining St Augustine Queensgate.

The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, presided over the service as the candidates were ordained to the office of Deacon, which is the first step towards priesthood and follows two to three years of training. The new Deacons will be working in churches across London, serving their local communities and undertaking public worship, teaching and pastoral work. After a period of normally a year, a deacon is ordained to the priesthood. London always has more ordinands than it can take back into its parishes, so another twenty London ordinands were sent to serve in other dioceses in England, where they will also be ordained this summer.

The Bishop of London, Richard Chartres said:

"This is the high point of the year for me. The energy of the Church in London is thrilling but with it goes a deep sense of responsibility. Whatever we do for Jesus Christ in this the greatest cosmopolitan city in the world will reverberate in every corner of the globe."

Full list of Deacons