THREE new deacons are beginning their ministry across Berkshire following their ordination at Christ Church Cathedral.
Two services took place at Christ Church on July 5–one led by the Bishop of Buckingham, the Rt Revd Dave Bull, and the other by Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Mary Gregory.
Lucy Bowley, set to serve in Binfield; Matthew Clark, set to serve in West Downland, and Kajsa Longuere, set to serve in Earley St Peter; were all sworn in.
The three were among 20 who now go on to serve their curacies across the counry.
Following two or three years of training, the deacons will now serve as curates in a range of church contexts and traditions – urban, rural, large and small parishes – across some of the 808 churches, serving a growing population of 2.5 million, in the three counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.
During the sermon, Bishop Steven said: “To love is absolutely the heart and centre of what it means to be a Christian and at the heart of what it means to be a deacon or priest or bishop. All too often we lose that focus in all the complexities of our work and all there is to do.
“I think as a church at this present time we need to see again more clearly that the primary calling of the ordained is to love.”
