East Anglican. Monthly News from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. Meet the fifteen women and men ordained Deacons & Priests for our diocese

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1 August 2016 Issue East Anglican Monthly News from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Meet the fifteen women and men ordained Deacons & Priests for our diocese Also in this issue: news from around the diocese, half a million pounds for church roofs and a farm visit for our Bishops

2 CONTENTS In this issue Roof Repair Fund grants for Suffolk Meet our new Deacons Meet our new Priests A prayer for our new Deacons and Priests Through your Spirit, heavenly Father, give these your servants grace and power to fulfil their ministry. Make them faithful to serve and constant in advancing your gospel in the world. May they follow the example of Jesus Christ your Son, who washed the feet of his disciples, and set the needs of others before his own. May their life be disciplined and holy, their words declare your love and their actions reveal your glory, that your people may walk with them in the way of truth and be made ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with you and your Holy Spirit, belong glory and honour, worship and praise, now and for ever. Amen. An extract from The Ordination Prayer from the Ordination of Deacons (CW) The inclusion of an advertisement in this publication does not constitute an endorsement of a product or service by either the Editor or the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. Copyright of the East Anglican belongs to The St Edmundsbury & Ipswich Diocesan Board of Finance. Articles and pictures in this magazine will also appear on the diocesan website and social media. 08FUL003 2 East Anglican Front cover image: Bishops Martin and Mike at the Ordination Service of Deacons at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

3 FROM BISHOP MARTIN Flourishing congregations making a difference The Rt Revd Martin Seeley, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, reflects on how the summer months can provide us with an opportunity to take stock... Summer is a busy time for many of our parishes. The surge of holidaymakers will once again transform the populations and congregations of many of our coastal towns and villages. Harvesting starts late July and will dominate the lives of many of our inland communities. I am looking forward to attending my first Lammas Day service at St Peter and Paul Hoxne (3 August at 6.00pm followed by a Hog Roast everyone welcome). Meanwhile, other parishes and congregations have stalwarts enjoying well-deserved holidays and missing key members and families for periods over the summer. The Diocesan plan, presented at the last Synod, is designed to provide a sense of shared direction and some of the how tos developing out of Growing in God. Our next edition of the East Anglican will feature this plan in more detail. One of the key strands, and one that has a great deal of energy for me, is the intention that we be a diocese of flourishing congregations making a difference. I experience flourishing congregations again and again as I travel round the Diocese. What is going to be important for us in the months and years ahead is how we learn from one another, so that what enables one congregation to flourish can help another do so too recognising at the same time that just because something is true in one place it may not be in another! Summer is a good time to ask, what helps us flourish? When lots of visitors come how do we welcome them, so that they become genuinely part of the congregation for the time they are with us? Do they experience our welcome as we intend it, or do they find we stay amongst ourselves? And when our congregation is a bit depleted, do we recognise something of the load some people carry (it may be by us!) and can we see how important we each are to our flourishing? We may be flourishing, but what difference do we make? Do people know us as Christians through our actions and words, through our service and witness in our wider community? Good questions for summer, for me to muse on too. I wish you a blessed summer, 3

4 NEWS Around the Diocese New churchyard New Readers A new churchyard has been consecrated for St Peter s Thurston. The Rt Revd Dr Mike Harrison, Bishop of Dunwich, is pictured above with the Revd Manette Crossman, Vicar of the Benefice of Great Barton and Thurston, with the churchwardens at the service which was attended by around 60 people. New power station Bishop Martin visited Sizewell B during July for a tour of the facilities and to hear about plans for Sizewell C. Congratulations to our new Readers, pictured above, who were licensed on 19 June by Bishop Martin at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Our newest batch of Readers join around 160 others in our diocese who are nationally accredited lay ministers, licensed by the Bishop to preach, teach and lead worship. They play an important part in nurturing Christian discipleship in the church and wider world. Our 11 new Readers followed a three-year part-time programme of study. The course equips students for ministry by developing: theological and biblical learning, practical ministry skills, personal formation in discipleship and ministry, and collaborative practice. You can find out more about this ministry by calling the Revd Canon David Herrick, Lay Ministry Training Officer, on or david.herrick@cofesuffolk.org. 4 East Anglican

5 NEWS Suffolk celebrates Queen s 90th Your East Anglican From the Editor... Since 2002 the monthly East Anglican magazine has been available for each parish church in our diocese. In recent times subscriptions have fallen and, due to forthcoming staffing changes, we have decided to review its future. Churches throughout our diocese led the celebrations for HM the Queen s 90th birthday. Bishop Mike Harrison is pictured above at St Mary s Buxhall at the culmination of celebrations in the Great Finborough and Combs Benefices. With thanks to Ron Llewellyn Mr Ron Llewellyn has retired from his role as Bishop s Lay Chaplain and his duties at the Bishop s Chapel. Ron has served in these roles for around 25 years and has faithfully served six Diocesan Bishops over that time having attended Bishop s Chapel for nearly 50 years. In late July a service was held in the Bishop s Chapel, followed by a lunch, to thank Ron for his years of dedicated service. He will be greatly missed and goes with all our thanks and prayers. After the next edition the East Anglican magazine will be taking a break. In September I will be leaving the diocese to begin training for Ordination and my successor will look at whether it is possible to continue a printed magazine in some form. In the meantime, our enews will continue and we will be updating our new-look website frequently. We are keen to hear your views and would welcome comments to communications@cofesuffolk.org or via post to The Editor, Diocesan Office, 4 Cutler Street, Ipswich IP1 1UQ. With thanks and prayers, Tom Warmington Diocesan Communications Officer and East Anglican Editor. 5

6 Half a million pounds for Suffolk Church Roofs Bishop Martin at St Mary s Church, Combs, after their lead-theft last year. Twelve churches from our diocese are celebrating after receiving funding from the government-sponsored Roof Repair Fund. Nationally around 25 million is being made available with our diocese being awarded just under half a million pounds. The successful churches in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, who will each receive a grant ranging from 13,000 to 84,000, are: All Saints, Chevington All Saints, Gazeley, All Saints, Hacheston All Saints, Little Bealings All Saints, Hundon St Andrew, Brockley St Bartholomew, Groton St Mary, Combs St Mary, Great Bealings St Peter and St Paul, Alpheton St Mary, Thornham Parva St Nicholas Chapel, Gipping Bishop Martin was delighted to hear the news and said, This money will make a huge difference to worshippers who work so hard to raise funds, often with fantastic local support and fundraising events, supported by the communities they serve. James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, lobbied parliament for the Roof Fund to include churches who were victims of lead thefts and said, As a new MP 6 East Anglican

7 I found it heart-breaking to hear about so many cases of churches in Suffolk being targeted by lead thieves. I began looking for ways in which I could support the churches in South Suffolk who had suffered at the hands of these criminals and was disappointed to discover that the Governmentfunded Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund scheme did not cover cases of theft. Working with the other Suffolk MPs, I raised the matter with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport who were very accommodating in amending the rules in time for the latest round of funding. Inevitably many PCCs, including some whose roofs were devastated by lead thefts, were not successful in gaining funding. Bishop Martin also said, I am very aware that the Fund was heavily oversubscribed and many more PCCs applied than have received grants. There were 42 applications from PCCs in this diocese so while we can celebrate the 12 successful applications there are 30 disappointed PCCs. We are urging these PCCs to find out why they were unsuccessful as this may help them in future grant applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund, for example. Down on the farm... Bishop Martin and Bishop Mike spent a day meeting with farmers on a fact finding day in the county during a visit hosted by George Gittus, former county chairman of the National Farmers Union. During the meeting, at Symonds Farm Business Park at Risby near Bury St Edmunds, George explained how his family has farmed in West Suffolk for more than 150 years and gave the Bishops a tour of the farm. Bishop Martin said: We have learnt more of the challenges farmers face, from the weather to Government policies to the unpredictably of the market. Farmers in Suffolk are impressively entrepreneurial. (l-r) Bishop Martin, George Gittus and Bishop Mike at Symonds Farm Business Park 7

8 Meet our new Deacons Six people have been ordained Deacons by Bishop Martin in a service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Here they introduce themselves... Penny Brinkley Our new Deacons photographed after their ordination Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral Felixstowe St John the Baptist with St Edmund I have lived in Felixstowe since I was 17, moving here from Hayes in Middlesex after my marriage to Robert in 1974, living firstly at Felixstowe Ferry and then in the town centre. We have two grown up children and three grandchildren; Guy is married to Shelley and their children are Piper, Charlie and Elena (Laney) and Charlotte (Charley) is married to Luke. I enjoy anything to do with craft from knitting and sewing to writing poetry. My daughter and I get much pleasure from visiting the theatre, both locally and in London, enjoying a wide range of shows, from musicals to comedy and Shakespeare. I have had many varied jobs over the years, from bank clerk to school cook, which I did for nearly 20 years. For the last 10 years I have worked as a communicator guide for deaf and deaf/blind. It is a job that I enjoy very much and it is through this work that I became the Honorary Chaplain for the Deaf in 2008 and a Trustee for Ipswich Deaf Society two years ago, and eventually listened to the call to ordination. 8 East Anglican

9 Karen Burton North Bury Team, Bury St Edmunds and the Lark Valley benefice My name is Karen and I live in Thetford with my husband Niall and our two children, Bethan and James. We come from St Gregory s Church, Barnham, which is part of the Blackbourne Team. I am privileged to work at Barnham Primary School as a Mentor. It is a truly wonderful place to work and I love talking with the children about God, thinking and growing with them on our spiritual journeys. I started exploring vocation, with no idea what God was calling me to do. I didn t believe that he was calling me to ordination I m just me and that s for much holier people! With huge encouragement and support from my family and friends, my church, my tutors and fellow ordinands, as well as many other people, I have trained with the Eastern Region Ministry Course. I am overwhelmed by the blessing that God and the people around me have given to me and will serve him and them as well as I am able. Charlotte Cook Walton and Trimley benefice I was brought up on my family s farm in Norfolk, going to a local primary and secondary school. I spent much of my childhood playing music in local, regional and national groups. I studied at Ridley Hall for a BTh through Selwyn College, then worked in the Birmingham diocesan offices in the property and mission departments, teaching music theory to a girls choir at Birmingham Cathedral and setting up and running a cake business. I undertook ordination training at St Mellitus College, London, studying for a Masters at King s College, London, whilst working for Solihull Parish. For the past year I have been working at Selwyn College, Cambridge, as the Gosden Lay Chaplain. I am a fair weather gardener and love to read and drink strong coffee! 9

10 Max Drinkwater Newmarket St Mary with Exning St Agnes I am looking forward to moving to Newmarket with my wife, Charlotte, to serve the two parishes of St Mary, in the town centre, and St Agnes, where the horse population is said to outnumber the people! Having grown up in Cheltenham I have at least been to a race meet before, but I confess my visits to the racecourse were more often Greenbelt than Gold Cup. My wife and I have spent six of the last seven years in Cambridge, excited now to be taking the bold step east over the county boundary at last. This move trumps my last by some distance, the fifty yards from undergraduate at Jesus College to ordinand at Westcott House. I did, however, take a year out between those two studies to work as a pastoral assistant in North London, gaining some experience and exploring my vocation. My favourite pasttime is bell ringing, preferably on a sunny morning in a country parish. My favourite source of theological reflection is our lodger-cat, Ru. Sue Foster Hadleigh, Layham and Shelley benefice On several occasions I have taken stock of where I am on my Spiritual journey, for personal devotion; as a visual artist in my own work; and as a useful exercise when considering new directions or focus. On each occasion I recalled how as a small child, I felt directed towards ordained ministry, now, many years later, here I am! My husband and I were asked to consider a three year opportunity to serve military communities with the Salvation Army, thus embarking on a 23 year adventure taking us across the world, offering amazing opportunities to share in God s mission alongside military chaplains from different faith expressions and the spiritually richer for it. Throughout this time our Church was the Garrison Church and, over time, especially at the Sacrament of the Eucharist, I experienced a real sense of the Lord s presence, the gently chiding of the Spirit and God s calling on my life. 10 East Anglican

11 Simon White Hadleigh, Layham and Shelley benefice I live with my wife and two teenage daughters in Assington, on the Suffolk/Essex boarder. When not enjoying the pleasures provided by living in a small community, I spend my time between Colchester where I work and Sudbury where I enjoy rowing on the River Stour. My path to ordination started in earnest six years ago and was a bit of a surprise when it became apparent, after a local ministry vocations course, that I should explore this. It was not at all clear how training for ministry would fit in with family life and working full time in the electronics industry but it has and it is wonderful to have reached this point. Regional training has provided the opportunity for me to train with people from diverse backgrounds; we have each brought our own experiences of life to the training and this has enriched us all. Growing up I worshipped in Baptist and Methodist churches so I am interested in ecumenical work as well as embracing the wide range of spiritualities found within the Church of England. We have so much to share with each other within the church and outside in our wider communities and I am looking forward to the next stage and starting my curacy. Vocations Walk On Saturday 13 August Bishop Mike and the Revd Tim Jones, Diocesan Director of Ordinands and New Ministries, will lead a reflective walking day through the Suffolk countryside near Stowmarket. The day will run from 10.00am until mid-afternon and begin and end with prayers, with a walk along footpaths through the day. The day is intended for anyone who would like to explore how God might be stirring them in their faith and discipleship. Please bring a packed lunch. Sorry no dogs! Contact Terry Atkins at the Bishop s Office via terry.atkins@cofesuffolk.org or for more details. 11

12 New Priests Our new Priests photographed after their ordination Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral In addition to our new Deacons, the following have been ordained Priests in our diocese. Please remember them in your prayers. Sue Bates, serving in Yoxmere benefice Cathy Bladen, serving in the Sancroft benefice Tricia Box, serving in the Benefice of Bures with Assington and Little Cornard Paul Darbyshire, serving in Kesgrave All Saints benefice Chris Hood, serving in the Haughley benefice Claire Ling, serving in Kesgrave All Saints benefice Matthew Ling, serving in the benefice of East Bergholt and Brantham Laurence Smith, serving in the benefice of St Mary with St Peter s, Bury St Edmunds Jane Wright, serving in the Monks Eleigh benefice Please also remember in your prayers those currently in training and the seven men and women from our diocese who will start training for Ordination in September. 12 East Anglican