Last Saturday saw the Cathedral at Ely awash with a sea of blue scarves as our Licensed Lay Ministers (“Readers”) came together for their triennial re-licensing service. We heard an excellent sermon by Canon Peter Wood on being disciples of Christ, our prayers were led by LLMs who are themselves leading discipleship groups across our diocese, and together we celebrated the Eucharist with the One whom we Follow.

We were delighted to admit and licence eight new LLMs and welcome six from other dioceses into our company. And we want to welome more! If you are interested in finding our more about this important ministry please get in touch with me: we’ve even got a “Party with a Purpose” coming up very soon that you could come to.

Here is the list of our new recruits, and after it some of the words they found to express their calling and response as they gathered in quiet before the service.

Admitted & Licensed:

Terry Barringer – Chesterton The Good Shepherd
Tim Burgess - Papworth Team
Ray Burman -  Methwold, Wereham, West Dereham, Whittington, Wretton with Stoke Ferry
Alistair Collen – Cambridge St Benedict
Richard Holding – Doddington with Benwick & Wimblington
Jackie Metcalfe - Milton
Elaine Midgley – St Ives
Francis Young – Hampton

Transferred in:

Keith Cox from Walthamstow to Littleport St George with St John Little Ouse
Jackie Cottingham from Ware to Milton
Jim Hogg from Ringwood to North Leightonstone
Peter King from Enfield to Methwold, Wereham, West Dereham, Whittington, Wretton with Stoke Ferry
Mary Scholefield from Long Crendon & Chearsley to The Lordsbridge Team
Catherine Watts from Radlett to The Linton Team

“I hope to service a wider circle of our community and help others along the journey of discipleship. Lead me Lord, in your righteousness.”

“Sometimes it is all to do with timing – God’s timing. What a privilege now in my more senior years to be doing perhaps something of what I really wanted to do all along.”

“Wife, house renovator, after dark housing advisor to churches, gardener, parent, Grandma – and all of me is known to and loved by God.”

“To go out to love and serve the Lord”

“I give thanks for the ministry which you have brought me to.”

“I feel this is a significant moment to re-energise my faith and journey. Being Licensed today is partly crossing a finishing line but at the same time starting a whole new, exciting journey of service, to bring the love of God and the Good News of Christ to others.”

“I am married to Rachel, Curate at Christ the Servant King, Hampton, and am looking forward to serving alongside her in this very new church in the diocese. I am currently a full-time father, looking after our 6 month old daughter Abigail, although I manage to fit in writing and editing books on Church history as well.”

“The training involves challenge, frustration and perseverance: elements of the Christian life which should not be under-rated”

“Serving as a Lay Reader is a privilege and an honour. To serve God in the church and local community sharing God’s love and his message of hope, is an exciting prospect.”

“In Christ all things hold together” Heart and mind. Word and sacrament. All parts of my life

‘Tis Grace has brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home”

“Stones are builders”

“The end of a long journey and start of an exciting future. A time of service with new skills, new insights and total reliance on God.”

“All Saints has been my church since I was 16 and has had no Reader in that time. I didn’t even know what a Reader was when I was called to this ministry and so it’s so exciting to finally be admitted and licensed today to serve there.”