The Ordination of Priests at Bath Abbey and Taunton Minster

Fourteen Deacons in Bath and Wells will be ordained Priest by Rt Revd Ruth Worsley Bishop of Taunton on Saturday at services in Bath Abbey and Taunton Minster. It has been an unusual time for the new Priests who were ordained Deacon and began their curacies when there were still some Covid restrictions in place. At the time of their ordination as Deacons, the restrictions meant that the numbers able to celebrate in person with them were limited. 

This time John Rollings will be bringing 3 extra special visitors to his ordination in Taunton.  Olina, Vita and Sacha are from Ukraine and are staying with John and his wife. John says, ‘I have a new daughter and two new granddaughters.’ The two families were united after John registered with the government refugee scheme, and then signed up to Taunton Hosts, which linked those who were willing to host refugees with families who needed a place to stay. 

Covid restrictions didn’t take away from what all the ordinands say has been a wonderful year. Revd Ruth Motion, Benefice of Cheddar, Draycott and Rodney Stoke and Kings of Wessex Academy says, ‘it has been a year of fantastic opportunities and wonderful experiences.
‘Easter, Holy Week was just superb because I did Stations of the Cross for the first time. It was an ecumenical one with all the churches in Cheddar. I also did an all age, multi-sensory Good Friday service. There were things to see, taste and touch, and there were different things to represent different parts of the crucifixion, this was followed by a much quieter more traditional service. It was something as a church they hadn’t done before, and I hadn’t done it, but I had wanted to for a long time.’

Ruth has also found joy in unexpected places in the past year. ‘I have really enjoyed going into the care homes. It wasn’t something I was expecting and it’s not something I’ve done before, and at the start I found it hard from a faith point of view. Once you’ve done it you realise that the residents know every prayer off by heart, even though they might not know themselves, their faith is still there. Visiting has been a real privilege.’

Cath Candish will be ordained in the very place she is serving her curacy - Bath Abbey. Cath has found it to be a welcoming and supportive place and has seen people connect with God in the most unexpected places. ‘What swept me off my feet was the opportunity to minister to our visitors. It has been overwhelming for me this year to see how God meets with people. He meets with people in unexpected ways, for example at services which I thought were very traditional like choral evensong. So many people are discovering and encountering God in those traditional services.’

One thing all our ordinands say they are excited about, is the first Sunday after their ordination,  as John explains, ‘I am really looking forward to the ordination, but especially Sunday when I can do my first Eucharist, that will be particularly special.’

The services will be available to watch on the Bath Abbey website from 10.30am on Saturday and on the Taunton Minster Facebook page from 3.30pm.
 
Please pray for all those to be ordained this year and for those who have supported them in their life and ministry so far.

To be Ordained Priest at Bath Abbey at 10.30am

Cath Candish to serve in Benefice of Bath Abbey with St James, Bath

Fiona Mayne to serve in Haywood Village Conventional District in the Benefice of Hutton and  Locking

Neil Biddiscombe to serve in Parish of Three Saints

Philip Hopper Midsomer Norton with Clandown

Steve Miles to serve in Benefice of Chilcompton with Downside and Stratton on the Fosse

Katy Partridge to serve in Benefice of Combe Down with Monkton Combe and South Stoke

Larissa Trust to serve in Benefice of Christ Church and Emmanuel, Weston super Mare

Kara Maylor to serve in Christ Church Bath

To be Ordained Priest at Taunton Minster at 3.30pm

George Beverley Benefice of Yeovil with Kingston Pitney

Nicola Bradford to serve in Benefice of Aisholt, Enmore, Goathurst, Nether Stowey, Over Stowey and Spaxton with Charlynch (known as The Quantock Villages)

Nick Jarrett to serve in Blackdown Benefice

Ruth Motion to serve in Benefice of Cheddar, Draycott and Rodney Stoke and Kings of Wessex Academy

John Rollings to serve in Benefice of Chard St Mary with Combe St Nicholas, Wambrook and Whitestaunton

Judith Swan to serve in Benefice of Ilminster and Whitelackington

Bishop Ruth's Ordination Charge to the Priests Peter-tide 2022