Twelve people were ordained deacons and six ordained as priests in three services in Norwich Cathedral.
The ordinations were in smaller groups due to Covid compliance and many more people joined the services online on the Norwich Cathedral YouTube channel, where they can still be viewed.
Those ordained priest by the Rt Rev Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich, were: James Cook (serving at Eaton, St Andrew), Michael Hayden (Norwich, St Andrew), Jon Price, King’s Lynn, St John the Evangelist), Coryn Stanforth, (Tas Valley Team Ministry), Cate Turner (Bramerton Group, Thurton), Taylor Wilton-Morgan (United Benefice of St Benedict).
The deacons ordained by Bishop Graham were:
*Becki Bensusan (Pakefield Benefice) Becki is married to Lee with four children and has lived most of her life in London. She said: "We are really looking forward to being part of the community in Pakefield.”
*Blessing Chishanu (Sprowston Benefice) - Blessing is originally from Zimbabwe and moved to UK in 2016 after having received a call to serve as a youth worker in Lowestoft. He said: "It was during our time in Lowestoft that I discerned God’s specific call to pastoral vocation in England and a strong sense that this would be through serving in the Church of England."
*Ian Fifield (Norwich, St Stephen) - Ian is a qualified chartered public finance accountant who moved to Norwich in 2015. He said: "I am looking forward to serving my curacy at St Stephen’s in the heart of the city centre."
*Joanna Haywood (Trunch Group) - Joanna was brought up in South London and had a variety of careers in nursing, office administration, architecture and teaching before moving to Norfolk. She said: "I’d been here six months when God tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘I’ve not finished with you yet! ”
* Val Hooker (Taverham and Ringland) - Val had a fulfilling career in nursing in various settings, including two years in a refugee camp in Thailand. She said: "Although the possibility of ministry training has been around for over 30 years, this is very definitely God’s timing for me.."
*Adam Poole (Fountain of Life) - Adam is married to Martha and they’re parents to a six-month-old baby Sofia. "I’m really looking forward to my curacy at Fountain of Life where I hope to learn, serve and grow in the ministry God has called me into.”
*Benjamin Rogers (Cromer Benefice) - Benjamin grew up in Norwich and was a secondary school teacher in London. "I’m really looking forward to being back in Norwich and serving my curacy in Cromer.”
*Julie Swinton (The Church in the Woottons) - Julie is married with three grown-up children and is a teaching assistant. She said: "Being a Deacon will enable me to act as Christ’s ambassador, serving the congregation and my local community in new and exciting ways."
*Richard Turk (Reepham and Wensum Valley Team Ministry) - Richard moved to Norwich and while studying at the UEA he met his wife, took up bellringing, and came to faith. He said: "I enjoy going on church adventures with the children and my camera, exploring places we’ve never been before.”
*Tori Venmore-Rowland (Swaffham and Sporle Benefice) - Tori is returning to Norfolk with her husband Luke and three children and spent a decade in the RAF as a weapons technician.
*Richard Washington (Attleborough with Besthorpe Benefice) - He said: "God’s call came to me in Warsaw, Poland, where I was working. However, I always felt called to serve back home in England in parish ministry. I am really excited by the many possibilities that lie ahead for the benefice as we work together."
*Edwin Wilton-Morgan (Norwich Cathedral and the Julian Campus) - Edwin grew up in Shropshire and began to discern a vocation to ordained ministry, which led me to spend some time working as a parish assistant at a church in Westminster and then onto Westcott House in Cambridge.
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