MIKE STILL
Mike is a Self-Supporting Deacon, serving the parish of St Mary, Kenton
I’ve been a teacher (at Quainton Hall School in Harrow) for the past 24 years, teaching maths, computing and design technology, having spent 11 years before that doing software research for the English GEC group. I’ve worshipped at my sending (and curacy) parish of St Mary the Virgin, Kenton since the early 1990’s, and it was being given the role of Lay Chaplain at school which seemed to clarify my vocation. After ordination I will be a self-supporting minister in my parish while continuing to teach full-time, where I hope to be formally appointed as Chaplain in due course. To get away from it all, I am a keen bus and coach enthusiast and photographer, and my wife Cath and I are regular visitors to the Edinburgh Fringe where we particularly enjoy a cappella singing and up-coming comedians. My daughter might be trying to tell me something, as she has visited well over 20 countries, sometimes for long periods, in her 23 years!
YAROSLAV WALKER
Yaro was ordained Deacon on 29 June and serves the parish of St Martin of Tours, Ruislip
I have not been a Christian for very long, compared to many of my colleagues; but am as excited as anyone about the future of my ministry. I had a wonderful two years as a pastoral assistant, first in Camden and then in Cambridge. I believe the opportunity to be a pastoral assistant has been a great learning experience, and will benefit me greatly as I embark on my role as a curate at St Martin’s, Ruislip.
I am particularly excited to begin my work in youth ministry, beginning with leading a pilgrimage to the Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage. It is my hope to work to inspire the future generation of Christians, and so enable them to share their faith with their friends and peers.
Outside of my immediate pastoral work, I look forward to learning French, so as to better study the works of the theologians of the Russian diaspora with whom I’ve been fascinated for a long time – a fascination emerging from my Russian heritage.
TOM CROWLEY
Tom is serving the parish of St Saviour, Eastbourne, He was ordained Deacon in Chichester Cathedral
I started life at almost the other end of the country to Sussex, growing up in a tiny village in the North-East. I moved to Oxford for my undergraduate degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies – allowing me to also spend time in the Middle East and the Balkans – which is where my faith journey properly began: on my return to Oxford, I was confirmed at 21.
After my degree I moved to London for work and further study, where – despite my best efforts – the call from God to ordained priesthood became too intense to ignore; with no little encouragement, I finally decided to start exploring this vocation and spent two years working as a pastoral assistant in a couple of London churches. With a growing conviction that this was indeed my calling, I went to a BAP to see if the church felt the same, and on receiving a positive recommendation I have spent the last three years being formed at St Stephen’s House.
THOMAS FINK-JENSEN
Thomas is a Deacon, serving St Michael and All Angels, Lancing.
Ordination? What a terrific and terrifying idea. In England? Don’t be silly; how strange that would be for someone who is half Danish and half Dutch. Marriage? Highly unlikely; after all, my DDO asked me in my first interview whether the monastic life might not be very suitable for me with my enthusiasm for the single, celibate life. Children? Well, obviously not after the above.
Yet all of the above have become and are about to be true when ordained in Chichester to serve my title in Lancing with the lovely people at St Michael and All Angels and under the excellent guidance of Fr Felix Smith. This was not what I expected when I gave up my Primary School teacher job five years ago to work for a year at Pusey House in Oxford. Yet that, by the grace of God, is what has happened far beyond my expectation.
Ordination? If you’re sure Lord, then yes.
JAMIE FRANKLIN
Jamie is the assistant curate of St George in the Meadows, Nottingham, following his ordination to the diaconate.
My name is Jamie and I trained for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon.
Prior to training for ordination I spent a number of years working with students in a non-Anglican framework before embarking on an intellectual and spiritual journey which led me both to become an Anglican and, a bit later, to embrace more fully the catholic aspects of Anglican ecclesiology. At various points also I have worked as a verger in Winchester Cathedral and spent some years as a private music teacher. I am currently in the midst of my Theology DPhil, which I have been working on for a few years and am carrying into my curacy. I hope to finish within about a year from now.
I am married to Lorna, and I have two small children, Rafe (2) and Rupert (1). We have never lived north of Oxford before so Nottingham is a new environment for us! Apart from that, I enjoy reading literature and history quite generally, and I am a big football fan, following Tottenham Hotspur.
I am very excited about ordination and the curacy. I hope to be able to learn about being a priest in the catholic tradition and much of what that means as well as being able to serve my parish well. I hope also for a smooth transition for my family to our new home.
TOMAS KREJCI
Fr Tomas was ordained priest on 29 June.
I am Fr Tomas Krejci, a self-supporting curate from the parish of S Giles-in-Reading. My background is a testimony to the great mosaic of people who are called to sacramental ministry: I spent the first twenty-five years of my adult life working as a solicitor for a large City law firm, my work bringing me around the globe. However, the effect of the intercessions of Our Lady for the people I loved was the decisive momentum which brought me back to university to read theology, first academically, and then joining a seminary. I would never be writing these lines if it wasn’t for two venerable Oxford institutions which radically reshaped my life: Pusey House and St Stephen’s House. Thanks to them, catholic vocations are encouraged and nourished, and one is formed by the life of prayer and discipline of a close-knit community of like-minded catholic Christians. When you pray for me, please pray also for these two great houses which have contributed so much to the maintenance of the catholic faith in England.
Michael is the Assistant Curate of Worksop Priory and was ordained to the priesthood on 30 June.
I come from a Christian family; my Grandfather was an Anglican Priest, and my Mother’s family have strong Methodist roots. I grew up in rural Norfolk, where, despite close proximity to Walsingham, the Faith was conveyed to me rather gently through the BCP, ASB, Hymns A&M and ‘Cross & 2 Candles’ religion. Then, whilst in the Sixth Form, amid interest in Politics and study of the Italian Renaissance and TS Eliot, I was confirmed; and I found the richness of the Anglo-Catholic tradition, especially a devotion to the Holy Eucharist, which I nurtured whilst reading German at Leeds and Tübingen, where I was able to place it in its true context of the world-wide Church.
I entered the travel industry, initially leading coach tours on the continent and in the UK, and then also working many seasons in Switzerland [where I was able to enjoy good food and conversation, hill-walking, travel by rail and historic paddle-steamers] as well as in Egypt and Dubai.
I trained for Ordination at St. Stephen’s House Oxford and was made Deacon last year to serve at Worksop Priory, whose committed, Catholic-minded, people know how to “pray hard and play hard”. Many non-Church people in the town also still feel a residual connection, however, slight, with the Priory where many of them were baptised or married. It is a pleasure and a priviledge to train here.
JOSHUA BELL
Joshua was ordained to the priesthood on 30th June 2019
I’m Father Joshua. I’m 27 and I’m the assistant curate of All Saints, King’s Lynn in the diocese of Norwich.
The eleven months since my ordination to the diaconate have been a whirlwind. Besides the excitement of moving to a new place, bedding into a new community and getting to know my parishioners, I have had the joy of serving the altar at our parish’s mass each day, as well as preparing people for baptism and confirmation, working with local uniform service groups, and working in the two church schools in our parish.
The countdown towards my ordination to the priesthood has advanced from months to weeks, and with it preparations have begun. I have been practicing the celebration of the mass in readiness, and with each rehearsal the reality of what God is calling me to has become more real. Of course, the important thing for me to remember has been that my ordination at the end of this month will not be the end of my journey, but merely the beginning of a new chapter – one that will continue to the end of my days.
JEREMY LIND
Jeremy was ordained priest on 10 July 2019
My name is Fr Jeremy Lind, I am 63, a Self Supporting Minister, married for nearly 34 years to Cindie, have one son, Jamie, and we all work within the horse racing and breeding industry. My son works on a stud in Newmarket, my wife is also secretary to one, though sadly she suffered a severe head trauma earlier in the year, having made a remarkable recovery, is back at work part time, but life can be challenging for us at the moment. As for me, I have a rather obscure post in racing, being a Clerk of the Scales, running the weighing room on different racecourses, and working closely with a wide variety of people, but especially the jockeys and the lads and lasses that look after the runners. A large part of my ministry is with those I work with, both in their good times and bad. I am also assistant curate at St. Mary’s, Newmarket and Exning St. Agnes, and helping in the benefice as a whole.
JEREMY LIND
Jeremy was ordained priest on 10 July 2019
My name is Fr Jeremy Lind, I am 63, a Self Supporting Minister, married for nearly 34 years to Cindie, have one son, Jamie, and we all work within the horse racing and breeding industry. My son works on a stud in Newmarket, my wife is also secretary to one, though sadly she suffered a severe head trauma earlier in the year, having made a remarkable recovery, is back at work part time, but life can be challenging for us at the moment. As for me, I have a rather obscure post in racing, being a Clerk of the Scales, running the weighing room on different racecourses, and working closely with a wide variety of people, but especially the jockeys and the lads and lasses that look after the runners. A large part of my ministry is with those I work with, both in their good times and bad. I am also assistant curate at St. Mary’s, Newmarket and Exning St. Agnes, and helping in the benefice as a whole.
BLAIR RADFORD
Blair was ordained priest on 13 July 2019.
I was born in Surrey and grew up, living between London and Shropshire. I was educated in London and after school, worked for a ship brokers on the Baltic Exchange in the City of London before joining the army.
Having completed my training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, I was commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s) and served in a variety of roles, on operational and staff tours overseas and in the United Kingdom, including working as an advisor to the United States Army at the Pentagon in Washington DC.
I left the army to explore his vocation to the Priesthood and while doing so, worked for Orange and then EE, the mobile operator in their Training and Development Group.
I trained for the Priesthood at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, for three years, reading the Common Award BA in Theology and I am serving my title at St Paul’s, Monk Bretton in the Deanery of Barnsley.
I am married to Rachel, and my interests include rowing, running, cricket and music, especially choral and sacred music; history, philosophy and psychology. I have a passion for all things Italian, especially food and wine!
JAMES WHITE
Following his ordination as a priest, James continues to serve in the Diocese of London
I grew up in Epsom, Surrey, went to university in Sheffield and, after a year working in classrooms in Germany, left in 2011 with a degree in Germanic Studies with Japanese. From there I went to Blackburn Cathedral, where I sang in the choir, and from there to the North London Pastoral Assistants Scheme. After a year at St Mary’s, Tottenham, with Father Simon Morris, I went to work at schools in Norfolk for a year, first as a cover supervisor and then as a residential fellow at Wymondham College. I was sponsored for ordination by the then-Bishop of Edmonton, Peter Wheatley, and trained at St Stephen’s House. I am now about to finish my year as a transitional Deacon. I am a member of the Prayer Book Society and fan of Thomas Aquinas and Richard Hooker. I am a player of complicated board-games, and listener of pre-Classical Music. When I can, I dabble in improv and writes, although I has not had anything published… yet.
WILLIAM HAMILTON – BOX
William is serving the parish of St Luke, Uxbridge Road in London. He was made Deacon on 29 June 2019.
I am originally from Kent, and have spent the last three years playing cricket whilst undertaking theological studies at St Stephen’s House Oxford.
I read music at university and for my Masters degree specialised in English song and the impact of recording technology on spontaneity in performance. I grew up singing in Church and Cathedrals and still receive much spiritual nourishment from sacred music. I am known for my love of music, enthusiasm for sport, my risotto and my wife!
Prior to St Stephens House I spent two happy years in London as a Pastoral Assistant and I am delighted to be returning to London for his curacy. I am looking forward to starting work in Shepherd’s Bush at the end of June, and would like to thank everyone for their prayers.
ALAN RIMMER
Alan is the curate of St Mary’s Tottenham, following his ordination to the Diaconate
I was born to a farming family in Lancashire – which has left its mark if not obviously in my vocation then certainly in a love of nature and growing things and the outdoors. I sensed very early that the Lord had work for me to do and it’s taken a while to discern exactly what that work was – but I feel hugely privileged now to be approaching (not without trepidation) this new life.
I read Classics as an undergraduate, when I worshipped at Pusey House and was encouraged in the faith by its wonderful chapter, but unwisely spent more time reading Ruskin and lengthy modernist novels than attending to the intricacies of Latin grammar. Since then I’ve had an itinerant twenties, for two years as pastoral assistant at St Mary’s, Somers Town in the Parish of Old St Pancras, before coming back to Oxford and St Stephen’s House three years ago. Here formation is taken seriously and I’ve benefited from the necessary application of heat required to forge together the intellect, soul and prayer life. It’s also been great fun and I come away with what I hope will be lifelong friends. I’m very much looking forward to Tottenham and appreciate your prayers for Fr Morris, the faithful of St Mary’s and for my future amongst them.
IAN EDGAR
Ian Edgar was ordained priest on 15th June 2019 and serves the parish of St Andrew, West Tarring, in the Diocese of Chichester.
My journey to priestly ordination has taken me from Canada to England and from a liberal to a traditional catholic understanding of Holy Orders. It has been quite an adventure, and in many ways a homecoming. Being born in Canada to British parents my earliest Christian formation was given me by my mother, who had a deeply Anglican but still very catholic faith. My fondest childhood memories are of visiting my family in the UK. I sang for a while in the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral- (In London, Ontario!) which instilled in me a love of the Scriptures and the Liturgy. I spent many years away from the Church, during which time I met and married my lovely wife, and had two sons.
I returned to the Anglican Church of Canada after reading Jean Vanier, the late founder of the L’Arche movement and a deeply Catholic thinker and writer. Also inspired by his writings I worked for a time supporting people with disabilities which was a wonderful vocation and education.
I began training for ordained ministry in the Anglican Church of Canada, but for various reasons, including my increased concern for the traditional catholic faith, I began exploring moving to the Church of England. I moved to England in April 2018 with my family joining me just before my diaconal ordination. We have loved living in Worthing and have been warmly welcomed by the parishes I am serving. I look forward to continuing to serve the Church as a priest in the exciting times ahead.
JAY HEWITT
Jay Hewitt is a Deacon, serving his curacy in the parish of St Mary the Virgin, Barnsley.
I was sponsored for training by Norwich Cathedral, where I have worshipped since the age of 17.
I came to Christian faith in a conservative evangelical tradition in the United States of America, where I lived for a time during my childhood. At the age of 13 I was introduced to the Catholic tradition of the Church of England and worshipped in our local parish church, dedicated to The Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the town of Attleborough, Norfolk. I was subsequently received and Confirmed into the Church of England on 17th November 2001, by the Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, in Norwich Cathedral.
Prior to beginning my training at St Stephen’s House, I was a business manager for Tom Ford. Though based in Norwich I worked nationally across the UK and Ireland.
I am part of a large family Including four brothers and two sisters.
I am a keen historian and have a particular fascination with mediaeval English history, 17th& 18thcentury French history, 19th-century maritime history and Egyptology.
ANGUS BEATTIE
Angus is a Deacon and his title parish is St Mary, South Ruislip in the Diocese of London.
I am orginally from Edinburgh and I’m married to Maxcine and we are both owned by a border terrier called Ronnie. In our spare time we enjoy hillwalking in Wales and Scotland as well as visiting Churches and Cathedrals up and down the country.
I have just completed a 3 year formational degree course at St Mellitus Theological college in London.
I am being ordained by the Bishop of Fulham on June 29th at 11am at the Guild Church of St Andrews Holborn. I will be serving my title post at St Mary’s South Ruislip. I am extremely excited about all that my ministry will present to me including the challenges. I greatly look forward to working with my training incumbent Fr Eric and all of the people at St Mary’s.
GARY GOULD
Gary was made Deacon on 29 June and is a Self-Supporting Minister, serving the parishes of Hempton and Walsingham.
My name is Gary Gould, I am a 61yr old ordinand with the Eastern Region Ministry Course, and have been studying part time with a terrific group of fellow students some of which will be ordained with me at Norwich Cathedral. My wife Julie and I have just celebrated our 38th Wedding Anniversary being married on 6th June as we both enjoy World War history. We have four children, Sally, Rory, Kirsty and Emily and are proud grandparents of Bethany and Jacob.
I have been employed by the East of England Ambulance NHS Trust for the past 20 years, originally as an Ambulance technician, now in commercial services. As I will be a self-supporting minister, I hope to continue in the NHS and would like eventually to become an Ambulance chaplain.