NEW clergy were ordained over the weekend to serve in Redditch and parishes across the Worcester Diocese.
Sarah Jayne Hewitt, who serves at St Stephen’s in the Redditch Holy Trinity Team was among the nine candidates who had completed their first year and were ordained priests at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday.
The candidates are now able to preside at the Holy Communion.
A further six candidates were ordained Deacons on Sunday and are entering their first year of training as a curate.
The ordination services were led by the Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge or the Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorick.
Bishop John said: “One of the greatest privileges of being a bishop is ordaining new deacons and priests. Those ordained this weekend will be a great gift to everyone in the places they will be ministering, not just those who worship in their churches.
“I pray for God’s blessing upon them, that they may be a rich blessing to others.”
Sarah Jayne Hewitt said: ” I am looking forward to other things in the pipeline including Wayfarers/Saunterers (a walking church), ministry to the Canal community in Tardebigge, leading ALM Worship Leaders courses and a big project to establish a communication highway between three churches.
“As a priest, the parish ministry of weddings will be new to me and most excitingly, I’ll be able to preside at the Eucharist.
“I have really enjoyed creating a prayer station at St. Stephen’s.
“This captures the prayers of our wider town centre community, which are prayed monthly in a Sunday service.
“I am looking forward to this next year and engaging with my priestly ministry.”
