THERE were 12 new deacons ordained at Worcester Cathedral on Saturday.
Among them were Janet Hatton who will serve at St John’s in Bromsgrove and Richard Hackett who was born and bred in the town but has moved to serve at Holy Trinity in Old Hill.
The new deacons will now enter their first year of training as a curate.
The Bishop of Worcester presided at the ordination while the Bishop of Dudley ordained the two Priests.
Archdeacon Rick Simpson, Archdeacon of Auckland in the Diocese of Durham, preached at the service in the Cathedral having led the pre-ordination retreat for candidates.
Janet grew up in Bromsgrove and has lived there for most of her life, now with husband Cliff and their two sons Andrew and Michael.
She believed in God from a very early age but did not have much time to explore her faith as she grew up.
She said she experienced a strong sense of God calling her to go to church when she was 42 and attended St John’s.
She increased her involvement in the ministry of the church, taking on a sides person role, helping with Sunday School, enrolling members of the Mothers’ Union and assistant churchwarden before helping lead some services.
It was after completing an Authorised Lay Ministry course as a worship leader she felt God was calling her to ordained ministry.
She said: ““It has been a long journey for me, and not always the easiest one.
“Although I firmly believed God was calling me to ordained ministry, and I never doubted it, I have had to be extremely patient to have my calling recognised.
“I’m very grateful to my friends at church who have supported me through this time, my family who have always understood how important my faith is to me and to the Rev Ray Khan who has been a great support with his belief in me.”
She is now relishing her ministry within St John’s Church.
“It is a journey for the rest of my life and one that I look forward to, and to sharing with others.”
Richard began going to church 12 years ago and experienced a moment of conversion when he felt God speaking to him.
He started to explore faith and became a Christian after getting married.
Prior to training for ordination he worked in the IT department of a marketing company.
He said: “My vicar asked whether I would consider being ordained and I began to explore the possibility.
“On the weekend when I’d planned to go away and pray about it, a congregation member came up and asked the same question.
“I’m hoping to be able to bring some of the lessons I’ve learnt in business into parish life.
“Today’s society is all about not being good enough and is often very fragmented, but faith and the church can offer a different narrative.
“I really feel called to minister to those who are most disaffected in our society and are on the fringes.”
Bishop John said: “It is always a great privilege to be able to ordain people who have discovered the love of God in their lives and have decided to devote themselves to bringing that love to others.
“Not only the Church but all society will be hugely enriched as a result.”
