Tomorrow, our exciting ordination weekend at Guildford Cathedral starts with the ordination of priests, which will see 21 deacons taking their next steps in ordained ministry.
Today, we continue our series celebrating the individuals being ordained deacons at the service on Sunday by sharing their stories. This morning we hear Charlie’s story.
How was Charlie called?
My call to ordained ministry came to me later in life, much closer to the statutory retirement age than I might once have imagined. Looking back, however, I now see that this timing perfectly reflects a journey of faith that has been steady rather than dramatic.
I grew up in a Methodist setting, explored Pentecostal and spiritual worship during my university years, and later found a spiritual home within the Anglo-Catholic tradition. By that point, I had settled into a pattern of life that included a career in information technology and finance and a social life centred around playing football and travelling with friends. Throughout these years, my faith continued to grow quietly in the background.
It was only when I met my wife, Pamela, and we welcomed the first of our two sons into our lives that church began to take on a deeper importance. As a family we became part of what would later become my sending church. Over the years, I served in a variety of roles, including crucifer, acolyte, and chalice assistant, and, later on, the church committee. I also served as churchwarden and represented the parish at Deanery Synod meetings. During this time, my spiritual life flourished, and so did my professional life, where I developed a passion for supporting and empowering disadvantaged minorities in the workplace.
At one point, I decided to study for the Bishop’s Certificate in Discipleship, a one-year course in theology. Then, one day, while having tea with my parish priest, the conversation took an unexpected turn. She remarked that people who take the Bishop’s Certificate often go on to train for ordained ministry. I repeatedly dismissed the idea with a firm “No, I won’t”, only to be countered with an equally good-humoured “Yes, you will”, until I eventually agreed to explore the possibility further, although it was only on condition that I could continue in the job I enjoyed.
That conversation set me on the path I continue to follow today. I am now preparing to enter curacy on a part-time, self-supporting basis, bringing the skills and experiences gained through my life, career, and service in the church into a new context. So, what I would say to others exploring their own vocational journey is this: share your hopes and concerns openly with others, and trust that God will guide you to the place where your gifts can best serve the Church.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?
Psalm 8:3-4