Twelve people were ordained Deacons and six ordained as Priests over three services in Norwich Cathedral on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 of June. The services were live streamed on the Norwich Cathedral YouTube channel, and you can still see them at the links below. You can view more photos from the days on our Facebook gallery.
Those ordained priest by Bishop Graham on Saturday 26 June:
10:30am
- James Cook, serving at Eaton, St Andrew
- Michael Hayden, serving at Norwich, St Andrew
- Jon Price, serving at King’s Lynn, St John the Evangelist
- Coryn Stanforth, serving in the Tas Valley Team Ministry
- Cate Turner, serving in the Bramerton Group (Thurton)
- Taylor Wilton-Morgan, serving in the United Benefice of St Benedict
Those ordained deacon by Bishop Graham on Sunday 27 June:
9.30 am
- Becki Bensusan
- Blessing Chishanu
- Ian Fifield
- Joanna Haywood
- Val Hooker
- Adam Poole
11.30am
- Benjamin Rogers
- Julie Swinton
- Richard Turk
- Tori Venmore-Rowland
- Richard Washington
- Edwin Wilton-Morgan
Each of the new ordinands has shared a little of their story:
Becki Bensusan – Pakefield Benefice
“I’m married to Lee and we have four young children. I have lived the majority of my life in a ‘London Borough’, apart from when I escaped, going to University for four years in Nottingham where I studied Chemistry and Molecular Physics. I have trained for ministry at St Mellitus College in London, a style of training that integrates academic studies and parish ministry. In my spare time, I can often be found baking, reading, or trying something creative. As a family, we enjoy ‘adventure walks’ and playing games together. We are really looking forward to being part of the community in Pakefield. I am excited to learn and serve in my role as curate there.”
Blessing Chishanu – Sprowston Benefice
“Originally from Zimbabwe. I did my undergraduate studies in Theology at a seminary in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. This is where I met my wife Anthea. In what I could only term, ordered steps, we moved to the United Kingdom in 2016 after having received a call to serve as a youth worker in the most easterly town in the country, Lowestoft. 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. This calling was further explored and affirmed through much prayer and the rigour of the Church of England’s discernment process which resulted in being recommended for training at Trinity College Bristol. Together with my family, I look forward to serving in the Sprowston area, getting to know clergy and lay members as well as being involved in the local community.”
Ian Fifield – Norwich, St Stephen
“I am a qualified Chartered Public Finance Accountant, with over 30 years experience in local government finance and funding. I currently run my own training business, delivering finance training to local government elected members and staff. I was brought up in the Baptist tradition, but a house move brought me into the Church of England and I and my family worshipped at St Luke’s, Cranham in Essex until moving to Norwich in 2015. I am looking forward to serving my curacy at St Stephen’s in the heart of the City Centre.”
Joanna Haywood – Trunch Group
“Born and brought up in South London, I had a variety of careers in Nursing, Office Administration, and a stint studying Architecture, before completing my degree with the Open University and training as a primary school teacher. I worked in multicultural community schools in Croydon, before moving into School Improvement work and then into school leadership. I took early retirement in 2016 and moved to Norfolk in 2017 for a quiet life and a fresh start in North Walsham. I’d been here six months when God tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘I’ve not finished with you yet!’ I trained on ERMC’s full-time course, based at St Nicholas, North Walsham. Upon ordination, I shall be serving as a full-time SSM Curate in the Trunch Group, and am looking forward to working with Andrew Jones and the ministry team.”
Val Hooker – Taverham and Ringland
“I have perhaps come later to Ordination having previously had a fulfilling career in nursing in various settings, including two years in a refugee camp in Thailand. Although the possibility of ministry training has been around for over 30 years, this is very definitely God’s timing for me. Having given up work I expected to be sorting out my garden and spending time having tea and cake with friends, but God has other ideas! I am very much looking forward to serving my ministry in the churches and communities of Taverham and Ringland which have been my home for the last nine years. For me, this is an exciting time to be in ministry as we discern God’s leading for the church as we move forward out of COVID. I am married to Richard and have two adult daughters. I enjoy gardening, walking, photography, African drumming, and I also follow the numerous ups and downs of Norwich City Football Club. ”
Adam Poole – Fountain of Life
“I’m a 26-year-old ordinand married to Martha and we’re parents to a six-month-old baby girl called Sofia. Since being married we’ve spent two years living out in Martha’s home country of Cyprus where we were both teachers and youth group leaders before moving to Oxford in 2019 to begin ordination training at Wycliffe Hall. I am passionate about reading and delving deeper into areas of theology that can help people grow in what it means to follow Jesus today. Alongside reading, I love all things sports-related and am a self-confessed coffee snob! 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
“I grew up in Norwich with my mum, dad, and sister who are all still based in Norwich and are delighted to be seeing more of my wife and I now we’re moving to the area. I love football whether it’s playing five-a-side or watching games on the TV. I am an Arsenal fan but I keep up with Norwich FC’s progress too. Before I trained for ordination I was a secondary school teacher, I taught French in West London, my wife also teaches at a local primary school. I’m really looking forward to being back in Norwich and serving my curacy in Cromer!”
Julie Swinton – The Church in the Woottons
“I’m married, have three grown-up children, and live in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. I am also a Teaching Assistant in a Secondary school near Wisbech, Cambs working part-time to enable students with Special Educational Needs to access the curriculum, particularly English, at GCSE level. I have trained for ordination part-time with ERMC in Norwich and will be an SSM Assistant Minister based at The Church in the Woottons, King’s Lynn. I enjoy mission and seeing God at work in everyday situations. Being a Deacon will enable me to act as Christ’s ambassador, serving the congregation and my local community in new and exciting ways. The thing I am most looking forward to doing when I am a Priest is to be able to celebrate Communion with my congregation.”
Richard Turk – Reepham and Wensum Valley Team Ministry
“I grew up in Brighton and moved to Norwich to study history at the UEA. It was whilst studying that I met my wife, took up bellringing, and came to faith – and all three were linked! My bellringing took me to St Peter Mancroft in Norwich, and whilst there I served as churchwarden. I thought this was where God was calling me, but it turns out the call was different and I ended up training for ordination with ERMC. I am married, with two children. A few years ago, I stopped working to be the main childcare provider, which also gave me the chance to explore my vocation. As well as the bellringing, I enjoy walking and reading. I have been known to spend time on the allotment, with varied success. I also 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
“My name is Tori, and I am looking forward to returning to Norfolk at the end of training in Oxfordshire. With me are my husband, Luke, and our three children, Cora, Lexi and John. Before I embarked on this journey I spent a decade in the Royal Air Force as a weapons technician. In my free time, when I get any, I enjoy reading, sewing and motorbikes.”
Richard Washington – Attleborough with Besthorpe Benefice
“I am very grateful for the blessing of being called to serve in Attleborough with Besthorpe. God’s call came to me in Warsaw, Poland, where I had been living for a number of years, working at a postgraduate institute of European studies. However, I always felt called to serve back home in England in parish ministry. It was through my studies at the wonderful Eastern Region Ministry Course that I met the Revd David Foster who pointed me to Attleborough and Besthorpe. Since November 2020, I have been able to join the Benefice as an ordinand on extended placement. I have found myself warmly welcomed by a Christian family full of people of vocation, vision, and commitment, led by an excellent ministry team. I am really excited by the many possibilities that lie ahead for the benefice as we work together to establish our post-COVID rhythms and activities and to build on what we have learned and gained in this time of trouble. I live with Marek, my partner, and our dog Maks, and we are very much looking forward to becoming part of the wider community.”
Edwin Wilton-Morgan – Norwich Cathedral and the Julian Campus
“My name is Edwin Wilton-Morgan, and I’m greatly looking forward to serving my title at Norwich Cathedral, with the Julian Shrine. I grew up in rural Shropshire, before reading Modern Languages at the University of St Andrews, where I met my partner, Taylor. It was whilst at university that I 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. We moved here ahead of Taylor’s ordination as deacon last summer, and have really enjoyed getting to know Norfolk — as far as the restrictions have permitted — with our two indefatigable border collies, and our increasingly resentful cat.”