Dictionary

Words on this page

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Deacon

‘Deacon’ comes the Greek word for ‘servant’. Deacons in the Church in Wales have special roles within worship such as proclaiming the gospel. Traditionally, deacons have had responsibility for social care. Deacons often go on to be ordained priest.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Ecumenical

The Christian Church is divided due to different interpretations of the faith and different religious practices. The ecumenical movement promotes dialogue and understanding between Christians and works for visible unity.

Eucharist

‘Eucharist’ comes from the Greek word for ‘thanksgiving’. At the Eucharist the Church remembers Jesus’ last supper where he gave bread and wine to be his body and blood, a sign of his saving love. See also Holy Communion.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Ordain

To be ordained is to be set apart, empowered by the Holy Spirit and authorised by the Church for a particular type of ministry. The Church in Wales has three ‘orders’ of ministry, namely deacon, priest and bishop.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Home News and events Ordinations 2023

Ordinations 2023

Monmouth news Posted: 19 June 2023

A joyous service was held at Newport Cathedral on Saturday 24 June to ordain our new deacons and priests.

It was standing room only as friends and family filled the cathedral to support and celebrate with those who have been called into ministry in the Diocese of Monmouth.

The Rev Dr Mark Clavier, who had led the candidates on their ordination retreat, gave a warm and welcoming sermon.

The Rt Revd Cherry Vann ordained three deacons and seven priests.

The service was live-streamed and you can watch it here

Please hold our ordinands in your prayers

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts,

by your Holy Spirit you have appointed

various orders of ministry in the Church:

look with mercy on your servants

now called to be deacons and priests;

maintain them in truth and renew them in holiness,

that by word and good example

they may faithfully serve you

to the glory of your name

and the benefit of your Church;

through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ.

To be ordained Deacon:

Stipendiary:

Dawn Elizabeth Lindsay to serve in in the Newport North West Ministry Area
Julia Kathleen Durham to serve in the Tredegar Park Ministry Area

NSM (L):

William Henry Savage to serve in the Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area

To be ordained Priest:

Stipendiary:

Ruth Eleri Rowan to serve in in the Islwyn Ministry Area
Tina Jane Parry to serve in the East Cardiff Ministry Area
Sarah Louise Rosser to serve in the Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area

NSM:

Rachel Nelmes to serve in the Mynydd Bedwellte Ministry Area

NSM (L):

Daniel John Damon to serve in the Monmouth Marches Ministry Area
Glen Stanley Wilkins to serve in the Beechwood Ministry Area
Janet Ann Pain to serve in the Monmouth Marches Ministry Area

Meet some of the class of '23

We had a chat with our new ordinands as the prepare to become deacons.

Dawn Lindsay

My name is Dawn, 'happily' married to Adrian for over 32 years. I am blessed with 4 children and 2 grandchildren to date. My journey to this point has taken quite a while, and I feel I have gone the scenic route. However, I have always felt God supporting and leading me, and with the benefit of hindsight I know that the time is absolutely right now.

I come from a fabulous middle of the road style Church in St Dyfrigs, Llanrumney, where I have been fully supported and loved throughout the discernment process, not to mention gently prodded when dragging my feet filling in the criteria form! I was very blessed to have a wonderful placement for the last 3 years in Chepstow, where I experienced semi-rural ministry for the first time and fell in love with it. I will be serving my Curacy in Newport North and West Ministry Area and with the awesome team there. I am very excited to see what the future holds now after Ordination, and keen to integrate with the local community as much as possible. My favourite phrase is 'Gods got this' and I know he has.

Julia Durham

I live in Newport with my husband, Mark, and two teenage sons, Matthew and Henry. I began to explore vocation in 2015 and, after a 15 year career in consumer protection, I was fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a wonderful lay ministry in my parish church, working to develop mission and schools work as well as a pastoral/funeral ministry. It was during this time I discerned a call to ordained ministry and particular interest in pioneering. I began training at St Padarn’s, Cardiff in 2019, however in 2020 experienced a stroke which left me with a brain injury. After time to recover, and after making some adjustments, I was able to finish my training in May 2023.

I’ve learnt a lot about disability, and neurodiversity, over the last 3 years and what a difference the right support and adjustments can make. I am especially interested in accessibility in the church and what it means to be a truly inclusive people of God. I look forward to exploring what God has in store over the coming years and how God might bring together my experience of disability and my heart for pioneering, in my future ordained ministry.

Bill Savage

Retired from corporate life and has been performing some form of laity type ministry for several years but increasingly felt called to do ‘something’ more. When I finally gave in to exploring the call in my discernment process, I knew that God was indeed calling me to licensed ministry.

I will be self supporting part time ministry on the team of the Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area and I am looking forward to serve in whatever way God has planned for me.

We also caught up with a few of those who were deaconed last year and will priested at this year's service.

Rachel Nelmes

It has been a joy to worship with the people of Mynydd Bedwellte Ministry Area and serve them as deacon. I am so thankful to God for all the support and encouragement I have received throughout my journey. Being ordained as a priest is a very significant and serious step and at the moment, my feelings and emotions are very mixed. I am feeling apprehensive about it, but I have an assurance that God is with me. I know I am insufficient but trust that God will supply and provide the help and support I need. I am stepping forward in faith, praying that God will guide me as I move into the next phase of my life and ministry.

Tina Parry

God’s unexpected plot twists of my life story, find me looking back in wonder on my diaconal year. It has been a year of finding the kindness of Jesus to be constantly alongside me, in gentle grace, in great beauty, and in the quiet rhythms of a worshipping community. I have been entrusted with stories of happy hearts and breaking hearts, there have been days of sunshine, and days of grey skies. In the midst of everything my prayer has been for Jesus to meet me in the ordinary, and make my heart His home.

For the future, I continue to seek the movement of God’s Spirit in real situational terms, trusting in who God is, what He has done and what He will do. There was a time when ‘my foot was slipping, but the unfailing love of God saved me.’

Sarah Rosser

I have really enjoyed my first year of ordained ministry here in the Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area. It has been a real joy to come alongside people in the area, and becoming part of a community. I have relished the time spent with different groups during the week. I have spent quite some time with the local Church in Wales school, building relationships with the teacher, children, and parents. I even joined some of them recently abseiling down Raglan church tower to raise funds for the local scout group!

I look forward to being priested, as it will provide me with an opportunity to take that next step in my calling. I am excited to be presiding at my first eucharist the day after my priesting, and it will be a privilege to continue to share that with many more over the years. I am especially excited about officiating my first wedding in July and I look forward to meeting many more couples who I might not otherwise meet on a Sunday morning.

Ruth Rowan

Being a deacon has been a time of real challenge and blessing for me. My highlights of the year have included beginning to get to know the communities I serve, welcoming the local schools to visit some of our church buildings, completing my MA in Theology, and being part of a thriving ecumenical community. I am looking forward to strengthening my Welsh, deepening my connections with the communities I serve, and being able to celebrate the Eucharist. The calling to priestly ministry remains a wonder and a privilege to me, and it is a great joy to stand at the threshold of realising that calling.