Diocese of Chichester

Fifty-three individuals from Anglican churches across Sussex were commissioned by Bishop Ruth during a special service, marking one of the largest year groups ever to complete their skills-based training since the program's inception in 2019.

The cathedral overflowed with family, friends, and church members, all joining in the celebrations.

Authorised Lay Ministers play a vital role in the public ministry of their local churches, serving their parishes with dedication.

Revd Jayne Prestwood, Officer for Lay Vocation and Ministry, oversees the lay ministry training program. She remarked, “Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) is now recognized across the Church of England as a vibrant and growing expression of lay ministry. It offers flexible and affordable skills-based training in various ministries. This year, we introduced two new electives: Care of Creation and Eco Church, and Rural Ministry.”

The commissioning and authorisation of ALM candidates took place at 2 pm in Chichester Cathedral and was live-streamed for those unable to attend. More about some of the individuals receiving their awards can be found in the May issue of Faith in Sussex, scheduled for mid-May.

Please pray for them as they go out to serve in their parishes.

All the candidates in their chosen elective group and the churches in which they serve:

Care of Creation and Eco Church

Mrs Chris (Christine) Aitken - St Helen, Ore

Ms Nicola Ferguson - St Leonards (Parish of Sutton with Seaford)

Mrs Liesl Garry- St John's, Broadbridge Heath

Mrs Chris (Christine) O’Riordan - St Mary's Church, Horsham

Mrs Karen Park - St Mark's Church, Holbrook

Mrs Katy (Catherine) Trigg - St Edward the Confessor, Burgess Hill

Chaplaincy

Mrs Irene Adams - St John the Baptist Church, Findon (Parish of Findon with Clapham and Patching

Mr Andrew Bishop - Lancing College with St James the Less Lancing

Julie Carroll - Royal Sussex County Hospital and Royal Alexandra Hospital

Mrs Linda Goodwin - St Mary's, Horsham

Mrs Catherine Hammond - Lavant Churches

Mr Reg (Reginald) Haydon - Holy Trinity, Horsham

Mrs Kim Leach - St John's, Meads

Mrs Claire Withams - Woodingdean, Chaplain to SECAmb and working within the Chaplaincy team at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

Mission

Ms Jaclyn Colbert - St Peter's, Brighton

Mrs Amanda Newton - St John's, Meads

Mr David Scott-Ralphs - St John's, Meads

Mrs Sue (Susan) Vernon - St Mark's, Holbrook

Mr Neil Watt - St Mary's, Funtington

Pastoral

Mrs Karen Blackman - St Margaret of Antioch, West Hoathly

Mrs Sahar Davies - St John the Baptist, Crawley

Mrs Karen Ewen - Chanctonbury Churches

Miss Lisa Hughes - St Nicolas, Portslade (Portslade and Mile Oak)

Mr Bob (Robert) Rice - St Leonards (Parish of Sutton with Seaford)

Preaching

Mr James Allport - Chichester Cathedral

Mr James Baron - St Pancras, Chichester

Mrs Julia Brackenbury - St Andrew's Church, Burgess Hill

Mrs Joan Bull - St Mary the Virgin, Felpham

Mr Paul Burley - St John's Church, Meads, Eastbourne

Mr David Clover - St Matthew, St Leonards-On-Sea

Miss Sue (Susan) Gumbrell - St Andrew's Church, Burgess Hill

Ms Becky (Rebecca) Hawkins - St Mary's, Horsham

Miss Victoria Leslie - Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity

Mr Alex (William) Lindsay-Stewart - St John the Baptist Crawley

Mrs Sheila Smith - St Andrew's Church, Burgess Hill

Mr Ian Tout - St Peter's, Sompting (Parish of South Lancing & Sompting)

Mr Richard York - St John the Baptist, Crawley

Rural Ministry

Mrs Jemma Cooper - All Saints, Mountfield

Mrs Shelagh Gilliam - All Saints, Danehill

Mrs Robyn Smith - St Augustine's, Scaynes Hill

Mrs Jenny Walker - St Augustine's, Scaynes Hill

Small Group Leader

Mrs Irene Adams - St John the Baptist Church, Findon (Parish of Findon with Clapham and Patching

Mr Mike Harding - St Augustine's, Scaynes Hill

Mrs Toni (Antoinette) Hayes - St Mary's, Pulborough

Mrs Emily Keating-Rowe - St Mary de Haura, New Shoreham

Worship & Liturgy

Miss Sue Adams - St Matthias, Brighton

Ms Lorraine Alfrey - St Michael and All Angels, South Lancing and Sompting

Ms Mandy (Amanda) Callf - St Johns the Evangelist, Meads, Eastbourne

Mr Stephen Coke - St Mary de Haura, New Shoreham

Ms Cathy (Catherine) Gillman - St Peter's, Bexhill

Mrs Alison Hudson - Holy Innocents, Southwater

Mr Steve (Steven)McGrath - Henfield with Shermanbury and Woodmancote

Ms Amy Morrell - St Nicolas of Myra, Brighton

Mrs Eunice Pearson - Holy Innocents, Southwater

Miss Erika Schilsky - St John the Evangelist, Preston, Brighton

Mr Michael Trist - Mid Downland (Edburton, Poynings, Newtimber & Pyecombe)

Mrs Helen Winning - Holy Trinity, Hurst Green & st Mary's, Selhurst

Mrs Diana Wooldridge - St Wulfran's, Ovingdean

To learn more about training for Authorised Lay Ministry, visit the Diocese of Chichester website: https://www.chichester.anglican.org/Authorised-Lay-Ministry