A TEACHER, an IT director and a former charity worker are among those who will be ordained as deacons this weekend.
Conducting the ordaining this Saturday, July 2 will be the Bishop of St Asaph.
The five ordinands from across north Wales include Grace Lomas, whose uncle, John Lomas is the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon and former Archdeacon of Wrexham.
Bishop John will join the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron to ordain Grace and her fellow candidates during the service at St Asaph Cathedral.
For the first time in many years, one of the candidates, Gareth Williams, is being ordained as a distinctive deacon meaning at this stage his vocation is to the diaconate and not the priesthood.
There is only one other permanent deacon in the Diocese of St Asaph.
The Rev Sally Baird was ordained in 2006 and continues to serve as a non-stipendiary Deacon in Borderlands Mission Area.
The full list of candidates is:
- Alyson Goldstein, who will serve in the Denbigh Mission Area
- Dan Morgan, who will serve in the Mold Mission Area
- Grace Lomas, who will serve in the Aberconwy Mission Area
- Marcus Pipe, who will serve in the Wrexham Mission Area
- Gareth Williams, who will serve in the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area.
Speaking ahead of the service, Bishop Gregory said: “In this ordination, we celebrate the range of ages and experience that these candidates bring with a desire to broaden the appeal of the Christian gospel across north Wales society.”
Last week, six new priests were ordained by Bishop Gregory in the first full ordination service for three years.
This Saturday’s ordination to the diaconate will also go ahead in front of a congregation and will be live streamed via youtube to https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/ordinations/
Alyson Goldstein, 68, grew up in a South Wales mining village and worked in education, both as a teacher and an exam writer and moderator.
She now lives near Ruthin and said: “I am really looking to being a curate in the Denbigh Mission Area and working with them to make their churches green and more attractive to spiritual tourists.”
Dan Morgan has been working as a biology teacher at Ysgol Brynhyfryd in Ruthin for many years.
Before that he worked in the agricultural industry.
Dan said: "I am looking forward with great anticipation to being ordained and being able to serve full time in the church from September.
"I consider it a privilege to be able to play a part in sharing God’s love with the people of Mold and the surrounding areas as part of the Mold Mission Hub Church, based at St Mary’s in Mold.”
Grace Lomas, 27, spent time in Tanzania and Kenya before returning to Wales to work for the international development charity Tearfund.
She said: “I studied English literature at university and love the idea of how stories shape our world and communications.
"I am most exciting to get to know the people of Aberconwy Mission Area, to hear their stories, to journey with them to and to watch God bring to life all He has instore for this season.
"I am a huge animal lover and grew up in the great outdoors with family dogs.
"I am hoping to get a puppy once I’ve settled into my new role. I’m sure she or he will be a familiar figure in the church family!”
READ: New priests are on a Mission in the Denbigh area
Marcus Pipe, 55, works as an IT director.
He is a former martial arts black belt with a serious passion for motorcycles.
He said: “I am hugely excited about working with Canon Jason Bray at St Giles’ Church, Wrexham.
"I am looking forward to worshipping with the congregation of this beautiful church and to taking the message of Jesus out to the Wrexham community.”
Gareth Williams is 31 and from the Holywell area.
He currently works front of house in the arts sector.
He will become the dioceses’ second permanent deacon volunteering in the new Holywell Mission Hub Church based at St Peter’s in Holywell.
Gareth said: “I've never had a clear call to ordination.
"It's been a gradual process of discerning and trusting amidst uncertainty and doubts.
"It's why I wouldn't say I'm excited but intrigued as to what lies ahead.
"I come with lots of questions and few answers.”
The Diocese of St Asaph is one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, an autonomous province of the worldwide Anglican Church.
St Asaph Diocese is made up of 19 Mission Areas and more than 200 churches.
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