A CAMPAIGNER who fought for the right for women to be ordained and a biochemistry lecturer are among those starting a new spiritual journey this weekend.
On Saturday, 30 people will be ordained as deacons by the Bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev John Pritchard, at Christ Church Cathedral.
The new deacons, who will take up posts as curates across the Diocese of Oxford, are from a wide variety of different backgrounds.
Jo Moffett-Levy, 60, from Botley, will become a curate at St Michael in the Northgate, Cornmarket Street, and comes from a long line of priests and ministers.
She was part of the movement to allow women to join the clergy in the 1970s and 1980s, acting as vice chairman of the Movement for the Ordination of Women.
She said: “At that stage I wanted it to be possible for people but I hadn’t decided it was what I wanted for myself. I take a long time to make decisions.”
Faith remains an important discussion around the dinner table, as her husband, David Levy, is Jewish.
Ms Moffett-Levy is also part of the Oxford City of Sanctuary movement and helps at a refugee drop-in every week.
She comes to the job after spending 30 years working as an academic researcher in the field of mothers and health.
Dr Rob Gilbert, 37, former senior dean at Oxford University’s Magdalen College, is hoping to prove religion and science can mix.
Dr Gilbert, who will continue to teach biochemistry after taking up his post at St Peter’s in Wolvercote and All Saints’ in Wytham, said: “Everything pointed in the direction of ministry but I kept putting it off and deciding it wasn’t for me until my experiences as dean. I think it will be an interesting combination, for the people in the parish because clergy don’t often come from my background, but also in my work.”
Clare Hayns, 41, from Horspath, will be leaving a job managing entertainers – including her husband Juggling John – to take up her post at Blenheim.
A mother of three who originally trained as a social worker, Mrs Hayns said she had found her calling in the past five years then spent three years training to become a deacon.
She said: “Faith became an important part of my life when I was in my 20s but it wasn’t until fairly recently I thought this was what God wanted me to do.”
As well as juggling jugglers, Mrs Hayns volunteers at and is a trustee of the Community Emergency Food Bank at St Francis Church, Hollow Way, Cowley.
Christian Aid head of theology – and Oxford United fan – Dr Paula Clifford, from Kirtlington, will become curate of St Giles Church in Frideswide Square.
A lay minister for 20 years, she said personal experiences made her decide to take “that extra step”.
She said: “Before my work commitments at Christian Aid and my church links were very separate but when my job changed it meant they were getting closer and it seemed to make sense.”
On Saturday, four deacons were ordained as priests at SS Mary and John Church, Cowley Road, Oxford, by Bishop John.
Ben Williams, curate at SS Mary and John, Martin Henig, curate at SS Peter and Paul, Botley, Phil Atkinson, curate at St Aldate’s Church, St Aldate’s, and Pete Scamman, curate at St Andrew’s Church in North Oxford, were all ordained in the service – the first ordination at the church.
FULL LIST OF ORDINANDS
Luke Foster, at Banbury, St Paul
David Gifford, at Benson, St Helen
Beom-jin Shin, Banbury, St Mary
Jonathan Brant, Oxford, St Clement
Paula Clifford, Oxford, St Giles and St Philip and St James with St Margaret
Richard Frith, to serve at Oxford St Mary Magdalen
Rob Gilbert, Wolvercote, St Peter and All Saints’ Wytham
Joanna Moffett-Levy to serve at Oxford St Michael in the Northgate
Mark Stafford to serve at Oxford, St Barnabas and St Paul
Claire Hayns to serve at Blenheim
Jim Barlow, Burnham, St Peter
Margaret Dixon, Ellesborough, the Kimbles and Stoke Mandeville
Tom Holbird, Gerrards Cross and Fulmer
Cassa Messervy, Beaconsfield, St Michael and All Angels
Helen Peters, Hughenden, St Michael
Sharon Roberts, Aersham on the Hill, St Michael and All Angels
John Smith, Penn and Tylers Green
Caroline Symcox, Amersham, St Mary
Nigel Taylor, Princes Risborough
Brynn Bayman, Finchampstead, St James
Miriam Caminer, Old Windsor, SS Peter and Andrew
Angela Gosden, to serve at Stanford in the Vale with Goosey and Hatford, and St Denys
Anna Harwood, Ruscombe and Twyford
Daniel Heyward, Reading Greyfriars
Derreck Lee-Philpot, Cholsey and Moulsford
Ian Seymour, St Sebastian, Wokingham
Kate Sladen, Easthampstead, SS Michael and Mary Magdalene
Rosalind Stacey, Easthampstead, SS Michael and Mary Magdalene
Philip Watts to serve at Binfield
Tracey Williams to serve at Sunninghill and South Ascot
Graham Williams will be ordained in Reading on Sunday to serve at Reading St Mark and All Saints
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here