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Bruce Johnson: ordained priest, 29 June 2019
Bruce Johnson, a former IT project consultant, joined the Diocese of Derby as an assistant curate following his Petertide ordination on 1 July 2018. He is currently serving the parishes of Heanor, Langley Mill, Aldercar and Marlpool.
He trained part time for ordination, firstly with Lancashire and Cumbria Theological Partnership and then with All Saints Centre for Mission and Ministry, whilst undertaking roles in the Netherlands and the UK.
Bruce said: "Working and studying part time is not an easy option but, like many, we are proof that it can be done!"
He would be the first to admit that his journey to ordination wasn't entirely easy, but was definitely rewarding: "It has led me to many interesting places and through a great deal of varied and different experiences that I certainly wouldn’t have expected to ever go through.
"Reflecting upon these, both at the time and in retrospect, I can clearly see God’s hand guiding me throughout and, as a result, my vocation has developed.
"As I continue on my vocational journey I am very much looking forward to this next challenging but very exciting new phase of ministry and life.
"I am enjoying meeting my new communities and having the opportunity to share God’s love and sacraments with everyone I meet."
Hearing God's call
Like many, Bruce can't put his finger on 'the moment' he felt the call to ordination, but rembers clearly two significant incidents that left him in no doubt it was the right way to go: "The first was my first week at university when, aged around 18, I began to see with increasing clarity that the gifts God had given me were able to help others around me grow in faith and knowledge.
"The second was perhaps the most poignant; whilst working in Romania I had the opportunity to be involved in helping various communities grow both through physical action and also the support of the sacraments.
"For me the centrality of the sacraments, whether it be the Mass/Holy Communion/Eucharist/Lords Supper/ Breaking of the Bread or the other sacred sacraments, is principle to my calling and therefore very important to my spiritual life.
"Being able to partake in these, leading and walking with others is a central element in my life.
"Time and time again it has been confirmed to me that I am following God’s pathway and I am really looking forward to getting to know more about Derbyshire, the diversity of the districts and the people who make this county their own.
"I am sure I will soon get to know more of this vibrant county, the fabulous Christians who are active in their communities and the wonderful explorations and expressions of faith which I know are being constantly blessed here."
So would he recommend others to follow their calling? Of that he has no doubt: "God calls each of us to be ourselves firstly but to also allow those in the vocational exploration process to help and support us in determining what that call may be.
"It may take some time but if you feel called, trust in God and, with the help of the vocations team, allow yourself to explore what he is calling you to be."
Bruce is married to Sarah and has three grown-up children and one grandchild; some of whom live locally.
Bruce said: "Prior to moving house in June, we lived near Lancaster in a very rural setting. We now live in Ripley; a very different community setting - but everyone has made us feel extremely welcome."
See also: Explore your calling with us
Favourite hymns:
‘Will your anchor hold?’ and ‘Longing for light, Christ be our light’, both having very specific lyrics which mean a lot for Bruce in his ministry today
Favourite Bible passage:
Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11 - ‘For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope’
Favourite prayers include:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.
O Master, let me not seek as much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that one receives,
it is in self-forgetting that one finds,
it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life. Amen
St. Francis of Assisi
Children and groups across the Diocese have received their Bishop's Badge awards from Bishop Alastair and Bishop Jan.
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The Diocese of Derby paid tribute to Bishop Alastair and wished him and his wife, Caroline, a fond farewell at a service at Derby Cathedral on Saturday.
Enjoy some of the pictures from the service - and see lots more on Flickr!
The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has paid tribute to The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby, who retires at the end of August after 13 years in the Diocese.
Bishop Alastair has ordained eight new deacons in Derby Cathedral.
Around 5,000 clay figures, depicting players and spectators of Ashbourne’s Shrovetide football game, have gone on display in St Oswald’s church in the town.
Video courtesy of BBC East Midlands Today
Drivers are being encouraged to join an unprecedented national information-gathering campaign launched by the Church of England and the Catholic Church in England and Wales aimed at eradicating modern slavery in hand car washes.
When it comes to getting married, not every bride can tie the knot in their first choice of church. One lucky bride who did is Kelly Hewitt.
What do we mean by vocations?
Vocation is a difficult word. It can sound to many of us like a long-term professional undertaking of several years’ duration. And for those who wish to pursue ordination, a long term commitment is certainly required. But vocations can also have a different shape if we think of them as gifts or calling.
See the helpful helpful video above - from The Fund for Theological Education
Vocations, gifts and calling
We all possess some God-given gifts. But often we don’t fully recognise how gifted we are because these gifts have been with us for a long time and it is easy to take them for granted. Or they may have been hidden in the shadows for some time. But there is in all of us something that people recognise and come to us for. And their desire to do this is acknowledgement that we have something special that they don’t see in others. In other words, they recognise our gifts.
Our unique self
The wonder of being human is our unique quality. Our unique make up comes from a combination of many factors, some that are given at birth and the rest from our life experiences, education, and the skills and gifts that we gain and develop on the spiritual journey. We are all one-offs. And therefore by the same token we all have a unique gift to offer to God.
There are a myriad of gifts and callings in the midst of all churches. We may be a practical person, good with our hands, who can get on and make and fix things. There are those with great organisational skills, whom we all turn to when an event needs arranging. There are leaders, speakers, teachers, the artistic who make the music, write, provide the artwork in the church. These are but a small sample of the commonly found gifts within most churches in addition to the more spiritually orientated gifts.
However, it’s not always easy to recognise our individual gifts until we sit down and give this some thought. And then we may find it acknowledging the real gifts that God has given us and then take these further, developing and applying them in our spiritual walk.
‘Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms’. 1 Peter 4:10
Age is no barrier
And it doesn’t matter how old you are. From young person to retired, we all have gifts to offer and can all serve. It is always good to remember that the Lord has no arms and legs in this world other than ours.
Discernment
How can we discern these gifts? And how can we use them for God? After all, there are many ways. Some will be called to ordained ministry in one of its forms; some to lay ministry as a reader. For others, there will be lay roles within the church. Or others may be called to God’s work in their daily lives. What you do already may be your vocation. John van Sloten states, ‘There is no job so boring that it would disinterest God, because there is no person whom God does not love and see.’
There are a number of options available if you feel drawn to explore the subject of your gifts and calling.
1) The first stage is to give it in prayer. Here is a simple prayer to start the process:
‘Lord, help me to understand more clearly my gifts and calling. Bring the right people and situations to me to guide me in discerning a way forward. Amen.’
2) Talk it over with others. Discernment is not a solitary process. Talk with a trusted friend, a prayer partner or spiritual accompanier if you have one, or talk with your priest. This will help to give you some idea of a general direction.
3) What are your strengths, passions and gifts? Ask yourself this question and gain the opinion of those you know. There are likely to be clues here.
4) Push doors. See what happens as you move forward with certain ideas. ‘Have a go!’
5) Keep a journal of what you are noticing.
6) Recognise that discernment is a personal and individual business. There is no foolproof process and sometimes the unexpected can be a part of the discernment journey.
The Vocations Team
The diocese has a vocations team there to assist individuals to discern their vocation and discover what that means for you.
There are Exploration Days and other relevant courses that are held from time to time in the diocese for those wishing to proceed further.
Also, check out the Church of England website on vocations for further information: churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations
Introductory books on vocation and calling
Called or Collared – An Alternative Approach to Vocation – Francis Dewar (SPCK, 2000)
God of Surprises – Gerard W Hughes (Darton Longman and Todd Ltd, 2008)
How to Find Your Vocation – A Guide to Discovering the Work You Love – John Adair (Canterbury Press, 2002)
The Person Called You – Bill Hendricks (Moody Publishers, 2014)
Every Job a Parable – John van Sloten (Hodder and Stoughton, 2017)
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