Eight new priests and six new deacons have been ordained by the Rt Revd Libby Lane, Bishop of Derby, assisted by the Rt revd Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton. The special Petertide services took place in Derby Cathedral.

Ordination services are a time to celebrate and welcome new deacons (those to be given the title Reverend) and priests (deacons who have been training under an incumbent for a year) into the diocese.

With support of family and friends, the new deacons and priests were presented to Bishop Libby and made their declarations.

Welcoming those in the cathedral, Bishop Libby said: "Ordination is a significant moment for those who are called by God to these roles, and it is the start of the next phase of their journey.

"It is also significant for all of us who are here and we must uphold and encourage them in their ministry and pray for them."

The new deacons are:

Josephine Chamings, to serve in the Benefice of Brampton St Thomas and Brampton St Mark,

Peter Dale, to serve in the Benefice of Mackworth St Francis,

Emma Mallord, to serve in the Benefice of Littleover St Peter and Blagreaves,

Clare Owen, to serve in the Benefice of Mickleover and the Parish of Radbourne,

Lisa Price, to serve in the White Peak Group and Yougreave, Middleton, Stanton-in-Peak and Birchover,

Nicholas Radford-Powell, to serve in the Benefice of Buxton with Burbage and King Sterndale.

>> See photos from the service of the Ordination of Deacons.

The new priests are:

Fiona Barber, to serve in the Benefice of Sinfin Moor,

Elliot George, to serve in the Benefice of Dronfield with Holmesfield,

Josephine Harbidge, to servein the Benefice of Walton St John,

Sam Mackie, to serve in the Benefice of Swadlincote and Hartshorne, the Benefice of Newhall and the Benefice of Gresley,

Fay Price, to serve in the Benefice of Derby St Alkmund and St Werburgh,

Rhiannon Singleton, to serve in the Benefice of Dinting Vale, and the Glossopdale Mission Community,

Lisa Taylor, to serve in the Benefice of Hulland, Atlow, Kniveton, Bradley and Hognaston,

Cathie Watson, to serve in the St Werburgh Derby Mission Initiative.

>> See photos from the service of the Ordination of Priests.

You can find out more about the new deacons below.

Ordinands 2023 - Clare Owen

Former teacher Clare is a self-confessed history geek and also keen to explore faith in families and schools. See More

Ordinands 2023: Peter Dale

Peter felt called to be a church leader when he was just a teenager. He will serve at St Francis, Mackworth. See More

Ordinands 2023: Emma Mallord

Emma, who will serve in Littleover and Blagreaves, is passionate about church planting and new ways of being church. See More

Ordinands 2023: Josie Chamings

Josie is passionate about diversity in the church and will serve her curacy in Chesterfield. See More

Ordinands 2023: Nicholas Radford-Powell

Meet Nicholas, who will serve his curacy in the Buxton area, following his ordination on 2 July. See More

Ordinands 2023: Lisa Price

Lisa will serve in the Benefice of the White Peak Group and the benefice of Youlgreave, Middleton, Stanton in Peak and Birchover. See More

• 1

Bishop Libby has ordained six new deacons at a special service at Derby Cathedral.

>> See the pictures here

Bishop Libby has ordained eight new priests at a special service at Derby Cathedral.

 >> See the pictures from the service

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

Hello everyone,

I am excited to be joining the churches of All Saints, and St John the Evangelist, Mickleover, and the church of St Andrew Radbourne to serve my curacy.

I am originally from Bedfordshire, but before beginning training for ordained ministry, I was a secondary school history teacher, and head of department, in Derbyshire for more than a decade.

I completed my training for ordination at the wonderful Westcott House, Cambridge, but am greatly looking forward to being back in Derbyshire.

My journey to faith was a long one, fully coming to faith as an adult.

I have very much enjoyed my time at Westcott studying theology, which has deepened my faith even further. I have loved the opportunity of experiencing different styles of worship in Cambridge and have developed a deep love of choral evensong during my time at Selwyn Chapel. With the help of the wonderful Director of Music and choir of Selwyn College, I have even managed to overcome my fear of singing.

I am particularly interested in ecumenical work, and a particular pleasure over the past two years has been studying alongside students from other denominations.

I remain a history geek at heart, and I have developed an interest in medieval mysticism and church history. I also cannot resist the lure of local museums and historical sites.

At heart I will always remain a teacher and I am looking forward to exploring faith with families, and when I can, discussing faith in schools.

To relax, I enjoy cooking of all kinds, but particularly sugar craft. I love to walk or visit gardens, and enjoy various different crafts, including embroidery and painting. I particularly enjoy reading historical novels and biographies.

I am looking forward to getting to know everyone in my new parish, discussing faith, life, history, and finding good places to walk and explore in Derbyshire.

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

I’m excited to be moving to Derby to join in with what God is doing there. I’ll be moving with my wife, Rachel, and two boys, Simeon (4) and Felix (2). 

I felt called to church leadership soon after becoming a Christian as a teenager in my local parish church. I started leading things in the church and then when I turned 18, I took the next logical step… I went to study chemistry!

The sense of call remained in the background though and I had a bit of time to grow up (and I also got married). After a while I began exploring my call to ordained ministry with the encouragement of people around me, thankfulness for the gifts God has given me, and my excitement at seeing people transformed by the gospel of God’s grace.

After a less than succesful BAP (selection conference) I got a job managing a local Christian charity in Colchester, where we were living at the time.

The charity ran a drop-in centre supporting vulnerable people struggling with all kinds of things but especially mental illness, homelessness, and addictions.

Alongside this we had a Sunday service in the city centre Baptist church, and it was my privilege to pastor that precious and thoroughly chaotic group of people.

God taught me a lot and I saw him do incredible things.

After another BAP (more succesful this time) I have had three great years in Cambridge studying at the wonderful Ridley Hall.

Following five years in full-time ministry, it has been a welcome opportunity to step back, read, learn, and think deeply. I’ve also benefitted from being on the pioneer training pathway and I’m excited about seeing God bring new forms and expressions of church to life.

As a family we’re excited to be moving to Derby where my wife grew up and where we’ll be close to her parents.

We’re also looking forward to being able to climb hills again (Cambridge doesn’t have any).

Most of all we feel called to be part of the church family at St Francis in Mackworth. I’m excited to learn, serve and lead in that community.

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

Hi, I’m Emma and I will be serving my curacy at St Peter's, Littleover with Blagreaves.

I grew up in a Christian family so have always known Jesus and had a faith.

This has been further strengthened and confirmed within me through different experiences over the years, so that it has become vital to me, and I am passionate and excited to share this faith with others.

I have just finished two years studying with St Mellitus College East Midlands in Nottingham. Here I have completed a degree in Theology, Ministry, and Mission, having completed the first year with All Saints college and he Diocese of Derby before going to BAP.

I have loved learning, and discussing ideas and concepts with others, but not the essays so much!

I feel called to ordination as I believe God has called me to serve his church.

When I was younger, I had a few years away from church and a period where I was angry with God. But when I resolved this and returned to him, I was filled with such a passion and love for the church; a passion to see people’s lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and to see the church grow and thrive.

I am always disappointed to hear stories of church decline, and of churches being closed, and I long to see this being turned around, and for the church in this country to be renewed. As part of this I am very keen on church planting and new ways of being church that are relevant and engaging.

I moved to Derby in 2017 as part of the team planting a new congregation into St Werburgh’s church in the city centre. I was the Operations Manager here for four years before leaving to train for ordination.

For my placement church as an ordinand, I joined the team who moved from St Werburgh’s to St Francis in Mackworth, to revitalize that church, and to work with the existing congregation.

I am single, and I enjoy reading, going to the cinema, and meals with friends.

I also love visiting National Trust places, so Derby is a great location for exploring from.

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

I felt called to ordination when I was 21 in my final year at university studying neuroscience.

At the time I’d hoped to become a psychiatrist or do research to help enable people to become the fullest versions of themselves they could.

Becoming a priest very much felt like an extension of the hope I’d always had for my life: to see people flourish.

I’m particularly passionate about diversity in the church and seeing people who think differently and have had different experiences of life come together in community.

I’d love to see more of those not currently represented in church leadership supported to offer the gift of who they are. 

My husband Jack and I are both from North Devon but have been involved in church planting in the midlands in recent years before my training for ordination at Trinity College Bristol.

I’m very excited to begin ordained ministry in Chesterfield at St Thomas Brampton.

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

Hello to you all!

I’m Nicholas, the soon-to-be curate of the Benefice of Buxton with Burbage and King Sterndale.

I grew up by the coast in the West Country but have spent the last eight years living in Northamptonshire. Since September 2020 I have been studying and training for the ordained ministry at St Mellitus College (East Midlands centre) in Nottingham following a contextual training pathway, which has seen me spend three days a week working in a parish in Wellingborough, and three days a week studying.

My journey to ordination started in 2006 when I spoke with a vicar about having a feeling of being called to something.

I wasn’t sure what I was called to, but he seemed sure that it was ordination.

I decided he was wrong and spent some time doing youth work and trying to avoid any talk of ordination.

To my surprise people asked me if I’d considered being ordained in various places and situations. When working for a wholesaler in Exeter, when attending a church service whilst on holiday in Cornwall, or chatting with a stranger during breakfast in Wetherspoon’s… It seems that there is no hiding from God and his call!

I came to faith in a non-denominational church and have journeyed with the Church of England through its various traditions.

I believe that God calls each of us in our diversity to serve in many and varied ways, and that a part of my ministry is to encourage, enable, and empower others in their calling.

I will be moving to Derbyshire with my partner, Michael, and we look forward to exploring the Peak District together.

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

I am excited to be joining Revd Adele Barker as Assistant Curate in the benefice of the White Peak Group and the benefice of Youlgreave, Middleton, Stanton in Peak and Birchover. 

I am married to Guy, and we have 3 adult children, a daughter-in-law who is also a curate in Doncaster, a soon to be daughter-in-law and a very well-loved and spoilt 10-year-old sprocker spaniel. We are also expecting out first grandchild in the autumn so have much to look forward to. 

Before sensing that God was calling me to ordained ministry in the Church of England, we lived in Taunton, Somerset where I worked as Director of People for a hospice.

Before this we lived in Castle Donington so in many ways are returning to a familiar and well-loved part of the country. During our time in Taunton, we were part of a large and lively village church on the edge of the town.

For the last two years, I have been studying full-time for the Diploma in Theology, Ministry and Mission at Trinity College in Bristol, where I have also played an active part in two wonderful and very different church communities in Clifton. 

Ordination was not something I had considered for myself - I had been praying for some time that God would show me where he wanted me to be for the next stage of my life, and about ive years ago I experienced a distinctive answer to those prayers when I had a strong sense, a sort of ‘settled knowing’, that God was directing me to consider ordained ministry in the Church of England. The two-year discernment process was a wonderful time of deepening my faith and knowledge of myself and our faithful God.

I am so excited about learning from and serving the people in the White Peak and Youlgrave Benefices - I love being outdoors; walking, off-road running and cycling are some of my favourite things to do so I’m very much looking forward to exploring the wonderful hills and countryside of the Peaks and catching up with old and not-so-old friends who live nearby. 

We love all the creative and different ways churches are engaging with their parishes and beyond.

Our vision is The Kingdom of God, Good News for All and it's great to see how so many churches in the Diocese of Derby are sharing stories of their success in achieving transformed lives through growing church and building community.

Here are a few that have caught our eye recently: