On Saturday 3 May, 12 new people will be admitted to the office of Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) at a special service at Derby Cathedral. 

Licensed Lay Ministers are volunteers who are called and theologically trained to teach, lead, and equip the church for mission. They are people from a variety of backgrounds, occupations, and contexts who have heard God's call. They work collaboratively with clergy as fellow ministers with complementary gifts and callings.

We asked each of them to tell us a little about themselves and their journey to ministry.

Patience Atkinson-Gregory

To be licensed to: Benefice of Belper

When I joined the discipleship course at the beginning of 2022, I was considering taking early retirement from my work in a family business.  I felt the course would help me to further develop my own relationship with God and be a good opportunity to develop my theological knowledge. 

Towards the end of the course, we were asked if we would like to transfer to the LLM (Readers) course. I found myself saying yes and feeling comfortable with the decision (which I think is always a good sign).

Throughout the course I have felt a calling to serve and feel particularly drawn to pastoral roles.  I have a particular passion and desire to work with older people, supporting and encouraging them on their own spiritual journey. 

Rachel Bond

To be licensed to: Benefice of Mackworth St Francis

For as long as I can remember I have been a reluctant leader! I became a follower of Jesus when I was 14, having met some Christians through friends at school. As young adults my (now) husband and I led the 14-18s and then the 18-30s in our church which was so much fun and we saw many people give their lives to Christ. Alongside these leadership roles in church, I worked for 4 years at Sport England and then 7 years at a Bank in central London, places where I enjoyed the work but even more so sharing Jesus in the work place. I then gave up work to take some time out to have my 2 children. 

Fast forward to now and I have completed the Licensed Lay Ministry course following some encouragement after I’d preached at church one Sunday. I was asked where I’d trained and I said I hadn’t! Training for leadership was not something I’d ever considered as I just didn’t feel capable and was rather reluctant. But I also had to recognise that God has given me gifts to use and so I should follow his calling. It is such a privilege to walk alongside people and so exciting when people choose to give their lives to Jesus, the most important decision anyone, anywhere can ever make! That is the whole reason I find myself standing where I am today.

Meri Braziel

To be licensed to: Benefice of Foremark and Repton with Newton Solney and Benefice of Willington

As a child I was raised as a Baptist in Texas and then baptised as a Presbyterian in Pittsburgh in my early twenties.  Moving to London in the late nineties, I was fortunate to be introduced to the Church of England and the Alpha programme at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB). 

My family and I moved from London to Repton in 2013 and began attending St. Wystan’s. I started helping with Messy Church and then felt moved to start Youth Alpha. We have been running it for almost five years and it continues to thrive.

Two years ago, I felt called to do the lay reader training as I had wonderful role models in fellow lay readers, Ruth Attwood and Stephen Longden. Some of the highlights of my ministry thus far has been my involvement with the All Age Worship Services and Bible Study at St. Michael’s-Willington in our Benefice. 

Linda Clark

To be licensed to: Benefice of Belper

During the Everyday Faith module, we looked at our faith journeys and asked ourselves the question, ‘Do I have a calling and can we have more than one calling during our lives?’

I reflected that my work in the NHS, caring for and rehabilitating the sick in both physical and mental health settings was very much part of my journey and was a calling to be Jesus’ hands and feet in our local community. I also reflected on what I was being called to do with my time now, as that role had come to an end.

I had been involved in children’s work and teaching in our parish for many years and in helping the team delivering All Age Worship and Café Style worship in our Church. As I retired, I was encouraged to become involved in a new Messy Church and to help in the Parish Little Church. 

 As I became more involved in church services and parish work, the course was an invaluable resource to enable me to explore my own faith more and to be equipped to share it more effectively with others. I have learned a great deal not only from the study but also from the people I have studied alongside.  As a result of continuous reflection on my calling and advice, I transferred from the Certificate to the Lay Readership training.

Although my experience has been with older adults in work and with children within the church setting, I increasingly feel called to support families and the local community as a whole. It is not just about the child who attends Sunday Club or Toddler group, it’s also about the Grandparent who brings them along or the whole family who attend Messy Church. They should all experience and encounter God’s welcome. I am looking forward to seeing what God’s plan is for the future of our parish and how I can be part of that service.

Ann Cooper

To be licensed to: Benefice of Chesterfield Holy Trinity and Christ Church

I have been connected to Holy Trinity Church for many years; it’s the church my parents attended, the one in which I was married and where my own children attended Sunday school and youth groups. I have played the organ there for almost 45 years, having started as a ‘temporary measure’ in 1980 (even as I write I can hardly believe it’s been that long!), and have been involved in children’s holiday clubs and family services over the years; 30 years’ experience as a primary school teacher certainly helped. Stepping out into ‘adult’ services is more daunting, however, but the vicar and congregation have given me great support and encouragement. I’m excited to be licensed as a lay minister, and look forward to serving the church and community in the parish. I’m sure that God has great things in store for us!

Karen Cowgill

To be licensed to: Benefice of Mickleover and Radbourne

God’s time is not human time, and we should always trust that He has all things in hand!

This statement probably sums up the most important thing I have learnt during the LLM training process. I first felt called to be a Lay Reader eleven years ago but events conspired against me to prevent anything coming of it. I felt I was letting myself, my family and most importantly, God, down. My faith was not strong enough at that time to realise God had everything in hand. It took a pandemic and a change of Church for me to be in the right place to begin my learning journey. 

Everything has worked out well, I am worshiping in a fabulous parish with a loving and supportive congregation, without whom I could never have completed the training. At times it has been tough and I have questioned my ability to finish. God and my friends at Mickleover Anglicans have encouraged me every step of the way and turned up to support me with every task and assignment. I have also had the privilege to train with a wonderful cohort of students. This is not the end of my journey but the beginning of a new chapter.

Helen Hodgson

To be licensed to: Benefice of Belper

I have attended church for as long as I can remember.  At 12 I was confirmed but, looking back, I didn’t fully understand what I was committing to.  It happened because that was the ‘normal’ progression and expectation for the young people at church.  Church became part of my life and weekly routine.

Fast forward to 2007.  As a family we attended New Wine at Newark Showground.  We all loved it!  The worship, the children’s work, the atmosphere was all amazing and that is when I truly felt that the Holy Spirit was at work in me.  I felt a renewing and deeper understanding of what my faith was all about.

I have been part of all-age services for a number of years and enjoy the challenge of finding different ways for people to explore scripture.  It is through this ministry that I was encouraged to begin studying and training for lay ministry. 

I have learnt so much during the course, especially about myself and my faith.  I am looking forward to seeing what God has in His plan for my future – in my family, in my ministry, and in my work as a teaching assistant.

Annette Lowe

To be licensed to: Benefice of Matlock, Dethick, Lea and Holloway

When, three years ago, I began to ask what should I do next, I had not thought that it might be training as a Reader. However, when chatting with our rector, he suggested I think about, and after prayer, thought and talking with friends I enrolled on the course.

The training was challenging, interesting and enjoyable. It introduced me to many new ideas, experiences and people and opened my mind and heart to different approaches and ideas.

I am excited to continue learning and pray that my relationship with God, with those whose faith I share and with those whose faith is different will also develop and be fruitful.

Anna Mann

To be licensed to: St Werburgh's Derby Bishop's Mission Order

I've been exploring my call over the past few years as I've been part of helping with a church plant for the past 7 years.  We moved to Derby in 2017 to plant St Werburgh's - the church had been closed for over 30 years and derelict and we reopened in September 2017. 

My husband is the vicar there so we have been working out what it means for me to be involved in serving and leading within the church.  As I've started to preach and lead services more regularly exploring LLM seemed a wise option. 

As I've completed the training I've found that the input has helped me prepare for this different role and that the accountability the role provides will help in my setting as well as give clarity around my role and part that I can play in the church. 

James Rollin

To be licensed to: Benefice of Duffield and Little Eaton

I grew up in a Christian home and as such my Christian journey doesn’t feature a dramatic “road to Damascus” moment of conversion. Rather it has been one of spiritual learning & development over the years, since I first made a personal commitment to follow Jesus at the age of 11, at a Billy Graham ‘Mission England’ crusade in Sheffield, during summer 1985.

After graduating from university, I spent almost 20 years working in various communications roles within the railway industry, before a change in career circumstances led me to initially volunteer as Churchwarden and subsequently start working full-time for St Alkmund’s church Duffield in late 2019.

Over the past five years working for my church and the past two years undertaking the Lay Reader training, I have led and preached at Sunday services and supported a range of other ministries across the life of our church and benefice, as part of my journey of ministry discernment. 

What I am most excited about for my ministry is the opportunity to faithfully preach and teach God’s Word, the Bible, to others and to share the ‘good news’; the great salvation hope of the Gospel. I am also excited about helping other Christians to develop and grow in their faith and discipleship, through sharing fellowship, praying and learning together from God’s word.

Aileen Warneford

To be licensed to: Buxton with Burbage and King Sterndale

I came from an evangelical background with a strong emphasis on knowledge of the Bible. When I was twelve years old, I read the whole Bible, word for word, all the way through. I would not recommend this to any Reader in Training today, but I have always had a love of Scripture and I enjoy sharing this with others, either in discussion, guided reflection, or preaching. 

I was delighted to find myself on the Ministry Course and find out how the Word of God is put into action through the ministries offered in the Diocese. It was good to find a variety of lenses and the different ways in which outreach can happen.

I am excited about becoming a part of this, developing liturgical skills and practical application so that others will be aware of the love of God and the fullness of life he wants them to have. I see this as a small offering for all I have received myself.

Margaret Wilson

To be licensed to: The Benefice of Charlesworth and Gamesley

My journey towards licencing feels as though it has taken a number of years to get going. But through the encouragement and prayers of friends I started the course, which has been amazing. I have learnt a lot about both God and myself and met some truly lovely people along the way.

Unlike a lot of people on the course, I have no particular ministry in mind at the moment, which is a little daunting, as God could take me anywhere. But also extremely excited to see where He is going to take me next as I start this new adventure with him.