To be ordained deacon on Sunday 30 June 2024, at 10:45 in Derby Cathedral

I asked Jesus into every area of my life while at a Christian Camp at Lee Abbey, Devon, when I was 17 years old.

It was a good decision!

What a faithful, loving God we serve!

Over the years, I have been part of several different churches (Pentecostal and Anglican) and have had the privilege to serve in a variety of roles.

I trained as lay minister while serving at Westerham Parish Church, then continued there as ordinand through context-based dispersed ordination training.

This loving church community, in a rural town, are now sending us out.

Life following Jesus is never boring! 

Following a wonderful two-year training based at Trinity College, Bristol, being built up for the next adventure, I am very much looking forward to this unexpected and exciting step.

While on retreat, I sensed the Lord directing us back to an urban setting.

And so, I am delighted to be serving my title as curate at St Peter’s in the City! 

Over many years, I have had a rewarding career as a community paediatrician, working in special schools and neurodevelopmental clinics.

Prior to hanging up my stethoscope in 2021, I specialised in the health of looked-after children.

I also developed a refugee focus, addressing health needs of unaccompanied minors.

I have been involved in local church-based refugee ministry in London and on steering committees of national and European refugee ministry networks.

The dissertation that I am currently undertaking relates to refugee ministry in the CoE.

All this has led to a growing passion for accessibility and inclusion.

I look forward to joining in with all God is doing within the diocese, particularly among those often marginalised.

Enjoying being outdoors, I spend time off with my husband Andrew, family, and friends, walking in the countryside, bird watching, gardening, and working the allotment.

Yes, I have my name down for an allotment in Derby!

We enjoy being hospitable and relish time with our extended family.

Your prayers are greatly appreciated as we set sail for Derby!

Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

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 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

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 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

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 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

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 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

The Revd Nicholas Radford-Powell, Assistant Curate in the Buxton with Burbage and King Sterndale Team Ministry, will transfer his curacy and become Assistant Curate in the Wirksworth Team Ministry on Saturday, 29 June 2024, the day of is priesting at Derby Cathedral.

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 | To be ordained priest on 29 June 2024

The Revd Lisa Price will start in the post as Assistant Curate of Hope, Castleton and Bradwell, Diocese of Derby, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, the day of her priesting at Derby Cathedral.

I have been working with 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. 

Ordained deacon in July 2022 | Ordained priest in July 2023

Hi I'm Cathie. I've lived in various places across the UK but this is my first time living in the Midlands.

I'm from South Wales but I've also lived in Surrey and most recently in Bristol.

Growing up I never would have dreamed of getting ordained.

The only female minister I'd ever seen was Geraldine Granger, the Vicar of Dibley! I thought that because it was a TV programme women vicars were also fictional as I'd only seen men in church leadership roles!

I remember once in the independent church I attended when I was 17 that the son of one of the elders was getting the chance to preach.

As one of the only other young people there I found myself thinking: "Why does he get to share the things God shows him about the Bible with others but I don't just because I'm a girl?"

But I quickly smothered that thought down because I was taught and genuinely believed that girls and women were not allowed to preach or teach if there were men around because it was sinful. 

When I went away to university I saw a couple of women preaching for the first time.

Sadly, this was not an eye opening moment that it wa okay because they were not the most enigmatic preachers!

I thought it must be a sign that God doesn't want women to preach rather than than perhaps those individuals may benefit from extra training!

However, a few months later a friend of mine convinced me to go to the student version of Soul Survivor for the first time.

Here I heard Ali Martin preaching.

She was such a gifted communicator who preached amazing things about Jesus, I couldn't believe it.

But I still wrestled with the fact that proof exists (1 Timothy 2:12) and figured Ali must be an exception, not the rule.

Years later, after I met and married my husband, he was exploring ordination.

He kept telling me that I should be looking tooand used to leave copies of the ordinal around the house for me to read.

One day, when clearing up (a rare occasion!), a copy caught my eye and I decided to read it to see what Aidan was signing himself up for.

As I read it I couldn't understand why the ordinal was just for ordained people - surely all Christians are to live this way?

I said as much to him and to a lecturer at Trinity and they both confirmed separately that no, sadly not all Christians do feel called to this. 

Conversations with God

I started wrestling with God and felt very annoyed at him.

The conversation/prayer went like this:

Me: "God, Why have you made me feel like the ordinal resonates so much and why give me certain gifts that could bless the church and world if I'm not allowed to as a woman!?" 

God: "why do you think it's not okay for you to do these things as a woman?"

Me: "Because the Bible says so." 

God: "Don't you think I know what the Bible says better than you do?"

Me: "Touché." 

God: "Go read and listen to what other Christians who accept women in Christian leadership say the Bible says and then let's talk about this some more." 

Me: "Bit pointless because I already know what it says but okay…" 

That day I found a talk from a previous Soul Survivor festival where Krish Kendiah simply laid out different bible passages side by side which complementarians and egalitarians draw their understanding from.

I had no idea there were so many Bible passages and examples of Jesus' treatment of women that affirmed women in leadership.

As I heard them side by side, I was increasingly gobsmacked.

I distinctly remember that when he read out Galatians 3:28 - "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" - that I felt like a bolt of lightening of understanding go through me from holy spirit.

I wept with inexpressible joy, peace and freedom. I felt God say "I told you so, now I want you to use those gifts and calling for me." 

The road since then has been strange with a mixture of highs and lows.

After completing my time at Trinity College Bristol, having my son during that training, and my husband finishing his curacy in Bristol, I'm so excited to get to serve Jesus in an ordained capacity at St Werburgh's Derby (STW).

I'm looking forward potentially to a Church plant as part of my curacy along with helping university students grow in faith and confidence in the gospel and to show Derby that the gospel is good news for all.

Favourite Bible verse: I don't actually like to pick out individual verses because I think the lack of context can confuse or muddy the meaning! But for the sake of this I'd probably go with Phil. 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Favourite Christian song: I'm going to cheat and use two - Good Good Father by Chris tomlin because I'm always reminded what a good Father God is and Reckless Love by Cory Asbury because I think it's a great proclamation of truth about God's love for us. 

I enjoy spending time outside and connecting with God through the natural world

Ordained deacon in July 2022 | Ordained priest in July 2023

My name is Jo Harbidge and I have just completed two years training at Trinity College Bristol, where I completed a post-graduate diploma in Theology, Ministry and Mission and have begun a research Masters (MTh) in Mission.

I’m currently exploring hospitality as a model for mission and have a particular interest in the church’s response to refugees and asylum seekers.

I will serve my curacy in the parish of St John’s, Walton, close to Chesterfield.

I grew up in St Albans and have had a faith since my earliest days in Sunday school.

As a teenager, this faith developed through trips to the Taizé community in France and Soul Survivor summer festivals and church.

I love connecting with God in different ways and finding out where the Spirit is at work amongst those who know Jesus.

I have sensed a call to serve in the church since my teens but it has been a long journey of gaining experience in different areas to finally bring me to full-time training and ordination.

There hasn’t really been a ‘lightbulb’ moment so much as a steady and growing awareness in those around me, and in myself, that this is where God is asking me to go next.

Prior to training, I worked in mid-Wales, in secondary education, for more than 15 years.

I love learning and helping others to learn, a theme that has continued through my time at college and I hope to be able to help support and inspire others in their learning about God and faith in the future.

I enjoy spending time outside and connecting with God through the natural world.

I like trying to grow things and am excited by how the church can connect with local communities through outdoor activities such as prayer walking, community gardens and allotment spaces.

I’m looking forward to exploring the Peak District and learning more about a beautiful area of the country!

Favourite Bible verse: Acts 2:42-47, where Luke describes the fellowship and devotion of the early believers as the church began to grow.

Favourite hymn: It’s hard to pick a favourite hymn but as someone who has lived in Wales for many years Dyma Gariad (Here is Love) has got to be up there!

I felt that I’d missed out on so many years with God and I want others to have the opportunity

Ordained deacon in July 2022 | Ordained priest in July 2023

Hi, I’m Fiona and I will serve my curacy just south of the city in Sinfin Moor.

I have just finished an amazing three years studying a BA in Theology, Ministry and Mission at St. Mellitus College, East Midlands and The Good Shepherd, Loughborough.

Although I spent my childhood attending church I didn’t come to faith until my mid-thirties, through an Alpha course.

I have had a passion for mission from the outset because I felt that I’d missed out on so many years with God and I wanted others to have the opportunity to know God’s story and to be able to choose to follow Him.

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood." (John 1:14) This verse is my inspiration to share my faith in my neighbourhood and encourage others to do the same so I’m thrilled to be serving my curacy in a pioneering setting on a new housing estate in Sinfin Moor, working to build community amongst those who come to live and work there.

I am creative at heart having studied Jewellery and Silversmithing at art college and having used my creativity later as a primary school teacher and then as children's and families leader in my sending church.

I move to Derby with my husband, Martin, and our two daughters, Alice, (21) who is at Leeds University and Rosie, (18) who will be heading off to university this autumn.

We are looking forward to the adventures and opportunities that God has for us in this new place and with these new people.

Favourite Bible verse: John 1:14 (The Message) “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.”

Favourite hymn: I have a vast range of taste musically (my CD collection has from Abba to Stormzy in it!) - my two favourite hymns/songs are also on different ends of the spectrum: “Be Thou my Vision” and “Oceans” by Hillsong.