Vocations Southwell and Nottingham Diocese

16/10/2023

12/10/2023

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Ps5.3

How we choose to pray and the attitude of expectancy we bring can really change how we grow as disciples of Christ. The psalmist encourages us to start each day remembering the lord and laying out our day before him.

04/10/2023

Just at the end of 24 hours away with reflecting on raising young vocations.

Key take home is that young people are geniuses! Amen to that.

Good to be away with people passionate about seeing people using their gifts and all God has made them to be to see Gods kingdom come.

27/09/2023

“In the intimacy of the moment, I welcomed Jesus into my life.”

So encouraging reading this story of a life transformed by the love of Jesus. Claud is also now training to be a Vicar thanks to the Peter Stream college hoping the change in his life can change others.

The Peter Stream exists to redress the most significant under representation in ordained leadership in the Church of England - ethnic, social, educational.

To find out more head to stMellitus.ac.uk or drop us a message.

21/09/2023

At lunchtime some of the clergy from Nottingham got together (it’s called a Deanery chapter in churchy speak) and were hosted by the coordinating chaplain at the uni of Nottingham (I totally forget to get a photo whilst at chapel).

Anyway, it was fascinating to hear his passion for being a Christian presence in the heart of this great learning establishment.

Chaplaincy is a vital role in many spheres of influence. God has a call for each of us. Where is he calling you to serve?

08/09/2023

Every other month our curate cohort gathers at the bishops manor for teaching, reflection, worship, fellowship and food. It is always an inspiring time to be together and to hear what God is doing in different contexts across the Diocese.

It was great to return to the new academic year by gathering yesterday and being inspired by Bishop Andy as we thought together about inspiring worship in our contexts and traditions.

07/09/2023

Called to Serve is a new, fully-online course designed to allow you space and provide you will resource to empower you to hear God’s call on your life. You may be thinking about where God is calling you to serve in your church, workplace or community. It may be a calling to licensed ministry, orda...

09/06/2023

Next in our series to celebrate our Deacon and Candidates, we introduce Deacon Candidate Liz Mack.

“As a young child, I was a Jehovah’s Witness, and then from around 8, I had no faith until I was 40. I spent most of my life not knowing anything about God, I used to think that religion meant following rules and being excluded “As a young child, I was a Jehovah’s Witness, and then from around 8, I had no faith until I was 40. I spent most of my life not knowing anything about God, I used to think that religion meant following rules and being excluded if you didn’t.”

Liz was cynical about faith until her mum and brother became Christians. She attended an Alpha course reluctantly to find out why.

“Even from the first session the people leading the course made a huge impression on me, as I slowly realised what faith and a faith community could be. After an experience of the Holy Spirit on the course, I started going to the church where my vocational journey was shaped and teased out.

I tried, and failed, in all sorts of things, but did find a deep home in prayer and musical worship, and developed a passion for discipling people and drawing out what God is doing in them.

My vicar, Andrew, asked me if I had considered ordination about 2 years after I became a Christian, to which I think I laughed! I had been through a difficult divorce and was bringing up my twins on my own whilst working long hours in our family business - which I never thought I would leave.

He, and others, saw something in me that I didn’t see, and as I got involved in every aspect of church and ministry, I didn’t realise that God was shaping me in leadership outside of secular work; He was in fact using all the things I had learnt in that life to shape who I would become.

My training has further deepened my call to lead people in the church and reach out to those without a faith like I was for so long, using all my work and life experiences.

In the future, I am excited about moving to a new place and seeing what God is doing in that community, and being able to work with my Training Incumbent Revd Becky Hancock to support and encourage her in what she is already doing in the Benefice. I am looking forward to discipling people whilst seeing them deepen their relationship with God, and spending time with a new community with whom I can come alongside and share the brilliant news of Jesus.”

Liz will serve her title in the River Idle Benefice.

07/06/2023

In the first of our series to celebrate our Deacon and Candidates, we introduce Deacon Candidate Dan Bishop.

“I grew up in a clergy house, and I've known Jesus my whole life. I was always involved with my church, helping out with music and working with children and youth during my teenage years. This led me to pursue a degree in Christian Youth Work at university.”

He shares how his faith was shaped by his upbringing, but flourished once he went to university.

“It was there that I had the chance to explore my faith beyond my parents' church. During that time, I got involved with various churches and the university’s Christian Union, which allowed me to discover the vibrant diversity within the church today.

After university, I landed jobs as a lay-chaplain in two different high schools. It was during this period that I had the opportunity to delve into what God was calling me to do and where I was meant to be.

As I navigated the joys and challenges of ministry and received encouragement to pursue ordained ministry from those around me, I cautiously considered the possibility. I discussed it with my vocation advisor, and gradually, I began to really realise the call from God.

I have no clue what will happen in the future, but the thought of it genuinely excites me. It's one of the countless joys of ministry—when God calls, you respond and take the leap. I have zero idea where my ministry will take me, but knowing that God has a plan for me and having my family by my side providing support brings immense comfort in the midst of all the uncertainty.”

Dan will serve his title at Woven St Margaret's, Aspley.



Woven Church wovenstmargs

05/04/2023

During Holy Week the Bishop always gathers together the ordinands in the Diocese to spend some time in worship and to reflect on vocations.

Here is this years cohort in the glorious Southwell sun.

Being together is always encouraging and makes us think about how and where God might be calling any of us in our walk with Jesus.

13/01/2023

At our East Midlands centre we host both full-time and part-time students studying towards ordination, on the Caleb and Peter Streams, or a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate theology, ministry & mission programmes.

Find out more about what we offer stmellitus.ac.uk/centres/east-midlands