More than 40 new lay ministers are now ready to serve churches across Sussex

The Bishop of Lewes, Will Hazlewood, led a special service at Chichester Cathedral on Saturday April 29 April at 2pm to commission the 43 new Lay Ministers from churches across Sussex.

The Revd Jayne Prestwood, Officer for Lay Vocation and Ministry in the Diocese of Chichester, runs the training programme and welcomed them all to their new roles. She said: “It is wonderful to welcome another large cohort of Authorised Lay Ministers who will be exercising different ministries across the diocese.”

Authorised Lay Ministry is recognised across the Church of England as a vibrant and growing expression of lay ministry. The Diocese continues to expand its ALM training programme to provide flexible and affordable skills-based training in a variety of different ministries.

ALM training is a one-year programme and candidates can choose various areas of work: children's, pastoral, youth, family or community ministry as well as worship and liturgy, mission-enabling, or ministry in the workplace.

Newly commissioned Ian Tout, a worshipper at St Peter's Sompting (Parish of South Lancing and Sompting) found the Authorised Lay Ministry (ALM) course to be an engaging and affirming experience

He said: "As individuals from parishes, we came together to receive training in our chosen electives. Certainly on the worship and liturgy elective we came with our own experiences, pre-conceived ideas and knowledge of our own traditions and were challenged to speak and work together in practical exercises to further our understanding of liturgy and worship in Christ’s church today. We learned from each other and all grew together as we were able to develop our gifts in preparation for our new ministries.

"The commissioning service was a wonderfully uplifting occasion with well-chosen and appropriate hymns and readings which made it a very special event affirming our ministry. It was good to meet up with new friends that we had all made during the course of our training."

Please pray for all our candidates as they start this new ministry.

The names of those commissioned and the parish they currently serve in.

Charles Jardine All Saints in Herstmonceux and St Mary Magdalene in Wartling

Gaynor Deal St Augustine's Scaynes Hill

Maria Brett St Augustine's Scaynes Hill

Patsy Bailey St Mary Newick

Sue Jenner St Ethelburga Church, St Leonards

Austen Hindman St Mark's Church, Holbrook

Matt Thorpe St Symphorian

Rachel Russell Christ Church Ore / St. Helen’s Ore Hastings

Dorrie Langler Chanctonbury Church

Helen Winning Holy Trinity Hurst Green

Iris Collins Ashington

Jill Kerney Sompting & South Lancing

Jo Willis Chanctonbury Church

Mary Thurston Mary’s and St Peters Hampden

Rod Ewen Chanctonbury Church

Sally Scott Ralphs St John's, Meads

Sarah Binney Chanctonbury Church

Sarah Collison Chanctonbury Church

Sue Jenner St Ethelburga Church, St Leonards

Trevor Amey St Mary the Virgin, Willingdon

Karen Park St Mark’s Holbrook

Beverley Boylan St John Tidebrook

Chris Tanner St Mary’s, Slindon (Slindon, Eartham & Madehurst)

Claire Ralf St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering

Den Mackey St Michael and All Angels

Gladys Masvosva St Mary's Church, Kemp Town

Hannah Holloway St Mary Pulborogh

Holly Draper Chanctonbury Church

Ian Tout St Peter's Sompting (Parish of South Lancing and Sompting)

Jenn Marshall St Mary's Clymping (Clymping, Yapton & Ford)

Joan Bull St Mary the Virgin, Felpham

Kim Carter St John's, Southbourne

Kit White St Michael's West Grinstead

Leonard Joseph Christ Church, Eastbourne

Linda Murphy St Peter Cowfold

Mark Ralf St Peter & St Paul, West Wittering

Martin Lindsay St Peter & St Paul, Wadhurst (United Benefice ofWadhurst, Tidebrook and Stonegate)

Sebastian Pelissier St Nicholas, Worth (Worth, Pound Hill and Maidenbower)

Simon Langton St Peter Cowfold

Stephen Stordy St John Tidebrook

Sue Graham Smith St James Birdham

Tim Jackson St Mary Hartfield

Tina Robertson St Julians Kingston Bucci Hove

You can find out more about training for Authorised Lay Ministry from the Diocese of Chichester website: chichester.anglican.org/authorised-lay-ministry/