Priest is one of ten to be ordained

A BROMSGROVE priest was among ten people to be ordained at Worcester Cathedral who will be serving across the county.

Tom Atfield has come to the parish of St John with wife Clare and daughter Evie.

The Bishop of Worcester presided at the ordination and was assisted by the Bishop of Dudley, and the Revd Canon Dr Angus Ritchie, Director of the Contextual Theology Centre at the Royal Foundation of St Katharine in East London.

Tom said everyone had been so welcoming and that his past year in Bromsgrove, as a deacon, had been exciting and has flown past.

“I’ve done more funerals than I thought possible, appeared live on national television, celebrated Burn’s Night, carried a massive lit Christingle, read Canadian children’s stories to enthralled schoolchildren, and climbed onto the church roof.”

He was involved in helping St John’s be the first Grade 1 listed building to replace its lead roof with fibreglass.

He added: “It has been a privilege to have arrived in Bromsgrove as we are becoming a team ministry, and I am enthused by the opportunities that I will have as team curate - the first being a much larger parish to cycle around.”

Bishop John said: “It is always a privilege to ordain those who have responded to God’s call to dedicate their life to the service of God and other people in Ministry.

“These occasions are always a celebration of that act of dedication.”

Tom Attfield has been welcomed to the parish of St John. (s)

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