Our ordinands

Elaine Garman and Rosemary Bungard will be ordained as deacons at St John’s Cathedral on Saturday 27th June at 1pm. Please pray for them as they take this important step in their ministry. They have been preparing through the Scottish Episcopal Institute and, in Elaine’s case, also the University of Aberdeen. Their formation and studies will continue albeit at a less intensive level! For those unfamiliar with the detail, ordination as a deacon carries the title of ‘reverend’ and in some cases may involve a call to the permanent diaconate. In other words the candidate has made a positive choice to serve as a deacon rather than to seek ordination as a priest. The diaconate is a calling to service and is indeed the fundamental vocation of all priests including bishops. In our tradition however, ordinands serve as deacons usually for one year before they are ordained priest when they are then able to fulfil their complete priestly ministry, including celebrating the sacrament of holy communion. Elaine and Rosemary will, God willing, follow this path. They will still be ‘learning on the job’ – you don’t emerge from initial training fully fledged. Indeed the learning is lifelong. So do support them with your prayers and practical concern. We are blessed to have them!