Welcome back Denise! We're delighted to announce that, from September 2009, the Reverend Denise McDougall has joined the United Benefice Ministry Team to serve St Faith's and St Mary's as an N.S.M. (Non-Stipendiary Minister). This is of course a homecoming for her, as she has her roots at St Faith's and will be cserving and working among old friends. Below you can see pictures of her first Sunday at St Faith's - September 13th, 3009, followed by the words and pictures with which we marked her ordination on June 29th, 2003. Denise writes: Dear friends, I am delighted to have accepted the appointment to become the new Non Stipendiary Minister at St. Faith’s and St. Mary’s. For many I will need little introduction because I had been a life-long member of St. Faith’s until I was licensed to Christ Church in Waterloo after my ordination in 2003. Others of course will know very little about me and I look forward to us all getting to know each other well when I join the United Benefice in September. I have spent six extremely happy and fruitful years at Christ Church, Waterloo but as we all know God moves in mysterious ways and I firmly believe that I am now being called to support the Parishes of St. Faith’s and St. Mary’s as they continue to grow and develop spiritually. I see this opportunity as an exciting and positive move forward for us all. Please be assured of my prayers during the next few months; may I ask that you also pray for all who will be affected by this change and for me and as my own personal journey of faith leads me in a different direction. God bless. With love and prayers, Denise |
St Faith’s has a long tradition of fostering vocations to the priesthood, including of course the late Archbishop Robert Runcie. The latest in a long line, made deacon in Liverpool Cathedral at the Peterstide ordinations on Sunday, June 29th by the Bishop of Liverpool, was Mrs Denise McDougall – the first woman ordinand in our church’s history.
Following the splendour of the
ordination service, at which seven
women
and six men were made deacon, Denise was welcomed at St Faith’s by her
many friends and supporters. That evening she assisted at a Sung
Eucharist
at the neighbouring parish of Christ Church, Waterloo, where she will
serve
as curate. We send our congratulations, love and prayers to Denise: our
pictures capture something of the atmosphere of a very special day for
her and for St Faith’s.
The new deacons get their marching orders from Bishop James Jones after the ordination service |
Greeting friends in the cathedral nave. |
With husband Bruce, arriving at St Faith’s for the reception |
With Fr Neil Kelley and parishioners at the start of the party. |
Cutting the ‘ordination cake’ made for her by Mrs Audrey Dawson. |
With the ‘refreshment ladies’: l.to r.
Mesdames Ruth Winder,
Betty Sutcliffe, |