Three candidates from the Diocese of Edinburgh were ordained Deacon by the Rt Revd Dr John Armes in St Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 25 September. The Cathedral was packed, pre-Covid style, with family and congregational friends from the many charges in which the three had been associated on their respective journeys towards ordination.
On the left of the photo is Janet Spence. Janet worshipped in St Andrew’s Fortrose for many years before moving to Edinburgh just over a year ago. She will serve as Chaplain in St Mary’s Cathedral. Several clergy from the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness including her Diocesan Advisor, the Revd Dr James Currall, travelled to be with her, and she was also supported by members of St Columba’s by the Castle, Edinburgh, where she had served her final year placement.
Next to her is Dr Valerie Cameron from St Mary’s Dalkeith and St Leonard’s Lasswade. Val’s calling is to the Diaconate, described in the Ordinal as being one of ‘outreach and witness, advocacy and prophecy’, and she will exercise a community ministry from a base in those two charges, with a particular focus on projects in the Gorebridge area. She will also exercise her diaconal ministry as part of the Provincial Environment Group (PEG). Val came to Edinburgh a few years ago from Guernsey and it was good to see friends from there at the service. The Revd David Dixon was also present, representing St Barnabas Moredun, where Val served her final year placement.
Dr Ross Jesmont will serve his Title at St Salvador’s, Stenhouse and Holy Cross, Davidson’s Mains under the supervision of the Revd Dr Stephen Holmes. Ross trained on the Mixed Mode pathway and was based for those three years at St Salvador’s with the Revd Andrew Bain, participating in the lively ministry within the neighbourhood exercised by that growing charge. The St Salvador’s-Holy Cross team turned out in force to support Ross. Sunday was special for Ross and his wife, the Revd Hayley Cohen, for another reason; their infant son was baptised that very morning!
These three new curates were also supported by numerous fellow SEI students who travelled from as far away as Aberdeen and Morpeth to be present. All listened intently to a powerful sermon from Bishop John on the extravagant abundance of God’s provision – no trickle-down economics for the Divine – and the call to ‘put out into the deep water’; and all sang heartily the wonderful hymn by William Whitla:
Our faith we find in service, our hope in other’s dreams.
Our love in hand of neighbour. Our homeland brightly gleams.
Inscribe our hearts with justice, your way – the path untried:
Your truth – the heart of stranger, your life – the Crucified.
Photograph courtesy of Godwin Chimara
