Congratulations to our 13 ordinands who will become deacons and priests this Petertide.
The weekend of ordinations over 2 to 3 July will see eight people begin their ordained ministry as deacons and five people join the priesthood.
Our soon-to-be deacons will be serving their titles in parishes across our Diocese – please give them a warm welcome if you see them in your parish.
Our new priests, who began ordained ministry as deacons last year, will continue to serve their existing parishes as curates.
You can click here to watch the Ordination of Priests at 11am on Saturday 2 July.
You can click here to watch the Ordination of Deacons at 3pm on Saturday 2 July.
You can find out more about each of our ordinands below...
Deacons
Brogan Hume
To serve St Thomas’ Newcastle
Brogan is married to Beth, and they welcomed their first child into the world earlier this year!
They are staying on to serve the church family at St Thomas' Newcastle, after training mixed-mode through Cranmer Hall, Durham over the last two years. Brogan and Beth love walking on the Northumberland coast, cooking and reading.
Helen Young
To serve Percy Main and Balkwell
My name is Helen Young, I am 47 and I am delighted that I will be serving my curacy in the parishes of St John’s, Percy Main and St Peter’s, Balkwell, in North Shields. My husband is called Jerry and we have two teenagers, aged 17 and 14, as well as a lazy cat.
I am originally from Derbyshire, but fell in love with the North East when I was a student. I moved to Newcastle when I first started primary school teaching and have lived here ever since. I first felt a sense of calling when my children were young but it took time for me to discern God’s call to ordained ministry. For the last three years, I have been training with Lindisfarne College of Theology whilst teaching part-time.
I love walking in Northumberland and reading - I can often be found with my head stuck in a book, much to my family’s irritation! I also enjoy singing and playing the piano.
Linda Hunter
To serve Corbridge with Halton and Newton
I’m Linda and I have been called to continue to serve God in my home parish of Corbridge with Halton and Newton as assistant curate after my ordination.
My life has revolved round work with children both in the church context and as a teacher and Brownie Guider. On retirement from teaching in 2011 I led a parish visit to Iona. On a beautiful day I sat in the ruins of the nunnery. It was at that point, that I felt God nudging me to think about how I could serve him in a different way – I was at the time churchwarden.
I trained as a Lay Reader with Lindisfarne and was licensed in 2015, to serve as a reader in Corbridge. But... God had other plans, through my ministry people began to encourage me to pray about ordination. Encouraged by their support I was absolutely thrilled to be accepted to train for ordained ministry. So here I am about to be ordained as a deacon in July.
Nathanael Hayler
To serve in the Embleton with Rennington & Rock and the Aln & Coastland Parishes
After falling in love with the North East while studying theology in Durham, I moved further North across the Tyne to continue discerning how and where God was calling me. I found home in Newcastle Diocese while working as a parish Pastoral Assistant in Jesmond.
When I left Newcastle to begin ordination training, I made a promise to myself and to God that I would return to this beautiful region to serve and continue pursuing my vocation. So, having spent two years training at Westcott House in Cambridge, and completing my postgraduate study, I am delighted to return and begin my curacy in the Parish of Embleton with Rennington & Rock and the Aln & Coastland Parishes.
In my spare time I enjoy exploring the countryside (via quirky pubs and coffee shops), rummaging through antique shops, and experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes. I have a keen interest in early medieval religious and social history and enjoy learning about local and historical crafts, trades, and traditions.
Paul Knox
To serve Bamburgh, Belford and Lucker
Hello, my name is Paul and I have spent the past two years training for the priesthood at The College of the Resurrection in Mirfield. I am 35 and was born and raised on Tyneside and spent most of my youth in Walker and Wallsend.
I am deeply looking forwards to coming back to the North East to serve my curacy in the parishes of Bamburgh, Belford and Lucker. Before training for the priesthood, I studied Music at Newcastle University and went on to teach music in schools around Newcastle, Hexham, and Northumberland.
I play the Violin and Northumbrian pipes and have a love for making and designing things, having made a violin a few years ago, I was also featured in Vogue magazine for my leather bag designs. I have a nine-year-old miniature dachshund called Oliver, and would love another two or three once we get to parish!
Rosemary New
To serve Holy Saviour Tynemouth
Hello! I’m Rosemary New and I’m at the wonderful age of 62.
I’ve spent two years training part time at Cranmer Hall, Durham, and before that I spent a year as an independent student at Lindisfarne College of Theology, North Shields. I’ll be serving my curacy at the Church of the Holy Saviour, Tynemouth, part time as an SSM.
Since the age of 17 I have been a piano teacher, training in music in Devon, Newcastle and Salzburg. It’s a job I absolutely love and will be continuing with teaching part time.
I have a lot of interests and hobbies but the main ones at the moment are long distance walking and my beautiful Border collie Flossie, who has been a dear friend and companion for 14 years. I also enjoy my garden and sailing, when I get the chance.
And, oh yes, I also happen to enjoy theology!
Ruth Stradling
To serve St Mary’s, Blyth
I was born in Wales, and moved about a lot as a child, before settling in London. My first job was there as a civil servant, and that’s where I met Aidan. We’ve just celebrated our Silver Wedding, and have three grown-up children. We moved to Monkseaton about 20 years ago, where we’ve been members of St Peter’s church.
After a career break, I had several jobs as a church administrator. I started training for ministry in 2017 at Lindisfarne College of Theology, expecting to be a Reader. Eventually I realised that God was calling me to something different, and I’ve spent the last two years studying for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham.
My main hobbies (when I have spare time!) are reading and baking. I’ll be moving a little way up the coast to serve my curacy at St Mary’s in Blyth, and am very excited to start this next chapter of my life.
Ryan Mckeon
To serve Fenham St Basil and St James
Hello! My name is Ryan McKeon and I'm 25 years old. I will be moving to Fenham to serve my curacy at St James and St Basil Fenham. I will be moving from Bristol, having spent three years studying at Trinity College Bristol. I worked for a church in Southampton, and before that worked for a church in Worthing, on the south coast where I grew up. So, if you told young Ryan that he would be moving to the North East to be a curate, he would have been shocked, to say the least!
I studied with the hopes of becoming an osteopath and was an avid martial artist - that was the direction I had planned for my life. But God, in His wisdom, called me to serve his church, and it has truly been and continues to be the greatest adventure. I look forward to meeting you all soon as part of that adventure!
Priests
Adam Smith
Serving St Thomas’ Newcastle
I grew up in Newcastle, met my wife here as a teenager and both our families still live here, but until moving back up here last year we’d spent most of the last 10 years in Bristol. Latterly I worked as a lay Assistant Minister at our church there and I trained for ordination at St Mellitus College while continuing that role at our church. Before that I worked instructing adventurous activities, guiding people up mountains, along rivers and down caves to name a few.
When it came to finding a curacy, God spoke clearly to us saying “Come home!” - so home we came. It’s been great to begin serving my curacy at St Thomas’ alongside the team here in my diaconal year, I look forward to seeing the Spirit continue to move as we go on sharing the good news of Jesus with as much of Newcastle as we can!
Ali McCarthy
Serving Holy Trinity Jesmond
Hi, I’m Ali McCarthy and I’m 42 years old. I studied at St Mellitus College in London as I previously lived in Hertfordshire. I’m continuing to serve my curacy at Holy Trinity Jesmond where I’ve had a fantastic first year.
My passion has always been the church and mission and so previous jobs have always been tent-making jobs so that I could spend my spare time, firstly church-planting and then being an incarnational presence in the areas that we have lived. My husband is a vicar and so since my children were born I have provided a stable presence for them as we have moved from place to place. I am very much looking forward to the next couple of years and seeing what they bring.
Henry Hope
Serving Hexham Abbey
Hello there! My name is Henry Hope, and I’m just about to begin my second year as curate at Hexham Abbey. Prior to arriving in Hexham last summer, I spent three years training for ordained ministry at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield and at Ripon College Cuddesdon, where I was able to explore some of the liturgical, theological breadth and diversity that is so characteristic of the Church of England.
Having worked as a music historian at universities in Switzerland and the UK before ordination, I continue to enjoy all things musical: whether that means making music myself, going to a good concert or enjoying a night at the opera. As the abbey’s congregation will attest, I also enjoy baking and love sharing the fruits of my culinary efforts with others!
Lynne Dean
Serving Ovingham, Wylam and Heddon-on-the-Wall
Last year I wrote that everyone at school was eager to see what I’ll look like with a clergy collar beneath my ceramic technician’s apron. Well It has caused a few raised eyebrows and stimulated conversations with staff and students alike.
Serving God in Ovingham, Wylam and Heddon-on-the-Wall as a deacon this last year alongside Reverends Tom Birch and Rachel Scheffer has been challenging at times and a huge honour to be welcomed into each parish - and I thank them for their encouragement and support as I ‘learn the ropes’ of being and doing as a member of the clergy team.
This diaconal year has flown by, and it is a delight to know that I will continue my curacy within these parishes. Please hold all ordinands in your prayers as we move forward in our individual ministries.
Sion Hughes-Carew
Serving Newsham and Horton
Hello, I’m Sion, I’m 36, and I’m the curate at St Bede’s, Newsham and St Mary’s, Horton - one parish, two rather different churches. Before ordination I was an ecclesiastical bureaucrat, working for ten years at Church House, Westminster in a variety of roles. My first proper boss there was one Shane Waddle, now our Diocesan Secretary, so it’s lovely to have him as a colleague again.
My theological training took place at Westcott House in Cambridge, and the Venerable English College in Rome. Gin, St Thomas Aquinas and late-night hymn-singing featured quite heavily at both. This last year has raced by, and I’ve loved every minute. Life as a curate here is unpredictable, challenging and immensely rewarding – no two days are ever the same, and I count myself richly blessed to be here serving God’s people as best I can.