Congratulations to Peter Churcher!
I was invited to support Peter Churcher, who is now Curate at St John the Baptist, West Wickham
I (and the rest of the family) have very happy memories of working with Peter in Woodmansterne, where he was our Youth and Children's minister.
During that time Peter met Josie, and it was my great joy to conduct their wedding.
The Ordination service was a reminder that it is God who chooses, equips and sends out people into ministry. We are dependent on him for all we need to carry out the role - here is part of the Ordination prayer:
'Through your Spirit, Heavenly Father, give these your servants grace and power to proclaim the gospel of yur salvation and minister the sacraments o the new covenant. Renew them in holiness, and give them wisdom and discipline to work faithfully with those committed to their charge. In union with their fellow servants in Christ, may they reconcile what is divided, heal what is wounded, and restore what is lost.'
And my favourite part of the service comes at the end, as each person is handed a Bible - not because they don't already have one (Peter has plenty), but as a reminder of where their authority to minister comes from:
'Receive this book, as a sign of the authority which God has given you this day to preach the gospel of Christ and to minister his holy sacraments'.
Go do it, Peter!
God bless Peter, Josie, Sophie, Faith, Izzy and Zander in this new chapter of life and ministry!
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