Finding Out About Readerships and Priestly Vocations
in the Fosse Deanery and Beyond

"Speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3.10)

All who feel that they may be called to licensed lay or ordained ministry should talk first to their local Parish Priest.

The Diocesan website provides a useful flowchart of the processes of discernment and selection that will follow this initial conversation.

Reader Ministry

Readers are lay people in the Church of England, from all walks of life, who are called by God, theologically trained and licensed by the Church to preach, teach, lead worship and assist in pastoral, evangelistic and liturgical work.

More information can be gained from the Central Readers' Council, and from the Diocese of Coventry.

There are over a dozen Readers in the Fosse Deanery, all of whom would be happy to answer your questions.

Ordained Ministry

Whatever the focus of ministry - whether Chaplaincy, Ordained Local Ministry or as a Parish Priest - the selection process is the same.

The Diocesan website provides more information.

Ordained Local Ministry (OLM)

The OLM Pathway exists to provide training for those being called into the ordained ministry from rooted parochial (or other, e.g. chaplaincy) settings.

The Diocesan website provides more information.

In Fosse Deanery, the Reverend Wendy Bidington, who has been called to serve as an Ordained Local Minister in Wellesbourne, would be happy to answer your questions (01789 840953, ).