There were great celebrations this weekend as twenty-two new Reverends were ordained in Lichfield Cathedral.
After several years of discernment, assessment and theological training, the twenty-two were ordained at two services and now begin a three year apprenticeship as Curates.
It is a great day of celebration after a tough training programme lasting two or three years. Family, friends and parishioners gathered at the cathedral to support them in this landmark moment, and there was a swell of joy, smiles and a few tears.
For some, responding to God's call to serve him as ministers in the church has involved one or two house moves and upheaval for entire families. For others who are taking up non-stipendiary (which are unpaid and voluntary) roles, they will continue to balance their new responsiblities with regular employment.
On Saturday evening, nine people were ordained to be curates in the Stafford episcopal area and four for the Shrewsbury area of the diocese. On Sunday morning a further nine were ordained to parishes in the Wolverhampton area.
Andy Morgan spent some time as a lay pioneer minister in West Bromwich before beginning his training to become ordained.
"The journey for me started while I worked for the diocese as a lay minister" he says. "My wife, Claire, wasn't from the Church of England, and I'd said to God that if he wanted me to be ordained, he'd have to tell Claire! And sitting on the beacdh in 2011, she turned and said 'Have you thought about it?'. I was scuppered, so went and talked about becoming ordained. I realised that the parish church system had a lot to offer. From some of the stuff I've been through, I recognise some of the difficulties of life that people encounter. People know where you are and can come to you for help - for baptisms, weddings, funerals, a listening ear."
He will be serving in Trentham, south of Stoke. His experience through the last year of training have been followed by listeners of BBC Radio Stoke in a series of interviews: the latest will be on BBC Radio Stoke tomorrow, Tuesday 1 July during Perry Spiller's show at 12.45.
"It was amazing on Saturday. The whole service was really meaningful - the music, the words. The biggest thing in being ordained in Lichfield Cathedral was realising the thousands of people that have gone before us over the centuries: it was a bit overwhelming really."
Andy is one of around a thousand new clergy being ordained this year in the Church of England:
Many pictures from the services will be found on our Flickr account. Local media and parish magazine editors may obtain high-resolution versions via email requests.
Those ordained (and the parishes where they will serve their curacies) are:
Saturday
Shrewsbury Episcopal Area
Richard Anthony CLARKSON - Whitchurch; Edstaston, Fauls, Prees, Tilstock and Whixall
Zoe Norah HEMING - Hodnet Deanery
Charlotte Amy CHESHIRE - Shifnal and Sheriffhales; Tong
Lynn DAVIDSON - Shrewsbury, St George of Cappadocia with Greenfields United Church
Stafford Episcopal Area
Janet CRANE - Chell, St Michael
Harry William DUROSE - Stoke-upon-Trent
Merewyn Abigail EVANS - Blurton and Dresden
Sharon Suzanne GREENSMITH - Clayton
Ashley Jane HINES - Horninglow
Andrew Paul MORGAN - Trentham
Diane Margaret OLIVER - Cheddleton
Karen Elizabeth PETHERICK - Hanley, The Holy Evangelists
Rebecca Mary RICHARDS - Stafford, St John the Baptist and Tixall with Ingestre
Sunday
Wolverhampton Episcopal Area
Gary HARTILL - West Bromwich, St Francis
Ian Andrew KEMP - Penn
Andrew James McCOSH - Shelfield and High Heath
Patricia Ann NESBITT - Bloxwich
Victor Bernard MORRIS - Wigginton
Joshua Paul James PENDUCK - Lichfield, St Chad
Craig Lee SHAW - The Penkridge Team Ministry
Simon Peter SKIDMORE - Wednesbury, St Bartholomew
Charles Stewart TYLER - Clifton Campville with Edingale and Harlaston; Elford