New Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocations for the Diocese of Lincoln announced

Introducing the Revd Clay Roundtree

We are delighted to announce that the Revd Clay Roundtree has been appointed as the next Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocations for the Diocese of Lincoln.

A transatlantic journey of faith and ministry

Born and raised in Oklahoma, USA, Clay came to the Diocese of Lincoln in 2021 to serve as the Associate Rector of St Wulfram’s Grantham. Clay then discerned a call to reopen St John’s Spitalgate in Grantham, a church that had closed its doors to public worship just before the pandemic – yet which is now once again at the very heart of the community.

Since then, he has served as Partnership Dean and as an Assistant Archdeacon for South Kesteven.

Clay first came to the UK through a student exchange between the Universities of Oklahoma and Sheffield. After graduating with a BA in Fine Art, Clay received a scholarship from the Rotary Foundation to take an MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of York.

It was in that year that he began exploring a call to ordination, one that first appeared in his teenage years when he was a member of the Episcopal Church in the US. 

Clay trained for ordination at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and served his title and first incumbency in the Diocese of York, both within active churches on Teesside.

He has written a book for Canterbury Press entitled ‘The Daily Prayer Rosary’, and has held a variety of additional roles over 22 years of ordained ministry including a retreat leader, a Church of England Secondary School Chaplain, an Area Dean, and nine months as the Acting Archdeacon of Cleveland. 

A passion for vocation

Vocations have always been on Clay’s heart and mind. He has been a personal tutor for ordinands and a training incumbent to curates throughout his ministry, as well as a Bishop’s Adviser for training selection. One of the great joys of his public ministry has been helping others explore their sense of vocation and encouraging them to respond, however they can, to God’s call.

He is married to Frances and together they have three grown children. In his rest time Clay enjoys playing electric and acoustic guitar in a variety of genres, particularly jazz.

Looking to the future

Revd Clay said he is looking forward to starting in the role:

“I firmly believe that vocation begins at baptism and that each Christian has spiritual gifts. When those gifts are used, people flourish. Lives are transformed. Christ had all the spiritual gifts and distributes them out to his Church, which is his body.

“Exploring our vocation is a life-long and life-giving work and I am thrilled that the Bishop of Lincoln has invited me to take up this important role as DDOV.”   

The Bishop of Lincoln, The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, said he is encouraged by the appointment:

“Clay will bring a breadth and depth of wisdom, faithfulness, energy and extensive parish ministry to the role of Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocations. I am confident that he will fully empower those exploring their faith to express their gifts and talents for the Glory of God.

“I will be praying for him as he makes this exciting transition to a role that will enable him to pursue his own call as an encouraging witness to others exploring vocation and to be a steadfast support on their journeys.”

The Revd Canon Dr Hugh Jones, Warden of the College of St Hugh, extends a warm welcome:

“We are looking forward to welcoming Clay to the College of St Hugh Team and to working with him as we seek to discern a ‘rainbow of vocations’ in the Diocese of Lincoln.”

Clay comes to the role of Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Vocations with a great sense of excitement for the future and is looking forward to promoting vocations of all descriptions with the help of colleagues and ‘vocations champions’ right across the whole of Lincolnshire.

Clay will begin in his new role on Wednesday 1 October.

Please join us in praying for him at this time of transition and this time of great excitement as to the future of vocations in our diocese.

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