A special service and AGM were held at Lincoln Cathedral to license six lay people to Reader Ministry in the Diocese of Lincoln.

Bishop Nicholas Chamberlain, Bishop of Grantham and President of the Readers' Board led the Readers’ service and annual general meeting at Lincoln Cathedral on Saturday (15th October).

The group who are theologically trained, have been appointed to lead services of worship, to preach and carry out pastoral and teaching functions across the diocese.

The newly licensed readers are:

Martin Jago (The Walesby Group)

Christopher Higham (St Peter’s at Lincoln)

Stiorra Xander-Crabb (Grimsby Churches)

Helen Moore (St Guthlac’s at Fishtoft)

Peter Kay (St Botolph’s and St Thomas’ at Boston)

The event also marked the retirement of Dr Sally Buck, the outgoing Warden of Lay Ministry and the stepping down of Sue Slater who has come to the end of her term as Chair of the Readers’ Board. Both were presented with a bouquet of flowers.

Bishop Nicholas congratulated the newly licensed readers and thanked Sally and Sue for their huge contribution.

He also talked about the importance of everyone having a voice.

“It is only by being ourselves and by using our distinctive voice, that we will be able to make the contribution that is necessary to the work of the Church in the world and, in our own context, to ‘A Time to Change Together’ in the Diocese of Lincoln which is our vision for a shared future with commitment to serving our congregations and communities,” said Bishop Nicholas.

He also referenced Robert Macfarlane's poem ‘Swallow’ from the book The Lost Spells, saying: “We have a gospel to proclaim and to proclaim it we need to be ourselves and to use our voices to be the swallow in the sky for others.”

Left to right:  Sally Buck, Martin Jago, Christopher Higham, Stiorra Xander-Crabb, Bishop Nicholas, Helen Moore and Peter Kay.