Clergy and licensed ministers from around the diocese gathered this morning at Winchester Cathedral to offer themselves afresh to God and renew their commitment to serving His people. Prayers were offered for the future ministry of those present, as well as anointing with oil, that God would pour out of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in his church. The service also included the blessing of oil for use in churches to anoint the sick, and the oils of catechumens and chrism for use at baptism.
SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE SERVICE HERE >>>
Bishop Debbie preached on 1 Samuel 3, the story of the calling of Samuel, asking how we might all be more like Eli who used his wisdom and experience to guide Samuel into a deeper relationship with God, encouraging all those in ministry to create space for others to have these divine encounters.
The Bishops’ charge was read out by a special guest, Kyryl Prytula, who came to Alton from war-torn Ukraine in February 2022. Kyryl and his family currently live with a host family in Alton and he attends St Lawrence CE Primary School.
Within two weeks, Kyryl was extremely brave and left his Mum to go on a school residential trip for a whole week. He was our first Ukrainian refugee and after that we had four other children join us from Ukraine. During his time at St Lawrence, Kyryl never ceases to amaze us. He has learnt a whole new language, can read and write fluently in English and most importantly, always has a smile on his face! He has a fantastic group of friends and we are so proud of Kyryl. It is a privilege for us to have welcomed Kyryl and other children from Ukraine into our school and community. We have all been forever transformed by this shared experience.
Fiona Micklefield
Headteacher at St Lawrence CE Primary, Alton
