A FORMER police officer and GP practice manager were both ordained at Worcester Cathedral to become the main clergy for St Egwins Church, just outside Evesham.
Andy and Caroline Green were among 14 candidates were ordained to serve in parishes across the Diocese.
Five candidates have completed their first year and were ordained Priest in the Cathedral on Saturday; they are now able to preside at the Holy Communion. A further nine candidates were ordained Deacon on Sunday and are entering their first year of training as a curate.
The ordination services were led by the Bishop of Worcester, Dr John Inge or the Bishop of Dudley, Martin Gorick.
As ordained deacons both Andy and Caroline will serve in the benefice of Evesham w Norton and Lenchwick.
After three decades with the Warwickshire constabulary, Andy became a long-distance coach driver for National Express and after settling down in Norton and Lenchwick he was drawn back to church by the sound of the bells of St Egwin’s.
He became an authorised lay minister, worship leader and later trained for licensed lay ministry which he achieved in 2016 when he was chaplain at Evesham Community Hospital
Andy is now lead chaplain for Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, leading a chaplaincy team for seven community Hospitals and seven mental health units.
“It will be an honour and privilege to serve God and the community as a deacon in the Benefice of Evesham with Norton and Lenchwick as I journey towards becoming a priest in 2023,” he said.
“I am excited, enthused and eternally grateful to have been given this opportunity.”
Caroline was baptised as a baby and chose to be confirmed at the age of 52 – she been churchwarden at St Egwins for the past seven years.
“My work was as a practice manager at a GP Surgery, but managing family commitments became of great concern to me as my family has always been close-knit and an important part of my life,” she said.
“During this time, seeing others move towards their calling, I prayed to be led to where mine could be. Was I destined to continue as churchwarden, a ministry in itself?
Both Andy and Caroline joined the fast-track Caleb Stream for experienced church leaders who are called to serve in their local area as self-supporting ordained ministers.
“This gave me a wonderful opportunity to engage more closely with the community and, when small churches are struggling to sustain services, I can be there to continue worship and support at All Saints and serve the St Egwin’s congregation and community, which have given me so much over the years,” she said.
“I still can’t believe the opportunity I have been given and will do my very best to serve as God intended in Evesham and Norton and Lenchwick.”
