Meet the 2023 Ordinands

We are very excited to announce this year's ordinands and their placements in Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Cardiff and Rhondda. They will be ordained as deacons at Llandaff Cathedral by Bishop Mary on Saturday 24th June. Here they give you a little bit of their background and journey to ordained ministry:

Curate in the Caerphilly and Aber Valley Ministry Area

I am both Dutch and American and grew up in a non-conformist church primarily in the United States. My first degree was a BA in practical theology from Wheaton college in 2011. After university, I moved to Berlin where I worked in a bilingual nursery in the city.

In 2012, I moved to Brussels with and married Jeremy, and we made Holy Trinity Brussels, the Anglican chaplaincy in Brussels, our church home. While we lived there, Jeremy and I were each confirmed and subsequently joined the staff at the church full time.

My work included discipleship and children and youth ministries. During our time there, we also welcomed Charlotte (age 5) and Junia (age 3) into our family.

After discernment, we moved to Ripon College Cuddesdon in 2020. I have worked part-time toward my MA in theology and ministry during that time and have been extremely grateful for the experience of residential formation.

Academically, I am particularly interested in children’s spirituality and how it can contribute to our understanding of whole life discipleship. I am a Godly Play practitioner and trainer and love the way that it offers the language and stories of our faith.

I am also passionate about sustainability and hospitality, and learning how to offer love, welcome and empowerment both to those in our care now and those who will inherit what we build. These are places that my vocations of being a spouse, a parent, and an ordained person all intersect, and I cannot wait to explore them further in ministry.

I am excited to join the Church in Wales at what feels like a time of incredible renewal and enthusiasm for the work of the church in the world.

In my personal time, I love to cook and bake, read, and do any sort of creative art.

Curate in the Pontypridd Ministry Area

I am originally from the United States. I am coming to South Wales via a decade in Belgium and three years training for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon. My wife Natalie and I met at university, where we both discovered Anglicanism after coming from what would be called in the UK nonconformist backgrounds (more specifically, a denominational offshoot of Presbyterianism). After moving to Europe and marrying in 2012, we joined the Anglican church in Brussels, Holy Trinity, and we were confirmed in 2013.

I joined the staff team at Holy Trinity Brussels in 2013 as the Outreach Worker, with a special remit to pastorally accompany young professionals in and around the EU Institutions. Natalie joined the team as well in 2016 as the Children, Youth, and Discipleship Worker. We were working together and sharing an office well before COVID. In Brussels, in 2017 and in 2019, our daughters were born, Charlie and Junia.

In September 2020, we moved from Belgium to Cuddesdon in Oxfordshire for theological formation. Transitioning from the streets of Brussels to the green fields was a particular nice one, given the impact of the first COVID lockdown. At Cuddesdon, I completed a BA in Theology, Ministry and Mission, and started on an MA in the same. I also have nearly finished my PhD in Philosophy (back in Belgium).

I am excited to be joining the Pontypridd Ministry Area Team, and seeing how God is building the Kingdom in and around Pontypridd. As I have grown in my faith and walk with God, I have loved discovering how concerned God is with the world, and I have a passion for ecotheology, regenerative agriculture and gardening, and ministries of hospitality. A thought I often have returned to is how Mary ‘mistakes’ the resurrected Jesus as the gardener in John’s gospel.

I am looking forward to being among you soon!

Curate at Urban Crofters

I became a Christian at the age of 6 in a school assembly, I’ve grown up with a dad who is a vicar, so church life has been the norm for me, although we aren’t a very normal family!

My Dad has a great sense of humour as do I – laughter and fun are a big key to all I do, and I’m certain that Jesus also has a great sense of humour!

I’ve worked in many roles in my life, initially training as a Textile Designer – so design is a huge part of what makes me tick – I’m excited and expectant to see what God will do with this creativity in my future ministry!

After running my own Textile business for 10 years I felt God calling me into overseas missions and so I (nervously) went to India with Ywam for a period of time.

On return, I helped set up a church plant in London, and eventually became the missions pastor for the church – a role that involved setting up a prison’s ministry, a night shelter, Alpha and generating international missions work with partners in France and Hong Kong – I loved the role as I love working with people and building teams!

It was during this season I felt that God was perhaps calling me to ordination – an idea that ‘took a bit of time to get used to’, shall we say, ha! The road towards ordination has been somewhat long and tricky; for a start, college life at the age of 43 in a shared house of 17 trainee vicars (with 1 kitchen) was a hurdle to tackle! – but by God’s grace and kindness, I met my now husband Pete there, an amazing and unexpected blessing. So, as I should always remember, God is in control, even when we can’t see where it is all going – he always knows and has already gone ahead. What a joy it is to write those words and know it is the truth!

Curate at Urban Crofters

Jesus, who I decided to follow aged 4 and a half at Spring Harvest, has never left me.

I however chose aged 16 to leave him, it didn’t last very long and not many people realised.

When I came back to him, he was amazing, he welcomed me back with open arms, I felt like a modern-day prodigal son.

Soon after this moment I joined YWAM in Amsterdam and India for a time of discipleship and mission.

On my return, I worked as a Children’s and Youth minister in Surrey for 3 years, followed by 4 years in Bath as Children’s and Youth minister, and did student ministry too. Based on my passion for evangelism, I set up a Children’s and Youth charity with a friend and have been the CEO for the past 16 years, traveling round the UK. Having done Children’s and Youth ministry for most of my professional life, my personal life has seen me involved in all sorts of other stuff, men’s ministry, pub ministry, sports ministry.

As a pioneer ,this stuff gets me excited, trying church in a slightly different way, reaching the lost and spotting where Jesus is already doing something and joining in. Outside of ministry, I love all things active, wild camping with a fire, hiking, paddleboarding, the gym, rugby, football and running. I love a nice glass of red wine and can’t wait to get a dog.

Everyone who knows me will say that I have a terrible sense of humour, but I just love to have fun. I met my wife Ali, whilst training for ordination and got married in 2022, we paddle boarded away from the church down Bristol Harbour. We are now about to start our curacies in the same church.

Curate at St John’s Cardiff

I am a civil servant, working in Welsh Government as a speechwriter. Prior to this post I spent nearly 20 years in various policy roles, working on additional learning needs; youth justice and female offending; violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence; and family support. Prior to Welsh Government I worked for the Legal Aid Board, Citizens Advice Bureau and an ethical bank.

Welsh Government has a network for LGBTQ+ staff and I have taken an active part in this network for many years as a lead ally.I am married to Alex, a retired vicar in the Church in Wales.

We have two teenage children together; and Alex has a grown-up daughter from a previous relationship.

I have attended church all my life. My parents belonged to a non-conformist denomination, which developed because of the Welsh revival of 1904. This taught me the importance of regular, private prayer, reading the Bible and a sense of responsibility for church life. I held several roles in church prior to starting ministry training. I have been a Sunday School teacher, led Bible studies and prayer groups, jointly led a women’s network, and developed and led a café church.

I value time alone for prayer and study but I also believe it is important for Christians to spend time together in worship, prayer and praise.

In ministry and in my professional life I believe strongly in social justice and believe that the Church should be a force for positive change. I also believe in showing people the love of God, whether individually or through campaigning for justice, climate change, economic change etc.

For relaxation I like to read, walk and garden.

Curate in the North Cardiff Ministry Area

I was born in Neath in a broadly Anglican family, although this is primarily through the faith of my grandparents and their church attendance.

I grew up in Neath and attended a local comprehensive school, followed by Swansea University to undertake a history degree finishing in 2011. My first working role was as a political researcher for my local MP, after he stood down as MP, I moved to Cardiff to work as a business insurance underwriter.

I believe I felt a call to ministry at quite a young age, whilst a chorister and server in my local church. However, at that age I didn’t choose to follow it any further but rather waited to see where life would lead.

At university, I had a number of atheist friends and spent many hours debating Christianity, which made me more conscious about the foundation of my faith and the way in which I articulate it to others, especially to people who are apathetic or even hostile. Once in my mid-twenties I felt a strong desire to at least discuss how I felt about ordained ministry to my local vicar, which started the long process of discernment.

I’ve greatly enjoyed my experience at St Padarn’s, which has given me experience in two very different traditions of Anglicanism, as part of my placement training. One very Anglo catholic, St German’s, and the latter which is my current placement St Mark’s evangelical church. Each placement has provided me with invaluable experiences of the different worshiping communities and styles within the CinW. They’ve both been greatly formational and challenging in different ways.

College life has also been formational, I’ve learnt a lot from and with my fellow candidates and really enjoyed the experience. In the first year of training, I married my wife Georgiana and in the second year we had our son Henry.

Curate at Citizen Church

I have spent the last three years studying with a Welsh flag above my desk at Trinity College Bristol, and low and behold I am back in Wales!

I rowed for Wales at the Home Countries Regatta (rowing up and down the Taff) and spent my teenage years in Chepstow and Monmouth.

I am full of joy to be coming to Wales for my curacy at Citizen Church, Cardiff.

Having become a Christian as a student at Queen’s University Belfast through invitation of my girlfriend, now wife Zoe and mother of our daughter, Pearl.

I am excited to meet the 99% people who have never heard or experienced the love of Jesus. Citizen is a great launch pad for growing places of belonging and bringing people home to build the kingdom in Cardiff and across Wales. I can’t wait to join the team.

Life with Jesus has been an adventure and his faithfulness has been steadfast through all our moves. It was my role as an English teacher that led to School Chaplaincy and Social transformation ministry that revealed the groaning in my heart for people to know the love of Jesus; the love of Jesus that has set me free!

We are moving with expectation that God is on the move in Llandaff Diocese and we are excited to be joining in. You may spot me on my bicycle, or chatting to people I bump into!

Curate in the Rhondda Ministry Area

James comes to the diocese after completing his training for ordination in Oxford at Ripon College, Cuddesdon.

Before following his call to serve the church, he worked in education, teaching in a variety of settings from Cambridge University to FE colleges and secondary schools.

He is married to Jyo, an archaeologist. When they are not working, they enjoy gardening – especially growing fruit and vegetables – and James is an inveterate collector and reader of books.

James grew up in West Yorkshire, England and is excited to be coming to South Wales. The hills and valleys feel very familiar! He is also excited to be learning Welsh.

One of the most interesting aspects of ministry as far as James is concerned is accompanying people on their spiritual journeys and helping them grow in their faith, as well as thinking more broadly about how theological education at the parish level might empower people to live out and share their faith.

James’ own prayer life and spirituality has been shaped by a diverse journey of faith: before coming to rest within the Anglican tradition, he spent some time exploring both the United Reformed and Roman Catholic churches. He is a member of the Sodality of Mary, Mother of Priests; a sort of ‘spiritual support group’ for Anglican clergy worldwide who are within the catholic tradition.

He also has a passion for ecumenical work, having been sent to the recent WCC Assembly by the Church of England, and hopes to continue that work in Wales. Lastly – and most importantly – he looks forward to being formed by his time in the diocese into a faithful and prayerful priest who is able to serve the people of the Rhondda and wherever God might be calling him next!