Ordination Class of 2024

We are very excited to introduce those who will be ordained deacon in the Cathedral Church in Llandaff by Bishop Mary on Saturday 22nd June at 11am.

I was born in Jordan and grew up in the Middle East until I was 17; I then moved to Birmingham with my family.

I then spent 6 months in Uganda working in a Juvenile Detention Centre where my team and I taught English, played football and ran youth Alpha with the young guys there.

This is where I discovered my heart for those in prison and it's what led me to study Criminology with Psychology at University.

Whilst at university, I attended Harbour Church Portsmouth and was inspired by their passion and desire to reach the 99% of people that don't go to church. Their heart for evangelism matched my own and so when I graduated, I began an internship with Harbour Church running their Alpha courses, assisting with the running of their Sunday services and being part of the student team. It was during this internship that I was invited to be part of a team to plant a church in Cardiff.

I was told that Cardiff was a City of Sanctuary and home to many refugees and Asylum seekers, there was also a prison in the centre of town and 4 universities with 80,000 students that don't go to church. So of course, I said yes!

I moved to Cardiff in 2020, just after the first lockdown, to help plant Citizen Church and run their Social Justice Department. I set up prison services, a caring for prison leavers ministry, a refugees and asylum seekers ministry and the first Spear Centre in Wales which tackles unemployment.

I want to play my part in transforming society and seeing the nation knowing Jesus; and I am looking forward to doing that in my curacy at St Mark's in Gabalfa. Their vision for evangelism and outreach is exciting to be a part of.

I grew up in Surrey after my family moved to be part of a church plant, and it was that church's welcoming culture of faith and hope that laid the foundation of my beliefs today.

While studying English Literature at university, I was invited to Harbour Church Portsmouth, where I was amazed by the church's attentiveness to the Holy Spirit and their dedication to seeing people knowing Jesus.

After getting more involved and taking part in Alpha, I found a deep sense of belonging, both to the church and to Jesus, and recognised that Christ was calling me to play my part in His unfolding story.

As I began exploring my vocation, I felt called to move to Cardiff in 2020 to be part of the planting team for Citizen, where I met my fiancée, Amber.

As I have grown in my walk with Jesus, I have loved seeing how He is moving across Wales, and I have been inspired by the many people I have trained and worked alongside in their lives of faith and commitment to sharing the Gospel.

I am excited to be joining the Taff Wenallt Ministry Area team; they gave me a great deal of guidance and encouragement throughout my discernment, and I am very joyful to be returning there to serve at All Saints Rhiwbina. I am really looking forward to working with the local community, not to mention finding some new great coffee shops!

I am originally from the Gwent Valleys and have lived in the Bridgend area for the past 20 years.

I grew up in a Methodist Church household, but discovered the Church in Wales when I attended my first Evensong aged 21 with a friend.

It was there that my faith flourished and my heart was filled with the Holy Spirit (the missing piece of the jigsaw was found), and I have worshipped in the Church in Wales ever since.

I became involved in church life very quickly and held many roles. I married Phil in 2004 and we had our daughter in 2009, but I am now a widow.

I worked in the NHS for just over 18 years before I started full time training, prior to that I worked in Primary Education for 14 years. Both were jobs which I loved, however something was always missing.

I began the Bachelor of Theology degree in 2019 part-time and then went through the selection process in 2021. I first felt called to do this many years ago but kept dismissing it. I then began full time training at St Padarn’s Institute in 2022, something which I have greatly enjoyed with my fellow candidates.

In my spare time, I enjoy baking & cooking for friends and holidaying with my daughter.

I very much look forward to working with the people of the Llynfi and Upper Afan Valleys, an area which I feel very at home in having been welcomed there as an ordinand for the past 2 years. The people in both valleys are in my prayers, and I am excited to continue to serve them in my new role as curate. I feel particularly called to Pastoral and Children’s Ministry and I look forward to what God has planned for me in the future.

I have lived in the Vale of Glamorgan with Sharon my wife since the mid-1990s, when I moved here to work with a housing association during Wales' first large-scale social housing transfer.

I later worked on two other transfers with other authorities, before an enforced career-change during the financial crisis led to a new life in education.

For the last 13 years, I have worked for an international awarding body in Cardiff.

The opportunity to follow a pathway for part-time ministry with Church in Wales while continuing to work was helpful and enabled me to explore and develop an interest in pastoral rural ministry.

I am also a chaplain on our inland waterways, spending time between Cardiff and Penarth marinas and Saul Junction in Gloucestershire.

I will serve my curacy in the Cowbridge Ministry area, where I completed a short placement in 2021 and where I was fortunate to be able to continue to ministry training. This continuity will help me to further develop existing relationships, deepen my experience of rural ministry and the support services available to rural communities whole continuing to serve as a chaplain with Waterways Chaplaincy.

Praying, reading the Bible and going to church formed the rhythms of my life growing up, and although I’m always questioning everything, I’ve never doubted God’s presence with me through life’s ups and downs.

I found my spiritual home as an Anglican whilst at University in Cambridge, where I also met Bruce.

We moved to Norwich, were confirmed, married and had our daughter, and then on to Cardiff where our son was born.

Our daughter has cerebral palsy, and I have spent a lot of time campaigning for disability equality, and as a charity trustee, as she has been growing up.

I’ve also been a civil servant for most of my career, after a short stint in scientific research.

Recently I’ve been leading work on some new legislation about socially responsible public procurement, which is more interesting than it sounds! I love my job and how it fits with the other hats that I wear; being in non-stipendiary ministry will bring so many opportunities.

I first felt a call to ordination when I was at university, and although practical challenges have made that difficult to act upon until now, I’ve always felt that my calling plays out in everything that I do - whether that's my work, being a good friend, playing the piano at church, leading a funeral, or sharing tips with the parent of a newly diagnosed child.

I am very excited about what lies ahead and believe passionately that every Christian, as a member of the body of Christ, is called to share the love of God. I will be serving my curacy in the West Cardiff Ministry Area.

I was born and raised in Cefn Cribwr, near Bridgend, by my mother and my amazing Gran and grandfather. It was an excellent childhood. I went to Sunday School in a Baptist chapel and it was there that I got my first introduction to the Bible and the beauty of the scriptures.

By the age of 12, I was learning the Psalms (KJV!) and some if them - not all - have stayed with me for all these years.

My Christian faith developed and grew in secondary school, Mynydd Cynffig, thanks to an amazing RI teacher, Carol Thomas.

Through her, I witnessed Christianity at its best and I undertook charity work with the old and infirm and with the disabled.

That verse in Proverbs could have been written for Mrs Thomas - “her price is above rubies.”

At University, I studied drama and then worked in the theatre until 1997 when I decided to return to study. In 2000 I got my PhD from Cardiff University, exploring St Paul, women, and the veil in Corinth and Greece. I then began work as an academic - first at Exeter University, then at Edinburgh University.

In 2016 I took up the Chair in Ancient History at Cardiff University. I specialise in the history and religion of the biblical world, especially Persia and the Old Testament. I have written numerous books and articles on antiquity, the Bible, ancient religion and theological thought and I have frequently appeared on TV and other media. I am married to David, who is French and is a fantastic chef!

A life-long Christian, my call to serve God came unexpectedly when I was teaching a university course on the prophet Isaiah. I felt that God was telling me to take my love of scripture outside the classroom and put it into his service. It is the best thing I have ever done! I am so happy to be on this journey.

Discernment and formation has not been easy - the road is challenging and the journey keeps on going, but I would not change things for the world. Doing God’s work is a privilege. I will treasure it. And keep learning and praying for the blessing of Christ.

I’m delighted that I will be serving my curacy at Eglwys Dewi Sant, among the Welsh-speaking community of this unique church in Cardiff, as well as in the University Chaplaincy. Ministering among these two contrasting congregations will keep me busy, I have no doubt. I am excited to start!

I am grateful to my supervisors, all the clergy and congregations in my placement churches, the St Padarns and Diocesan staff, my fellow ordinands, and all at my sending church in Taffs Well. Diolch o galon i chi gyd, a phob bendith i chi.

I was born and brought up in Cardiff in a traditional Christian home, attending church schools and worshipping in my local church.

I would say however, that my faith journey really began in my mid-twenties as I explored different expressions of faith and became much more aware of different worship styles.

I became an active Christian in the truest sense when I found my spiritual home in Anglicanism.

I have a great love of choral evensong and choral matins; they are offices that have a rich liturgical heritage that connects us with centuries of worship and praise.

I love listening to and exploring the extraordinary back catalogue of canticles which can help transform this humblest service into one of the most spiritually enriching.

I am honoured to be staying in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast for my curacy. I have been delighted at the warm welcome, care and fellowship I have received and excited about expanding the pilgrimage potential of the area. I enjoy pilgrimage immensely and have found a deep connection with Christ as I make these journeys.

I have had a diverse career, I began as an analytic chemist in the pharmaceutical industry and then moved to heritage science and conservation after my PhD in Structural Biophysics. I have also worked in the water industry and now find myself working in the Welsh Parliament.

I am married to Catherine, and we have two children Gareth and Isabella.

I'm originally from Derbyshire, but have spent most of my adult life living in the north of England.

I have lots of Welsh family, so I'm looking forward to moving across the border and finally getting around to learning the Welsh language!

I was raised in a secular household, and started going to church when I was an undergraduate studying English in York.

I was baptised and confirmed when I was 21, and initially explored a possible calling to life in a religious order before beginning to consider a vocation to the priesthood.

I spent time living in a religious community when I was 25, and it was during my time there that I developed a deep love of the rhythm of life the daily offices provide.

In 2019 I married Eleanor, and in December 2022 we welcomed our daughter Hannah-Maria. We are looking forward to settling as a family in Llandaff Diocese and raising Hannah in the area.

I will be serving my title post in the West Cardiff Ministry Area, I'm particularly looking forward to finding out more about how the West Cardiff churches can build new ecumenical, interfaith and community links across the area.