Published on: 19/09/2025
Lay ministries across the Diocese of Sheffield have been affirmed during a special service at Sheffield Cathedral.
The 2025 Celebration of Lay Ministries Service, which took place on Saturday 6 September, was led by Bishop Pete and included the licensing of three Readers. This was followed by a Vocations Fair, which gave people the opportunity to speak to different teams across the Diocese about where God may be leading them next.
Take a look at some of the feedback from the day:
Emma Johnson – Foundations Student
‘What an amazing opportunity to be a part of such a joyous occasion. As always it was great to celebrate the achievements of individuals
Within the Diocese, whilst hearing God’s word and worshiping. The day was a gift to us all highlight church equals family’.
Paul and Denise Lancaster – Focal Ministers at Wath with Brampton Bierlow
‘It was a real joy and privilege to be part of the Celebration of Lay Ministry. As newbie Focal Ministers, we found the whole service very affirming, especially Bishop Pete’s sermon about being fruitful in our ministries by abiding in Jesus.’
Beth Burras – Lead Lay Ministry Enabler
‘The Celebration of Lay Ministries service was a really joyful day, where it was lovely to celebrate various lay ministry achievements this year: 3 new lay readers were licensed, new spiritual accompaniers were welcomed, students who have completed Foundations were congratulated, and Focal Ministers who have been authorised or reauthorised in the last 12 months were welcomed.
‘And this is just a snapshot of the variety of lay ministries we have within the Diocese. We’re also blessed with parish evangelists, Church Army evangelists, worship leaders, pastoral workers, Children and Families’ workers, youth workers, and a wide range of Commissioned Lay Ministers (CLMs) in specific areas of church ministry.’
Dan Christian – Diocesan Director of Vocations
‘The celebration of lay ministry service was a wonderful way to acknowledge and celebrate all the ways Christians serve and live out their call in our churches here in the Diocese of Sheffield. Both our churches and our communities are so blessed so much by so many people living out a call from Christ. We appreciate all those ministries but in particular it was lovely to license three new readers as we pray for them in their new ministries but also appreciate all readers within in our Diocese.’
Joanne Mitchell – newly licensed Reader
‘I am delighted to be one of the first ‘new wave’ of Readers for Sheffield Diocese, and the celebration of Lay Ministries marked the completion of 2 years of hard work through study, placement and reflection. I was so thrilled that the diocesan team celebrated this achievement of the three Readers, in this way, alongside the other Lay pathways. It was such an honour to wear vestments and walk behind Bishop Pete and Dean Abi in the Cathedral, which is such a special and spiritual place!
‘I think it is important that this service is held there each year to recognise the laity and the work they do. I was delighted that my close family were able to attend from the Midlands, and I felt supported and loved by the many members of my church family who came from Thorne to cheer me on. I am truly blessed in my ministry as a Reader and to be able to minister alongside my husband, who is priest-in-charge. I am excited for this next chapter of my service to Christ and His church.’
Caro Staton, newly licensed Reader
‘The service was a wonderful celebration at the end of a 25-year journey of exploring my call to ministry and I don’t think I stopped smiling all day! It was a true honour to be able to share my testimony with everyone and to feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit as we said our vows. The atmosphere in the Cathedral was wonderfully warm, supportive and celebratory, with so many friends and family there cheering us on, and Bishop Pete’s sermon and the words of the songs spoke straight into my heart about how Reader ministry can only be done through Christ living in me.’
Revd Helen Terry- Priest in Charge, St Francis Bramley and St Leonard’s Thrybergh and Diocesan Young Vocations Champion
‘It’s always a joy to be involved and I love talking to people about the call God has on their life.
‘It is so important to celebrate and support anyone wanting to live and work for God’s glory and the growth of His Kingdom, especially because it encourages others to respond and take steps of faith.
‘Highlights of the afternoon for me were hearing the different stories from a variety of backgrounds and contexts, as well as being able to celebrate people taking steps of faith in response to God at work in their life and the life of their local church.
‘Every single person has a call upon their life, I love seeing people discover and grow in their God given gifts. Events like the Celebration of Lay Ministries are so important in highlighting the fact that everyone has a valuable part to play in the life of the church no matter who they are or where they are from.’
Revd. Jane Truman, Assistant Director of Vocations
‘I was really excited to see all the different stalls at the Vocations Fair, and folk to talk with about different ways of serving and equipping. I love the bit in the Bible where it says “There are many ways of serving, but the same Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). It was great to see just some of the different ways this is lived out in our Diocese.’
For more information, visit https://www.sheffield.anglican.org/support/ministry/lay-ministries/ or get in touch with Beth Burras – beth.burras@sheffield.anglican.org
