Published on: 04/06/2026
Ordinations are taking place at Sheffield Cathedral during the first weekend in July, at Christ Church Fulwood on 7 July and at St Wilfrid Cantley on 9 August.
On Sunday 5 July the Bishop of Doncaster, the Rt Revd Leah Vasey-Saunders, will ordain nine deacons at 10.30am, and on Sunday 9 August the Bishop of Beverley, the Rt Revd Stephen Race, will ordain one deacon at St Wilfrid Cantley at 3pm.
Meet the ten people who will be deaconed this Summer:
Heather Andrews
Hi, I’m Heather – mum and granny to a wonderful family of humans, dogs, cats and hamsters. Oops, and fish! And prone to an occasional whim, such as abseiling off a bridge and sightseeing in the Peaks in a helicopter.
Three years ago I was gearing up for retirement. I had been involved for over 35 years in various roles in church and been blessed through it all, but it was time to stop.
But God had begun to whisper the call to ordination – not what I would have thought of, but I believed God was in it and others prayerfully encouraged me.
So here I am, bemused but deeply thankful to all who have taken part in seeing me through, and to God, for that whisper!
Toby Butler
Toby lives in Rotherham with his wife Hannah, and three children. He previously trained through St. Hild Theological College whilst completing his masters in Ministry, Mission and Theology from Durham University. As full time Church Planting Support Lead for the Northern Mission Enabling Team, Toby’s role is to further build capacity and coordination to grow New Worshipping Communities across the Northern Province. Toby will be serving his Curacy at incumbent level as part of The Rivers Team as an SSM (Self-Supporting Minister). He is a massive Arsenal and England fan, and looks forward to guaranteed victory for both this summer.
Emma Fenn
I went to church as a child, although most of my family were not Christians. When I was a teenager, I gave my life to Jesus and started to learn about the Holy Spirit and discipleship, things I have been passionate about ever since.
I worked in education, teaching English and then setting up and running an Alternative Provision helping teenagers on the margins to stay in education and gain qualifications and life skills. Alongside this, I’ve served in different roles and teams in churches I’ve belonged to, including being part of a graft team to Wadsley Church from St Thomas’ Philadelphia in 2016. Since then, I have gradually felt God call me towards ordination.
I’m married to Joe and we have two daughters, Amelie and Poppy. We’re excited to see what God has planned for us at Wadsley over the next few years.
Joel Gillin
Born and raised in a secular household in southern California, I then went off to study religion and philosophy at university. I was drawn in by the life and teachings of Jesus and surprised to discover I had become a Christian. After a few years I ended up in Finland to continue studying and met my now-wife Joanna. Now training for the priesthood in Oxford, we are delighted to be moving with our three children up to Yorkshire. I look forward to working with and learning from my training incumbent, Fr Andrew, to serve the parishes of St Wilfrid’s and St Hugh’s in Doncaster.
In my free time, I enjoy sauna, bread baking, the outdoors, reading and singing.
Joseph Hare
I studied mathematics at university, and worked as a software engineer after graduating. Rebecca and I moved to Luton when we were married, and ran the youth work for a nearby estate church, during which time we both began exploring a call to ordained ministry. We’ve spent three years training at Cranmer Hall, juggling college commitments alongside raising our two children, Annabeth and Isaiah, and are very excited to be starting curacy. I’m passionate about social justice, transformative mission, and building an inclusive church, and I’m really looking forward to joining the team in the Cornerstones area. When I’m not parenting or working, I enjoy being outside on a boat, my feet, or a unicycle; or playing board games.
Rebecca Hare
I grew up in Coventry, before reading English at university and then training at drama school. I worked as an actor and a musician for several years, living first in London then Luton. Joe and I felt called to the youth work in our church, and through spending lots of time with some exceptional young people, we both discerned a call to ordination. This took us to Durham, where we have spent three years training at Cranmer Hall, which has been a real blessing, particularly their warm inclusion of our two very small children, Annabeth and Isaiah. I’m really looking forward to becoming part of the Cornerstones team and putting all the theological training into practice, and I get particularly excited around the areas of social justice and advocacy, pastoral care, and youth ministry. Other loves include the Lake District, Shakespeare, and Dungeons and Dragons, but probably not all at the same time.
Genevieve Langdon
I grew up on the council estates of North Liverpool, and I’ve taken the scenic route into ordained ministry! For most of my working life I was an engineer. I spent fifteen years in Cape Town, where I led a blast research group – essentially, blowing things up to see what happened – and served in the leadership of a large Baptist church, before coming home to the Church of England in 2020. From that journey I’ve gained a deep love of justice and a heart for the messy edges where the kingdom of God so often grows.
Most recently I was a Professor of Blast and Impact Engineering at the University of Sheffield, until I left last year to become the first Sub-Prior of the Community of St Paulinus. This new missional community draws together everything I love: prayer, sacramental planting, creative mission, and leader development. Alongside it I’ll serve my curacy at St Leonard’s, Arbourthorne, with the Revd Canon Lucy Sablan.
I’m married to Gareth, and we have two nearly grown-up children. When I’m not writing poetry, buried in a book, or out walking, you’ll find me quietly devoted to Star Wars or a good murder mystery.
Niall Murray-Sharpe
I am a proud northerner, from Leeds but happy to be staying in Yorkshire above all else! I love to bake, and have found a particular love of breadmaking, perhaps one of the greatest spiritual disciplines in encouraging patience. I am also a dog fan, and hope soon to be joined in ministry by Oscar, a Bichon Frise who I am sure will keep me nice and busy! As well as dog walking I have recently got back into running, doing the Oxford Town and Gown 10k despite it nearly breaking my legs. I am really excited, after three years in Oxford, to return to a more familiar part of the world, even if hilly South Yorkshire will make those runs more of a challenge!
Steffany Nantes
I was born in Brazil and raised in Portugal. Around the age of nine, I had a significant encounter with the Holy Spirit that deeply shaped my faith. I have been formed within the Pentecostal tradition and in a servant-hearted family involved in ministry. This has nurtured in me a love for serving the Church and for journeying alongside others in their faith.
I moved to the UK with my parents and younger brother in 2016. My journey within the Church of England began in 2020 through a New Wine Discipleship Year in Leicester. During a second-year Worship and Ministry Internship in London, I sensed God’s call to ordination, and over the past three years, I have trained at Trinity College, Bristol.
I’m passionate about mission, social and racial justice, and intercultural worship. I look forward to beginning curacy at St Thomas Crookes and exploring Sheffield!
Denise Stothard
I grew up in a loving non-church going family. The seed of my faith was sown at school where the headteacher had a deep faith followed a rhythm of prayer and hymn singing.
I met and married my husband Kev in the 1980s. We were blessed with two wonderful sons Jonny and Chris who are both married and now we have five grandchildren and a crazy dog called Heidi.
16 years ago, after drifting in and out of church l felt God calling me to go back to church. I was encouraged by my then vicar to explore God’s calling on my life and l became a Reader. But the nudge to explore ordination became strong just before the pandemic and here l am a final year St Hild ordinand.
I am looking forward to all that lies ahead in curacy as a SSM, and l am grateful to those who have supported me on this journey.
