It was a celebration of new beginnings and a commitment to shared ministry as the Revd Jane Walker was licensed as Priest-in-Charge in the Benefice of the Burrough Hill Parishes.
The service, which was held in All Saints, Somerby, on Sunday 11 May, played an important part in affirming Jane’s passion and dedication to ministry across the parishes of Burrough on the Hill, Somerby, Pickwell with Leesthorpe, and Great and Little Dalby.
“It was a very special service shared with my family, church family and friends,” said Jane. “Myself, and all present, will forever remember Bishop Saju’s enthusiastic sermon on the parable of the Prodigal Son, and the smashing plate to boot.
“Following the service, tea, coffee and cake was served in my neighbour’s lovely garden, the weather was beautiful, and the spirit of the occasion equally so.”
Jane has been an Associate Priest in the Benefice of the Burrough Hill Parishes since early 2020, exercising very effective leadership there during and after the Covid pandemic.
She was last year confirmed as able to work and minister officially at an Incumbent level of ministry instead of Assistant level (after a positive assessment by a National Candidate Panel), so Bishop Saju was delighted to be able to licence Jane as Priest-in-Charge of the group of parishes.
Bishop Saju added: “The community have a deep appreciation for Jane’s dedicated ministry, and it was wonderful to celebrate and be a part of that.”
The last five years have been quite the journey for Jane, who was licensed to the benefice just three weeks before the nation locked-down.
As a self-supporting priest, circumstances changed again when her husband, Bill, was made redundant but, “believing we were in the right place; gave our time, our money and our future to God,” said Jane.
“The Burrough Hill Benefice essentially needed someone to care about them and come alongside them, listen and understand the challenges they have faced and help them move on,” she explained.
“When the former priest-in-charge fell ill and sadly passed away, I found myself naturally leading the benefice. I had no expectation at all of becoming Priest-in-Charge when I arrived, but believing it was the right thing to do, for the right reason - the Christian presence in the area - I began the discernment process. It has been my privilege to share life in the area and make my way through the discernment process and status change…
“There is a long way to go, and we’ve only started to scratch the surface, but my hope for the parishes is creating safe spaces, sustainable, and with God at the heart of it all,” she added.
The Venerable Richard Worsfold, Archdeacon of Leicester, who has journeyed with Jane throughout this time, said: ‘It has been wonderful over the past five years to see the growth in Jane’s confidence across pastoral and missional leadership, and now to see those leadership gifts affirmed through her licensing as priest-in-charge and through the warm encouragement of the gathered local congregations during the service. I know she will continue to be a blessing to all those she serves.”