Dear Friends,

It is twenty years this July since I was ordained deacon -  how time flies when you are having fun or so they say!  Back in 1990, when  there was little prospect of women going any further in the life of the church, I started work in Prudhoe as the curate with no idea as to what the future would hold for me or the family, never in my wildest dreams did I think that we might end up in here Warkworth and Acklington!

On Sunday July 4th 2010, the ordination takes place of June Barras at the cathedral church of St Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne. A great day to celebrate not just in the Barras family, but in the life of both our churches and communities. 

June came to us from Leicester Diocese as a licensed Reader and has exercised a very full ministry in her time with us. She has planned and led  Family Services, Evensong and Compline and preached and assisted at the Parish Eucharist, as well as  taking out Home Communions and the monthly service at The Grange. June has also served as a Community Governor at Acklington CofE Controlled School and has been actively involved in the leading of  Collective Worship, as well as helping with the preparation of candidates for Confirmation, leading study groups, visiting the sick and taking funerals.

So what is going to be different once she is ordained?

Much of her previous work in the church and the community will continue, but she will also be working this year towards ordination as a priest in July 2011.  Learning more about  taking baptisms and weddings and planning for the day when she will celebrate for the first time as the president at the altar for Holy Communion. 

The past few months have been a very testing time for Brian and June because of Brian’s illness and operations, so it is really good to see them both looking so much better!

Please remember June and all those to be ordained with her on July 4th in your prayers, and we look forward to seeing her around and about in her ‘dog collar’ although I don’t think she’s quite so keen on that bit of the idea !