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Journeys to Licensed Lay Ministry

Apr 23, 2026 | News

Winchester Diocese has published an inspirational story of four journeys to Licensed Lay Ministry ahead of Vocations Sunday

Adam Marsh is a Licensed Lay Minister from Christ Church, Colbury. He said, “I did a BCM first and just felt like I needed to do more. I was drawn to the idea of ministering to people, that sort of servant leadership role, guiding people and walking by their side. It’s not easy squeezing the training around working full time, having a family, going to church and living your life as well and you’ve got to balance it. There’s a lot of reading and the assignments as well, but it’s totally worth it, the rewards, the sense of self, the growing that you do and getting close to God. It’s so helped in my ministry, my learning and the confidence I have to talk about things. It’s totally worth it. I would recommend it to anyone feeling a calling to ministry, go for it!”

Vocations Sunday is a dedicated day of prayer and reflection focusing on God’s calling to us. It encourages us to listen to his voice and consider how we are being asked to serve him within the church, our communities and in life.

Four people from across our diocese have shared their stories of how they were called to Licensed Lay Ministry and the paths they are following in their faith.

Watch their stories here: https://winchesterdiocese.org/four-people-share-their-journeys-to-licensed-lay-ministry-ahead-of-vocations-sunday/

Your opinion counts

Apr 18, 2026 | News

As you can read elsewhere on the site, The Reader magazine has been in existence for a very long time, certainly over 100 years, under various titles such as ‘The Lay Reader: a magazine for Readers and Lay Workers’.

Celebrating The Reader magazine

 

What is certain is that over that time there have been both new and familiar challenges for lay ministry and lay ministers, and the magazine – and now website – seeks to help in its mission of ‘Equipping, challenging and transforming’ your ministry.

To that end, we have put together a reader survey to see what you think of the magazine and website, and what you would like to read in the future.

The link for the survey is here

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GTYGM5S

Please do take the time to complete the survey and give us as much detail as possible when it comes to suggestions – there are several comment boxes you can type into.

We are here to serve, and wish to do so based on as many replies as possible.

I should also say that I welcome ideas for articles, and contributions as well – you can reach me at editor@transformingministry.co.uk

Tom Otley

 

Killing Fields Living Fields

Apr 8, 2026 | 2026 - Summer - Free, Book Reviews

Killing Fields Living Fields

Author Don Cormack
Publisher Dictum £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781838097233

Ten Stories from the Killing Fields

Author Don Cormack
Publisher Dictum £5.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781838097295

‘Pol Pot’, ‘Phnom Penh’ and ‘Khmer Rouge’ are names I remember from news bulletins fifty years ago, though I confess to thinking little and knowing almost nothing about them beyond recognising names. These books, though no easy read, have changed that for the good. The main book, together with the excerpts in the smaller one, gives insights into times in Cambodia, a whole country transformed into a concentration camp, which are, at the same time, moving, horrific, powerful and disturbing. Amidst these reactions are stories of deep faith, trust in the gospel and a challenge to all of us who hold a Christian faith. We might ask questions about where God was in all the horror; we might give thanks that the Pol Pot era is now history, though its impact remains. Whatever else these books do, they cannot but inspire us with their accounts of endurance and faith, and push our horizons so as to think, pray and act beyond the confines of our own churches which, thank God, have seen nothing of these horrors.

Reviewed by CHRIS BRACEGIRDLE

Persecution

 

A Year of the Lord’s Favour

Apr 8, 2026 | 2026 - Summer - Free, Book Reviews

A Year of the Lord’s Favour

Author Pete Wilcox
Publisher CHP £12.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781781405086

This book documents an eventful year in the life of its author. He was considered but not appointed as the Bishop of Sheffield and then appointed after the withdrawal of the previous candidate, and in between the two was diagnosed with bowel cancer. It chronicles how he managed to cope with the physical limitations and relatively few people being aware of his diagnosis. The author is honest about his shortcomings in dealing with others, especially family. Using his spiritual journals, he recalls the emotions and awareness of his own mortality. Although an interesting book, I was slightly disappointed. As a retired doctor, I felt there was too much emphasis on the medical details, and the procedures of the church, rather than his emotional, spiritual feelings and his relationship with God.

Reviewed by ANN VINCENT

Memoir

 

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