Feb 3, 2026 | News
Reader Dr Annie Cooper among three admitted to the Order of St Frideswide.
On Saturday 31 January 2026 eight people were made honorary canons and three candidates were admitted to the Order of St Frideswide during Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford.
The Order of St Frideswide is named after the patron saint of Oxford. Founded in 2001, by the then Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Richard Harries, it admits just a small number of people each year. Honorary Canons become part of the Cathedral’s College of Canons, playing an important role and bringing experience and wisdom to promote the life and mission of the Cathedral.
Among the three admitted to the Order of St Frideswide was Dr Annie Cooper.
Annie has been part of the Mursley Deanery Synod in the Oxford Diocese for many years, serving as lay chair until 2007 and for a second term since 2023. This service is all the more admirable, against the backdrop of several serious family illnesses which Annie and her husband have had to negotiate in recent years. In addition to this, Annie has been an LLM in the Cottesloe Team, which comprises 7 parishes, 8 churches, north of Aylesbury since 2014. One role which was particularly important to Annie was her time as a prison librarian, something she did for 14 years.
Annie says, “Every time him upstairs gave me a job, He moved on and gave me another one.”
Annie completed nine years on Diocesan Synod and was part of the Department of Mission Board in the Bucks area from 2009-2010 and then for the diocese from 2010-2013. She was vocations advisor for Buckinghamshire for 15 years and for many years supported this work as Bishop’s Selector for the Bishop’s Advisory Panels.
On hearing of her nomination to join the Order of St Frideswide, Annie said: “Recognition has never been important to me. I did all that work because it was important to me and I felt called to it. It is lovely to know that somebody noticed!”
Each person was recognised for the distinguished service to the church and the mission of God in the diocese of Oxford.
The full list of those awarded is The Revd Andrew Blyth, Dr Annie Cooper, The Revd Jon Salmon, The Revd Keith Dunnett, The Revd Margreet Armitstead, The Revd Margaret Dixon, The Revd Dr Peter Day, Dr Peter Foot, Mr Richard Ashfield, The Revd Sami Watts and Ms Sue Powell.
Bishop Steven said: “These are all people who have served faithfully for many years, sometimes in quite challenging situations. They are people who go above and beyond and have had big impacts on the communities they serve. It is very good to be able to recognise their ministry in this way.”
The awards recognise the dedication of lay and ordained people to the Diocese of Oxford and the wider church across a variety of areas of ministry and mission.
View the photos from this year’s service on Facebook.
Jan 23, 2026 | News
A record number of young adults have joined a year-long placement scheme to experience ministry in the Church of England.
The Ministry Experience Scheme (MES) intake this year is 121, the largest the scheme has had since it was founded more than a decade ago, and an increase on the last record intake in 2019/2020 when 109 young adults joined.
The new figures mean that more than 100 young adults have joined the scheme for the third year running, with this year’s intake including 28 who are taking part in a specialist children and youth ministry scheme called
Future Youth. This year’s total means that more than 1,000 young adults, including this year’s intake, have been part of the Scheme since it was set up in 2013.
The placement allows 18 to 29-year-olds to gain a range of experience in areas such as preaching and Sunday services, chaplaincy, social justice ministry, digital media, pastoral visiting, event organisation, evangelism and children and youth work.
The record figures have been revealed after 150 participants and leaders gathered last week at St Mark’s, Regent’s Park in London for a day of fellowship, sharing their insights and hearing from speakers including the Bishop of Barking, Lynne Cullens (pictured, below) and Work and Pensions Minister Sir Stephen Timms MP.
Rachel, who has spent part of her year in Brussels, said serving including at the local foodbank has “been such a joy”. She recently moved to work in an estate in Guildford where she is ‘seeing God at work through the people.’
Joe, who is part of the Derby Future Youth Scheme said he had been inspired by his younger brother to serve. With his church he recently launched a youth drop in session which saw 50 people come in the first week.
The acting Bishop of Durham, Sarah Clark, who is Chair of the Ministry Experience Scheme, said: “It was a joy to see so many young people gathered at the conference, and to hear their testimonies of serving the church and exploring their God-given vocations. I thank all those taking part, and those who support and pray for them in our dioceses and parishes. May we continue to pray for those who participate in the scheme, and for its continued success.”
The Rev Charlotte Cook, Interim Head of Vocations for the Ministry Development Team said: “There is a real sense of energy and enthusiasm amongst young people who want to serve the Lord through this ministry. I pray that their call transforms their lives and those they serve this year and in the years to come.”
- More information about the Ministry Experience Scheme can be found here.
- Future Youth, a strand of the Ministry Experience Scheme, began in 2023, and offers an opportunity for young people aged between 18 and 29 to spend a year exploring young people and children’s ministry through ministry placements, training and mentoring. Participants test God’s calling on their lives by pursuing ministry in a safe and supportive environment and receiving training through a nationally run course.
Nov 2, 2025 | News
Six candidates were licensed for lay ministry at the annual service for Licensed Lay Ministers at Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday.
Alongside the newly admitted ministers were licensed lay ministers (LLMs) from around the diocese who joined the candidates in dedicating themselves afresh to their ministry, during the service which was led by Bishop Gavin.
The candidates presented were Eve Hitchens, Linda Hobbs, Rachel Moss, Mike Murray, Joe O’Neill and Karen Broadbent.
The preacher was the Revd Andrew Blyth, Director of Mission and Ministry at the diocese. During his sermon he celebrated the candidates as they begin a new chapter of their story. Evoking the imagery of The Archers and The Traitors (!) Andrew described us all as living our own story.
He said: “God writes the story in us and with us. Let him, I pray. A story of hope and goodness fill each one of us with this hope in Jesus’ name.”
During the service each of the candidates were asked to publicly to profess their faith with the congregation as their witness. Bishop Gavin then admitted each of them in turn, presented them with a Bible and prayed for them.
Following this prayer the LLMs’ sponsoring training incumbent or archdeaconry advisor then put the blue scarves on them. At the end of the service, all of those licensed or authorised to preach stood, and holding their Bibles aloft were blessed in their ministry.
- Eve Hitchens will serve at St Michael in the Northgate, Oxford.
- Linda Hobbs will serve at St Helen’s in Abingdon.
- Rachel Moss will serve at St Michael and St Mary Magdalene, Easthampstead.
- Mike Murray will serve at St Michael’s Steventon.
- Joe O’Neill will serve at St Mary’s Church, Aylesbury.
- Karen Broadbent will serve at Christ the King, Sonning Common.
See more photos from the service in the Facebook gallery.
Oct 18, 2025 | News
On Saturday 18 October, Newcastle Diocese welcomed three new Readers to serve in the Diocese.
Izzy McDonald-Booth, Jo McEvedy and Bec Scane were licensed by Bishop Mark during a special Eucharist service at Newcastle Cathedral.
To see more photos
https://www.newcastle.anglican.org/news/new-readers-licensed.php
Oct 6, 2025 | News
Ely’s service for licensing and admission of Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs) took place on Saturday 4 October 2025.
There were seven newly licensed lay ministers – Anne Carter, Angela Deavall, Julie Hughes, Simon Kershaw, Stewart Piper, Raine Thorold and Trevor Webb.
To listen to their stories, click here
Five of the LLMs received the John Hullock Award – Fiona Davis, David Ogilvie, Nigel Smith, Tony White and David Williams,
Celebrating 25+ years of their ministry in the Diocese of Ely were Kate Aylmer, Malcom Barrett, Maria Dorman and Jan Payne. In addition, Cyril Dodd celebrated 45+ years of ministry, but was unfortunately not able to join us for the service.
Recent Comments