Saturday 7 July 2007

Ordinations: where have all the young men (and women) gone?

Ed: In terms of age, these pictures of ordinands from across the dioceses look the same age as incumbents did when I was ordained in 1976. Where have all the young people gone? (Pictures courtesy of the Church Times)


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The Bishop of Worcester (left) and Dudley, with priests and deacons


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The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten, with deacons


The Bishop of St Asaph  © not advert
In Wales: the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd John Davies, with priests and deacons


New deacons rehearse Sheffield Cathedral  © not advert
New deacons rehearse in the pulpit at Sheffield Cathedral


The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham with deacons  © not advert
The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham with deacons


The Bishop of Truro with deacons   © not advert
The Bishop of Truro with deacons at his final ordination as diocesan
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On retreat with the Bishop of Chelmsford (left)


Deacons at Peteborough  © not advert
Deacons at Peteborough


The Bishop of Ripon & Leeds with deacons  © not advert
The Bishop of Ripon & Leeds with deacons


The Bishops of Rochester and Tonbridge, with priests  © not advert
The Bishops of Rochester and Tonbridge, with priests


The Bishop of Coventry with ordinands  © not advert
The Bishop of Coventry with ordinands


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Leicester deacons on retreat with Launde Abbey

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So the face of C of E ministry is overwhelmingly that of a middle aged or older woman?
Where will this leave parishes in 5-7 years?

LT

Anonymous said...

Hmm - not to worry - it's a bit like the age profile of yer congregation - I mean Church is an acquired taste, rather like a malt whisky; you don’t expect young people to appreciate it. I mean, cmon, people were concerned about the way the Church was losing young people in the 1960s. Look around. They are back. What were the worthies of the Church doing in the 1960s and 1970s? Yesterday’s “tomorrow’s church” is today’s church; today’s “tomorrow’s church” is tomorrow’s church. So where will this leave parishes in 5-7 years? Exactly as they are today - today's young men (and women) will have matured - like some single malt or vintage port