Ordinands Gather
Twenty (20) People from diverse walks of life will be ordained as Priests and Deacons in the Diocese of Durham at ceremonies to be staged at Durham Cathedral on Saturday 28th June (Priests) and Sunday 29th June (Deacons).
Each one has been called to ordained ministry after amassing a wealth of experiences in a wide range of places and jobs and they include a forensic investigator dealing with major incidents and a social media consultant that had dreamt of running her own church since childhood.
ORDINATION OF PRIESTS
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Revd Paul Child, Monkwermouth, Sunderland |
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Revd Fiona Collin, Sunderland |
 The Revd Fiona Collin (51) is serving as a curate at Sunderland Minster. Fiona, who grew up in the Tynemouth area, spent her previous career in nursing. Her caring nature found an outlet during a thirty year vocation in the nursing profession.Initially serving in the NHS in North Tyneside, working in community nursing and as a Sister in a hospital, she then worked in occupational health with Procter & Gamble, moving with her family to Berkshire. This began a decade of living and working in the south and finding a spiritual home in the Anglican church of St. Michael’s, Warfield, near Bracknell.When husband Neil, previously a Northumbria Police Officer, retired as an Inspector in the Metropolitan force, Fiona began to look anew at her life.Her decision in 2009 to volunteer as a hospital chaplain proved pivotal in testing her calling and on her subsequent journey towards Ordination. Fiona is Married to Neil and they have two children. |
Revd Caroline Ferguson, Darlington |
 The Revd Caroline Ferguson (50)is serving as a curate in Darlington, St Mark with St Paul. She was born in Darlington to Roman Catholic parents and it was in this tradition that her Christian faith was nurtured and grew, first attending her local Roman Catholic Infants School, where many of the foundations of her faith were laid and strengthened.While studying for A levels at Darlington College, Caroline’s working life began with the Manpower Services Commission, where she stayed for seven years before moving to Teesside Positive People. Here she helped people who had been long term unemployed to prepare for the world of work. Building on this experience in the public and voluntary sectors, Caroline moved into private sector business consultancy for two years. A post as contracts manager at Durham Training and Enterprise Council led to a management post in vocational learning at East Durham College of Further Education. Following her redundancy from this post, Caroline moved back to the voluntary sector where she worked in the field of business development. She is currently self employed as a training consultant. Caroline is Married to Andrew |
Revd Claire Gibbs, Evenwood, Cockfield and Lynesack |
 The Revd Claire Gibbs (38)is serving as a curate in Evenwood, Cockfield and Lynesack. She was educated at Beaconsfield High School in Buckinghamshire, where she obtained excellent results in all subjects at GCSE and A level. 1995-1998 saw Claire begin a First Degree qualification at the University of York and in 1999 she began an Archaeological Heritage Management course at the University of York where she achieved an MA Distinction. A further qualification Claire has secured is a City and Guilds course entitled “Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector”.Claire and husband Paul had been part of the free Evangelical church in York over their university years. However, in 2001 after moving to the North East they started attending St Mary’s Church in Norton. Claire’s hobbies include juggling, gardening, knitting, sewing, drawing, cooking, reading and walking. She is also a stained glass artist and tutor. Claire is Married to Paul and they have two children. |
Revd George Lackenby, Gateshead |
 The Revd George Lackenby (65)is serving as a curate in Harlow Green and Lamesley, Gateshead. He was educated at Wallsend County Technical School. Church has always been a significant part of his life. At the age of fifteen he formed a branch of the Anglican Young People’s Association, which went on to produce its own magazine and to establish a connection with a group in India.After leaving school, George worked for a firm of jewellers in Newcastle, moving with them to Scotland then to Cumbria. He worked in managerial positions in two electrical shops returning to Newcastle in 1977. A brief time as a self employed salesman was followed by a post as manager of the Plaza Entertainment Centre in Blaydon. George began work as a traffic warden in 1979; a role he has now retired from. George is Married to Lilian and they have three children. |
Revd Glen MacKnight, Sunderland |
 The Revd Glen MacKnight (51)is serving as a curate in Herrington, Penshaw and Shiney Row, Sunderland. He has lived all his life in the North East of England and did not have a Christian background until a friend invited him to Mission England; he then attended different worship places until he found somewhere he felt comfortable.At College Glen gained a Certificate in Mechanical Engineering; he also gained two GCE O level qualifications and a Certificate – Teaching Students with Special Needs. He then studied for an Open University Certificate in Mental Handicap – Patterns for Living. At New College, Durham he gained a certificate in Social Services and at University of Sunderland a Practice Teaching in Social Work Certificate followed by a Certificate in Management at South Tyneside College. In 2004 he attended East Durham and Houghall Community College and gained a Diploma in Management. Glen started his career at Caterpillar Tractor Company, He did some temporary work before moving to Sunderland City Council in 1988 to take up a post as Day Centre Officer for Adults with Learning Disabilities and began Social Work training. In 1993 his role changed to Social Worker, Adult with Learning Disabilities and in 1999 became Senior Worker and then in 2001 became Team Manager to Fieldwork and Assessment Team all with Sunderland City Council. Glen is Married to Janice and they have two children |
Revd Catherine Mitchell, Croxdale & Kirk Merrington |
 The Revd Catherine Mitchell (52)is serving as a curate in St Bartholomew’s, Croxdale, St David’s Tudhoe and St John’s Kirk Merrington. Prior to being called to ordained ministry she worked for Jaguar Cars, latterly Jaguar Land Rover, for 25 years as an engineer, working for most of her career within current engineering departments primarily looking after power train systems, at two of the production sites, Browns Lane and Castle Bromwich and latterly at the engineering centre at Gaydon. Her last job at Jaguar Land Rover was analysing warranty data and implementing fixes for vehicles in service, across the vehicle brands. Catherine also enjoys music and is a keen instrumentalist playing various percussion instruments. Catherine is Single |
Revd Joan Robinson, Blaydon and Swalwell |
 The Joan Robinson (51)is serving as a curate in Blaydon and Swalwell. She was brought up in a large working class Roman family.As she moved into the world of work, particularly in the police authority and later in schools in deprived areas, she became aware of the depths of social problems that exist around her and from which she had been sheltered in childhood. Joan has two children |
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ORDINATION OF DEACON
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Revd Andrea Dart, Bowburn |
 The Revd Andrea Dart (67)will be curate of Christ the King Team Ministry, Bowburn. She was educated at Stanley Grammar School from 1958-1965 where she obtained excellent results at ‘O’ level and ‘A’ Level.In 1965, she began three years of study at Newcastle University obtaining a Teaching Certificate in 1968. Since obtaining that qualification, Andrea’s working life was centred around the teaching profession. In 1970 (aged 23) she moved to London where she lived and worked for ten years before returning to the North East in 1980. In 1984, Andrea was appointed to a Head Teacher role. Andrea is Single |
Revd Lorna Gardner, Blaydon and Swalwell |
 The Revd Lorna Gardner (60) will be curate of Blaydon and Swalwell. Her secondary education was at Walbottle Campus, Secondary School in the North East of England where she obtained good results at CSE level. In 1995, Lorna undertook some post graduate study at the University of Northumbria and obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management in 1997. Her professional qualifications include English Language, Typewriting, Shorthand and Certificate of Personnel Management.In Lorna’s early working life, she worked in a variety of different areas. However, since the early 90s, her work has been centred around Human Resources. Lorna is Married to David and they have two children. |
Revd Barbara Hilton, Heighington and Darlington |
 The Revd Barbara Hilton (54) will be curate of Heighington, St Michael and Darlington St Matthew with St Luke. Barbara’s secondary education saw her obtain excellent ‘O’ level results. She moved on to do an ONC in Applied Chemistry at Newcastle Technical College. Thereafter, she undertook an ‘A’ level in English Literature. Barbara’s professional qualifications include a Certificate in Industrial Management and a Diploma in the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.Barbara’s working life has been varied, starting off in various laboratory and production roles, then after being made redundant, moved to be a Customer Services Manager; then she became an officer supervisor. Barbara is Married to David and has a step-son |
Revd Debbie Loughran, Hetton-Lyons with Eppleton |
 The Revd Debbie Loughran (42)will be curate of Hetton-Lyons with Eppleton. She has attended a variety of churches in the past, all of which were of the evangelical tradition within the Church of England.Debbie has had experience of ministry as an active leader of worship. At her home church, she was on her church’s Messy Church team. Before ordination, she was involved in pastoral ministry, was an Alpha leader and also a PCC member for many years.Debbie is Married to Alan and they have two children. |
Revd Margaret Mackay, High Spen and Rowlands Gill |
 The Revd Margaret Mackay (55)will be curate of High Spen and Rowlands Gill. Margaret’s secondary education was at Highfield Comprehensive where she obtained excellent results at ‘O’ and ‘A’ level. After leaving school she continued her studies at St Martin’s College, Lancaster where she obtained a 2:1 BEd(Hons) in the Practice of Education Religious Studies. During the 1990s, Margaret attended Gateshead College and gained a further ‘O’ level in German. Professional Qualifications include Leading from the Middle (NCSL) where she obtained a ‘pass’.Margaret’s employment has been centred around the teaching profession, most recently as a First Class Supply and Training teacher. During her years teaching, she has led a team of teaching assistants which made up Key Stages 1 and 2, whilst at the same time leading on assessment; this involved introducing staff to Assessment for Learning principles.Margaret was licensed as a Reader in 2010. During the same year, she left the school where she had taught for 25 years. Margaret is Single |
Revd Kyle McNeil, Cockerton, Darlington |
 The Revd Kyle McNeil (27)will be curate of Cockerton, Darlington. Kyle was born in the suburbs of Glasgow, before moving to a farm in the Perthshire countryside when he was four years old. Kyle was educated at Glenalmond College, an Independent Co-Educational Boarding School, where he obtained excellent results. In 2006 Kyle attended Durham University, undertaking a three year course in Ancient History and Archaeology.He succeeded in obtaining a First Class Honours. Kyle’s early working life began with a one month Management Induction internship focusing on sales and production management. A three month post in a restaurant complex in central Kiev in Ukraine followed before he became a Pastoral Assistant in Cambridge in 2009 before taking up a post as Pastoral Assistant in St Pancras. These experiences have blessed Kyle with experience of leadership and during a time spent in the Cadet Force and TA has shaped his understanding of leadership considerably. Kyle is Single |
Revd Nicholas Moore, Hartlepool |
 The Revd Nicholas Moore (29)will be curate of Stranton, All Saints, Hartlepool. Nick was born and raised in Durham where his parents still live. His father is a Professor of Business Ethics at Durham University and his mother is a counsellor and, until her retirement at the end of 2013, was Bishop’s Advisor in Pastoral Care and Counselling.Nick attended Durham Johnston School where he quickly discovered his aptitude for study and in particular excelled at French. He worked part-time as a retail assistant at the Gateway World Shop in Durham. After A levels, he spent a gap year in Cuba volunteering with the Project Trust and taught England at the Universidad Central de Las Villas in Santa Clara. In 2003, he went to Magdalen College, Oxford to read French and Philosophy. During the vacations he worked as an English tutor a labourer and a factory operative. He spent seven months in Paris as an English assistant and graduated with First Class Honours in 2007. Nick went on to reader a Master of Studies degree in French Literature at Oxford which he passed with distinction in 2008. Nick is Married to Bekah and they have two children |
Revd Susan Plummer, Darlington |
 The Revd Susan Plummer (69) will be curate of Darlington, St John and Darlington, St Hilda and St Columba.She was educated at La Sagesse Convent in Newcastle gaining good results and later at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College where she gained two A levels.Sue’s working life has been mainly within an office environment, but in mid to late 80s she worked as a lunchtime supervisor for Glebe Road Special School. Susan is Married to Gordon |
Revd Rebecca Tobin, The Boldons |
 The Revd Rebecca Tobin (38)will be curate of The Boldons. Rebecca grew up in a vicarage: her father being a priest.Rebecca’s secondary school education was at Sunderland Church High School where she obtained excellent grades in her chosen GCSE subjects. Her education continued at South Tyneside College and at Ryton Comprehensive school where she obtained three A levels in English Literature, Psychology and German.In 2000, Rebecca achieved a 2:1(Hons) at Lancaster University being awarded a BA(Hons) in English with Spanish and TEFL. A further professional qualification was awarded when Rebecca passed ‘Leading from the Middle’ – a National College for School Leadership qualification.Rebecca’s employment has been mainly in the teaching profession. She had a break from employment from 1992-1994 to raise her son who was born in August 1992. Rebecca is a single mum and has one son. |
Revd Kevin Kitson, Durham |
 The Revd Kevin Kitson (49) will be curate of Durham North Team Ministry. Kevin’s working life began in the mid-eighties when he worked as a Clerical Assistant at the Department of Social Security. He later moved to be a Tax Officer. He did this job for around one year before joining the Police Force in April 1986. This job has challenged Kevin at many differing levels, dealing with situations that many people would never face in their lives. Kevin is Married to Juliet and they have one childFull Story here |
Revd Bryony Taylor, Houghton le Spring |
 The Revd Bryony Taylor (36) will be curate of Houghton le Spring. Right from being about 10 years old I used to imagine myself leading a church (this was before women’s ordination in the Church of England) – only looking back do I realise now that this was a bit odd! I’ve always enjoyed helping people to meet with God and learn about Him, preaching at a mass at my RC school and then being president of the Christian Union at university. After university I worked variously in museum education and then adult education policy.My last job was working as a social media consultant, helping people to use Facebook and Twitter for business. I realised that I could evangelise really well for the use of social media and felt a ‘nudge’ from God that actually, if I can be that enthusiastic about social media (which is here today and gone tomorrow) how much more could I be used by Him in the church? I feel most myself when I am leading worship or just helping someone get that bit closer to Jesus and now I’m completely thrilled to have realised this call in ordination. Bryony is Married to Paul Full Story Here |
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