Diocese welcomes its new deacons

1.  John Parker 2.  John King 3.  Elizabeth Moxley

4.   Miriam Keen 5.   Rachel Wigram 6.   John Wigram 7.   Emma Antoine 8.   Davd Chattell 9.   David Archer 10. Ryan Green 11. Charlotte Bannister-Parker 12. Jonathan  Herapath 13. Jonathan Arnold

Organic farmer, professional singer, earth observation scientist; our new deacons bring a diverse range of skills and experience to our diocese. They were ordained by Bishop Richard at Christ Church Cathedral in June and are now serving in our parishes. Below, put names to faces and read a little bit about them all  They would all appreciate your prayers as they begin their ministry in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

Emma Antoine 
Parish: St Peter & St Anne, High Wycombe
Emma enjoys people, food, walking, socialising and solitude, a wide range of music, goldfish and any types of arts and crafts activity involving power tools...! She says: ‘I’m excited about coming to serve within the Wycombe Benefice and the privilege of getting to know people’. 

David Archer
Parish: Christ Church, Abingdon
‘A career in environmental physics working as an earth observation scientist and using satellite technologies to monitor environmental and humanitarian concerns appears now as a distant memory’ says David. Instead, he is looking forward to moving to Abingdon with his wife Amy and their three children, to join the staff team at Christ Church.

Jonathan Arnold
Parish: St Mary, Charlgrove 
Jonathan gained his degree in Theology at St Peter’s College, Oxford and trained for the ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon. Ex-‘Vicar Choral’ at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, as part of his professional singing career, he is now a freelance singer with the Classical Brit Award winning ‘Sixteen’ and other ensembles. He lives in Stadhampton and enjoys fell-walking and cricket.

Charlotte Bannister-Parker
Parish: University Church of Oxford St Mary the Virgin 
Charlotte was raised in London, educated at Durham and then spent a decade in India and Nepal as a charity worker. She co-founded the charity Learning for Life, which supports schools in South Asia. ‘I feel passionate about inter-faith issues’ says Charlotte. After she and her husband Bill married, Charlotte trained as a pastoral care worker. Charlotte and Bill live in Summertown with their four boys.

David Chattell
Parish: Bucklebury
David is married to Ruth and they have three children: Timothy (6), William (4) and Jonathan (2 months). Both David and Ruth were teachers and lived in Cheltenham before moving to Oxford, where David trained at Wycliffe Hall. Ruth has a diploma in Biblical Studies. 

Ryan Green
Parish: Cookham
Ryan is excited about returning to the Oxford Diocese and the opportunity of working in Cookham. He studied at St Stephen’s House and he now feels ‘ready to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world!’ He has a brother studying at Wycliffe and is looking forward for a time when catholics and evangelicals unite. He adds: ‘please pray for me’. 

Jonathan Herapath
Parish: St Mary & St John, Oxford
Jonathan worked in the City before coming to Oxford to study and subsequently to teach. ‘I am greatly looking forward to experiencing parish ministry in Cowley St John’, he says. He is married to Helen and they are guardians to Marsejl who is from Albania and studying in Oxford.

Miri Keen
Parish: Cogges & South Leigh 
Miri had been a primary school teacher, but joined Wycliffe Hall in 2003 in order to prepare for ordained ministry. She and her husband, together with their two school-age children, enjoy sea-side holidays, preferably with both sun and surf! ‘I am looking forward to serving in Cogges and South Leigh’, she says.

John King
Buckingham Deanery
John is married to Pam and they have two children, George and Anna, who are at senior school. ‘I work as an organic farmer, with rare breed cattle and sheep, working with nature to encourage wild birds and wild flower meadows,’ he says. ‘Through the winter months, I enjoy traditional hedgelaying’.

Elizabeth Moxley
Parish: Aston Clinton
Elizabeth grew up in a Congregationalist family and joined the Anglican church when she married Chris 32 years ago. They have two adult daughters, Esther and Charis. They moved to Burnham in 1984 and since then Elizabeth has taught in Comprehensive schools. ‘Now, after training for ordination at St John’s Nottingham, I very much look forward to serving my title at Aston Clinton with Buckland and Drayton Beauchamp’, she says.

Rachel and John Wigram
Hazlemere
Rachel and John are both ordained are serving their curacy as a ‘job-share’ at Holy Trinity Hazlemere.  They have three children, David (14), Hannah (12) and Peter (9). They trained at St John’s College, Nottingham and previously lived in Reading where Rachel was a full-time mum and John a software developer.

John Parker
Aborfield
John is serving the Lord Jesus at St Bartholomew’s Aborfield and St James’ Barkham benefice.  He says; ‘I am wonderfully supported by my wife Miriam and encouraged by our three daughters: Zoe, Abi and Lizzy. When I have time off I may be seen fishing or swimming; and sometimes both at once!’

Is God calling you?

The Oxford Diocese has a network of friendly Vocations Advisers who are here to help you. For an adviser near you ring: Hilary Unwin on 01494 725228 or Debbie Dallimore in the Diocesan Director of Ordinand's office on 01865 208291.