St James Welcomes a New Reader

St James Welcomes New Reader

This Saturday afternoon at Chester Cathedral Jill Williams will be licensed to the ministry of Reader. She will be part of a team at St James which also includes our other Reader Ann Draper.

For well over 50 years the Church of England has recognises the way in which others apart from clergy can offer a ministry to folk in a parish.

The term "Reader", which is the foremost way this is recognised in this diocese, comes from the fact that the role originally only consisted in reading scripture readings in services. Now it offers many more opportunities including pastoral care as well as leading in worship that give scope to an individual's personal gifts.

A healthy church is one which encourages every member to fully exercise their gifts and at St James there are encouraging signs with another person already in the process of training to become a Reader.

Here Jill introduces herself:
"My parents were both from Audlem and I am the middle of three, I have a sister Jane and a brother Mark who live in the village. I was brought up in Audlem but left the village to pursue a career in nursing. I did my general training in Swansea and midwifery in Salford. I settled in Bolton and lived there until sixteen months ago when I moved back into the village.

During my career as a nurse I worked in a variety of settings, my last job was as a deputy manager of a health care unit within a prison. I was retired from nursing because I suffered with sudden hearing loss six years ago, I am now profoundly deaf. I was devastated, my whole world went silent. I have a hearing dog called Flynn who has helped me gain my confidence again to go out.

It was during this period that I felt I could do something for God and felt called to become a Reader in the Church of England. I trained as a Reader with Manchester Diocese and was licensed in June 2012.

On returning to the village I started to attend St James and I am due to be licensed as a Reader to the Parish. I have been made to feel very welcome and accepted by the church, Flynn is now part of the fellowship and is always first in line for a biscuit after the service is over!

At the heart of Reader ministry is preaching, teaching and leading worship. I enjoy doing all of these, but as well as this I see my dog Flynn as part of my ministry as well. He is also a PAT dog, that means Pets as Therapy and we attend schools and a dementia unit, at the schools children read to Flynn and in the dementia unit the residents stroke Flynn and do a variety of activities with him.

It is good to be part of village life again and to make new friends."

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