Maria Hearl's Ordination

Maria Hearl was a long-time member of the Famagusta Fellowship and visits us from time to time - at her most recent visit she gave her testimony of her calling to ordination which has now come to fruition in the UK. Her Husband Derek Hearl is a lecturer at EMU.

Maria wrote:

With Bishop Michael

It was an absolutely lovely service. Once ordained I acted as Deacon to the Bishop for the celebration of the Eucharist - I was the only one being ordained so that was easy. He preached well - as is normal for him. The weather was awful - lashings of rain had produced floods and 80 mph gales were forecast. Eight of my year group managed to make it as well as my personal tutor, spiritual director, the Director of SWMTC, a couple from the theology department, RC's and representatives from the Baptist Church where I helped out in their interregnum. Friends and relatives came from various parts of the country, including my 90 year-old aunt.

Afterwards we had wine and cake and Carl, my 7-year-old grandson read out the following, using a microphone, which he had written all by himself on the computer, using the spell checker:

Today is my Grandma's special day in the house of God.

We are all her friends and family, here to celebrate.

My Grandma is a Christian this means she believes in Jesus.

Jesus lives in our hearts and God chose her to help His people.

Jesus was a kind and loving person, my Grandma is as well.

My Grandma is going to help other people in special ways, loving them like Jesus in his name.

Please keep her in your heart and prayers. She is always in mine."

Not a dry eye in the house!

Now it's getting used to getting up at 5.45 to make it down to Exeter for 7.30 Morning Prayer three days a week, and wrapping up sufficiently warm to deal with the very cold church. My task at the moment is to pop in on all sorts of places and people to get myself known. This is easier said than done because the only parishioners who are happy to be visited in the week before Christmas are retired clergy, I have discovered. However, I have done quite a bit of visiting schools, carol services, projects to do with homeless, residential care places for Old people etc.