Message from Bishop Adrian Glover: We have just had a very busy but productive Auxiliary Synod in Swindon.

The Rt. Revd. Adrian Glover OCR, OSJ - Mar Trimlett

Hello,

Wow! We have just had a very busy but productive Auxiliary Synod in Swindon. Thank you to everyone who came, and helped and took part. Thank you to those who could not be with us, but held us in prayer. 

We had a number of ordinations welcoming some into the diaconate and priesthood, and we had the consecration of Michael Templeton as Bishop of Fortriu and Dalriada to take forward our work and outreach in Scotland. Fr Abbot Martin Burrekoven-Kalve gave us the Rule of Hope for Pilgrims and a prayerful update on how the renewal and revival of OCAC's Order of Sts Francis & Clare is going. We also had a first class relic of Mother Teresa of Calcutta on the altar and a number of attendees placed their crucifixes on top of the casket to make their own third class relics. Amma Angela Partoon (OCAC priest) preached a beautiful sermon. 

We had a number of OCAC clergy giving short updates on how their ministries are growing and developing around the UK - with some remarkable testimony of chaplaincies, visiting preachers in other denominations, work out on the streets and homeless mission, local prayer groups, as well as funerals and hospice pastoral care.

OCAC Swindon (Fr Mark Paris-Haines) has been offered the use of the Community Hall we used if they want to hold ongoing Sunday services there!

We welcomed Revd Sandra Torcato who incardinated from a local community church, Dennis Porter-Avis part of OCAC Swindon was raised to sub-deacon and Chris Wood was ordained a deacon. Revd Trevor Millar, Revd Johanna Mills and Revd Ken Thomas were raised from their diaconate serving to the priesthood. Fr Andrew Eade was co-ordinator for the procession and groups during the Principal Service.

Prayers and rosary were said on Friday evening in readiness for the Auxiliary Synod and those attending. There was an after-synod (should that be apres-synod?) meal on the Saturday evening and Prayer Meeting on the street on the Sunday followed by some pub-ministry.

Not everyone could stay, as some were travelling by train just for the Saturday. I haven't been able to name everyone either! So apologies if you're not mentioned here by name...

We'll put photographs up as soon as we can, and there'll be updates to the web-pages ongoing now - be patient: it will take a week or so!

Meanwhile let the Holy Spirit soak in as we pray thanksgiving for the weekend.

Thank you all, for being the gracious and humble servants of Christ that we are!

Bishop Adrian

Old Catholic Apostolic Church