Advent Ordination on Nicholas Ferrar Day

The Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr David Thomson, is to ordain Ann Broxham as a deacon in St George’s, Littleport at 11am on Saturday 4th December 2010.

Ann came to Cambridgeshire in 2003 to work as Assistant Warden at a retreat house owned by the Community of the Resurrection. It while while she was at St Francis House, Hemingford Grey that she discerned a calling to the Distinctive Diaconate (aka Permanent-Deacon) and decided to follow it up. She said "I feel called to serve God as a Deacon and to 'build bridges' between the church and the community".

After the retreat house closed in December 2009 she went to Westcott House, Cambridge where she studied for her Post Graduate Diploma in Pastoral Theology. She also has a degree in Theology and Religious Studies.

Before coming to Cambridgeshire, Ann worked as volunteer for nine months with asylum seekers coming into the port of Dover. She also worked with the education department of HMP Canterbury teaching prisoners literacy and numeracy skills. Ann has a farming background which she hopes will fits well with the parish of Littleport, St George where she will serve.

December 4th is also Nicholas Ferrar Feast Day. He was the 17th century Deacon who founded the Little Gidding Community in Huntingdonshire<