15 years ago Helen and I planted an apple tree. We were told that for the first five or six years it would produce no fruit. That was correct, and we waited in hope. But now, each year, our tree produces as many Discovery apples as we can eat. It is always exciting to see the baby apples forming on its branches at the beginning of the summer. An apple tree is an investment in the future.

In the life of our Diocese, June and early July are the months for ordinations. Each ordination candidate is a precious investment in the future of our church. The process of discernment, selection and training can take five years or so. There then follows a curacy and further training for three years before our candidates are ready to hold posts of responsibility. It is a long term investment. 

This year we are ordaining six deacons in the Pro-Cathedral in Brussels: Daleen Bakker (Lisbon), Dan Culbertson (Budapest), Alison Heal (Luxembourg), James Morgan (Bern), Massimo Radice (Barcelona) and Betty Talbot (La Côte, Switzerland). In early July, Florence Lorrain will be ordained deacon in Poitou-Charentes, and three of our deacons will be made presbyters/priests: Craig Taylor (Lyon), Vivian Sockett (Maisons-Laffitte), John Wilson (Budapest). We also produce deacons who serve in other parts of the Church of England: Rebecca Mathen will be ordained for a curacy in Bradford and Gavin Sunshine will be ordained to serve a curacy in Chelmsford diocese alongside airport chaplaincy at Stansted.

At the moment, the number of ordination candidates across the Church of England is much too low to meet our future needs. So give thanks for the wonderful candidates our diocese produces. Pray for each of those to be ordained, that their ministries will be abundantly fruitful. And pray the Lord of the harvest to raise up and send out many more workers into his harvest fields.