Fifty five years of ministry was celebrated at Wakefield Cathedral on Sunday for the Dean of Wakefield, the Very Revd Jonathan Greener celebrating 25 years and the Revd Canon Dr John Lawson, celebrating his 30 years.
And for John – who joined the community of the Cathedral 12 years ago, it was “a creative reminiscence” .
For John, marked his 30 years of ministry by delivering the Jane Lecture – a short homily that he used to look at Christian ministry and service today.
John was ordained in Lichfield Cathedral. He was Curate and then Associate Vicar of Wellington with Eyton (1987-1993, Team Vicar in the Dewsbury Team (1993-1998), Priest in Charge of St.Philip, Birchencliffe, in the Huddersfield Area (1998-2005). It was whilst he was serving at Birchencliffe and Assistant Director of Ordinands that he completed his PhD on adult Christian learning.
In 2005 he was appointed Diocesan Director of Training in the historic Wakefield Diocese and made Residentiary Canon of Wakefield Cathedral, which, he admits, is his ‘spiritual home’. Since last year, John has been Principal of The Mirfield Hub of the Diocesan School of Ministry.
Said John: “On Sunday, I celebrated 30 years in ordained ministry with a service of Choral Evensong at the Cathedral. It was great to see so many people there, including my training incumbent and PhD supervisor.
“And it was a privilege to be asked to deliver the Jane Lecture during the service.”
In his lecture, John recalls his nervousness at his first sermon and the nightmare of his first funeral as he sat in traffic on the A5 …this, in the days before mobile phones !!
Read his lecture in full here: http://www.leeds.anglican.org/content/jane-lecture-canon-johns-30-year-anniversary#overlay-context=content/jane-lecture-canon-johns-30-year-anniversary
Watch it here: [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqeIV4KCjWg]