Petertide Ordinations 2025 - Meet our new Deacons

Juliette Brown

I grew up in Ashford, Kent, and attended the church Sunday school, youth group, and then Spring Harvest as a student. On leaving university I worked in hotel management, putting my career on hold to have children.

My two children are now teenagers, and we have lived in the Cambridgeshire Fens for over 10 years. I spent many of those years volunteering in various ways at our local parish church. Whilst training at this church and Ridley Hall, to be licensed as a Children & Families LLM, I sensed God calling me to become a priest. I had dismissed God’s call for some time (“Who, me?!”) before eventually accepting it.

My training for ordination has been context-based, combining study with experience in rural ministry. I look forward to joining the four churches in the Bluebell Benefice for my curacy, swapping my LLM blue scarf for a stole and collar.

Kennedy Emokpaire

My name is Kennedy Emokpaire, I am married to Soraya and a father to two daughters. I was born in London to Nigerian parents and was raised in Nigeria from about 6 years old until I returned to England on the cusp of adulthood.

I am a self-supporting curate currently teaching English language in Cambridge. With a passion for language and the arts in general, my hope is, in the coming years, to make wider use of the arts; music, spoken word and drama alongside my ministerial service.

Coming to faith before my teens, I have from an early age had a yearning to serve Christ and his people. After many years of serving in different ways, like working with young people in schools and communities, having the opportunity to train and offer myself for ordination and Christian service at this time is an honour and privilege I pray I’ll always treasure.

Robert Henderson

I live in Ely with my wife and two children and am delighted to serve the Church as a self-supporting minister, whilst continuing to work in the NHS. My family and I have lived in the Diocese since 2016, but I am originally from the North-East.

After graduating from the University of Manchester, I spent much of my twenties abroad, living in China, Russia and Spain. I have travelled quite extensively in other parts of the world, experiencing the faith, culture and daily life of different countries. After moving back to the UK, I lived in London, working with those experiencing homelessness, before training to support people with their mental wellbeing.

My time in other cultures strengthened my faith and brought a fresh view on the beauty of the Anglican tradition. I hope to bring such gracious experiences into a life-giving ministry for others.

Matthew Lewis

Matt has finally been ordained, having spent over fifteen years considering and exploring his desire to be an ordained minister in the church, and to preach the gospel wherever he goes.

During those fifteen years, Matt preached at home and abroad, taught in secondary and primary schools, and engaged with a variety of churches in the different areas he has lived. In that time, Matt met his wife, Keren, and they now have three young boys in their family. Matt and Keren are relishing the task of raising their boys in the Christian faith, and have noticed time and again how important church is to family.

Matt is very much looking forward to being the next curate at St. Andrew’s in Stapleford, and to settle as a family in a new church that will no doubt help to nurture the faith of all there, and to further the sharing of the gospel in the village.

Christian Osborne

Christian grew up in Cambridge and started her teaching career in London. She returned to Cambridge in 2000 and soon after borrowed a book called Basic Christianity by John Stott from her local library. It was in her bedroom, on her own that Christian had an experience of God and knew that her life had changed direction. Christian joined an Explore course at Holy Trinity church Cambridge and committed to following Jesus.

Early on in Christian’s faith journey she discerned a call to leave teaching and work full-time for a church, initially ministering mainly to children and families. During 2020, whilst co-leading a Food Hub Christian had a strong sense of calling to ordination. Christian has worked for the last four years as a Young Parents Development worker at Romsey Mill, working with mums and dads under the age of 20.

Having served for four years as a Licensed Lay Minister at the Good Shepherd, Cambridge, Christian trained for ordination with the Church Mission Society with Ripon College Cuddesdon in Oxford. The combination of the pioneering mission focus of CMS and the liturgical tradition of Cuddesdon has been inspiring.

Christian is married to Mark, an ordained priest and prison chaplain, and they have three children all in their teens and early 20s.

Judith Sutcliffe

I was born into a Christian family in Yorkshire, and from a young age had the feeling of God being very close to me. I remember the words of Away in a Manger bringing tears to my eyes when I was either 7 or 8. I moved to a village south of Cambridge when I was 9 and joined the choir and bellringers in my local church. I was confirmed when I was 13, and as a teenager joined various prayer and Bible groups. In leaving school, the vocation of Priest was not available to women, so I started work with Cambridge Job Centre when I was 19, and I am still working there on a part-time basis. This has become a ministry to me over the years and I have worked with and met some amazing people.

My faith wavered when I was suddenly widowed at the age of 27. After several years in 'The Wilderness' I rejoined the church and the choir. This eventually led to being selected to train as an LLM, and I was licensed in 2008. Lay ministry is a wonderful privilege, and in 2017 I was licensed as an LLM in Pampisford. I always felt that God was wanting more from me, and this move seemed to have confirmed that calling to ordained ministry. So, in later 2017 I started exploring the possibility of ordination. After a bit of a bumpy ride, I started my training with ERMC at the age of 65, which has been both a joy and a challenge. I look forward to continuing this journey through curacy in the parishes where I grew up and where my ministry has been.

I am married to a retired Priest and I have 2 grown up children who have been very supportive. I also have a very lively Spaniel, who has a passion for stealing books, especially theological books. I spend any spare time that I may have in listening to music and have many tapestry projects on the go.