The Archbishop of York licensed thirteen people to be Readers in the Church of England on Saturday 14th November in York Minster. The people becoming Readers (licensed lay ministers in the Church) included Bob Sidgwick from Thirsk, Valerie Radford from Bridlington, and Harold Mytum from Sutton on the Forest.

Bob Sidgwick, 64, is a retired Army Sergeant who lives in Thirsk. He said, “I’m overjoyed to be licensed today – it means everything getting this far, and my wife Pauline has been licensed as a Reader as well today. I’m a Christian biker, and there were lots of my biker friends in the congregation. I first thought about being a Reader five years ago, when a visiting minister came to our church, and I asked so many questions that he said I should be standing at the front of the church, rather than sitting at the back! I do lots of evangelism work with bikers, and I’ll still be wearing my biker gear as a Reader – I hate wearing a suit. I once cut off my ponytail, and the old ladies in the church told me I had to grow it again.”

Valerie Radford, 67, lives in Bridlington. Before she retired, Valerie used to work as a trainer on disabilities issues, as an aromatherapist, and as a fundraiser for the RNIB and Guide Dogs. She said, “I studied theology when I was younger, but never did anything further with my studies. Throughout my life, three different vicars have asked me if I’d ever thought about being a Reader – when the third one asked, I thought I’d better do something about it! I made a commitment to follow God when I was a teenager, and being licensed today shows you’re never too old to serve God.”

Harold Mytum, 54, is a university academic, and used to be Head of Archaeology at the University of York. He said, “Like Valerie, I’ve had vicars ask me if I had thought of becoming a Reader. I feel that becoming a Reader is a good way to serve the churches in my area, and my community. Being a Reader can be seen as a middle ground between being a priest and a member of the congregation, but so many different types of people become Readers, bringing different talents and skills to the role.”

The Ven. Paul Ferguson, Warden of Readers in the Diocese of York said, “Readers lead acts of worship in the church, and they help the good news of Christ come alive through explaining the Bible and Christian belief. Through their preaching and teaching and in their pastoral work, Readers help others explore the Gospel message, and share in the Church’s work of caring for people in Christ’s name.”

The people licensed as Readers were:

David Charlton Ingleby Barwick
Cathy Dibben Deanery of New Ainsty
Catharine Grievson Benefice of Derwent Ings
John Hallaway St Aidan, Southcoates, Kingston upon Hull
Michael Harrison St Oswald, Fulford
Harold Mytum Benefice of the Forest of Galtres
Gill Pickford St John and St Martin, Beverley Minster
Neill Potts St Barnabas, Swanland
Valerie Radford St Nicholas, Hornsea
Dinah Rogers Christ Church, Bridlington Quay
Bob Sidgwick Benefice of Thirsk
Pauline Sidgwick Benefice of Thirsk
Claire Todd Redcar

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