Wrapping up

Next Saturday, the Honorary President of the Guild, Mr Paul Briers will be ordained to the Permanent Diaconate, and his extended tenure as president will come to a happy end. Paul will remain on the Central Council but will now rightly focus on his new ministry. We thank him for all he has done for the Guild and offer our prayers as he goes forward to ordination, more on this later this week! He writes…

Today marked my final engagement as Honorary President of the Guild of St Stephen. It has been the greatest honour and privilege to serve in this role over the past four and a half years.

To conclude my tenure by enrolling two new servers in my local deanery was a fitting reminder of what this ministry is truly about: walking alongside young people as they grow in faith and in their love for Christ and His Church.

Their commitment is deeply inspiring. They serve with devotion, generosity and joy, and they represent the countless altar servers of across the UK and beyond, some of whom I have had the privilege to meet over these years.

Time and again, I have come away encouraged by their love for the Church, their faithfulness, and their willingness to give so freely of their time and talents in service at the altar. For some, that service comes at considerable personal cost. Deo gratias!

To every altar server: thank you. Keep serving with joy, humility and love. Never forget that the Lord who has called you is faithful. The good work He has begun in you, He will continue to bring to fulfilment.

As one chapter draws to a close, another begins. I do so with a heart full of gratitude, entrusting the future to the Lord, whose faithfulness never fails.

Paul Briers
Honorary President