REVEREND Ruth Gillings who is curate in the benefice of Shaw, Whitley and Atworth, was ordained a priest on the 27th June, at Salisbury Cathedral.
In 2013, Rev Ruth was ordained a deacon at Salisbury Cathedral and caused quite a stir as she arrived on the back of her Honda Goldwing.
Due to ill health, Rev Gillings had a year out from her training but this June, she made the trip to Salisbury to finally be ordained as a priest.
Ruth’s husband Graham said, “It was a lovely day, Ruth met us there as she was already in Salisbury, staying at Sarum College on retreat.
“When the communion part of the service took place it was nice to receive communion from Ruth and Shona, but with Ruth giving the bread.
“There was a 49-seater coach full which went down from the benefice and people also travelled in their own cars. So there was lots of support.
“She is liked a lot on the benefice and always has time for people when they need to talk.
“She has one year left of her curacy, working with the incumbent Shona Hoad.
“As a NSM she has to balance her ministerial work with her secular job as a relief house manager for a company which runs retirement homes.”
