A Big Brother runner-up, a retired prison governor and a former Buddhist are among those being ordained by the Bishop of St Asaph later this month.

The service on Saturday 28 June at St Asaph Cathedral will see five people being ordained as deacon and one person as a priest.

Glyn Wise, who took part in the seventh series of the Channel 4 TV programme, Big Brother, in 2006, is a fluent Welsh speaker and comes from Blaenau Ffestiniog. He will be ordained a deacon and will continue his training to be a priest in the Aled Mission Area around Old Colwyn and Betws yn Rhos. Glyn has just returned from walking the French Camino route to Santiago de Compostela. The 770km walk took him 22 days.

Ian Williams is a former Prison Governor. He will be ordained deacon and will continue his training to be a priest in the Estuary and Mountain Mission Area, working with Well-Being @St James, a new well-being and healing centre in St James’ Church in Holywell. Ian is a former rugby-league player and originally from Cumbria.

Jampa King spent time as an avowed Buddhist before becoming a Christian after visiting the Shrine of St Melangell in Pennant Melangell. He will be ordained as a deacon and will continue his training to be a priest in Dyffryn Clwyd Mission Area around Ruthin. Jampa is from Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire originally but says he never really felt at home until moving to Wales. Before training to be a priest, Jampa worked in education and family support, and was centre lead in a Surestart children’s centre for the Children’s Society.

Sharon Morgan will be ordained as a deacon and will continue her training to be a priest in Hope Street in Wrexham. Sharon spent many years in Pentecostal churches. Previously she was a maths teacher and before training to be a priest, she worked with children who were not in school for various reasons, as well as running a tuition business. Sharon is married to the Revd Dan Morgan who was licensed as Vicar of Denbigh last year.

David Dobbs will be ordained as a deacon and will continue his training to be a priest in Estuary and Mountain Mission Area. After previously running one of the largest independent care companies in Wales and working with national companies across the Northwest of England, David recently stood down from a long career in social healthcare, to concentrate on fostering and his curacy. He and his wife have been foster-carers for many years. In 2005 David was the winner of Sky TV’s Discovery presenter award, with his own short show on furniture restoration. David was once a nationally ranked squash player, is a keen biker, a beekeeper and runs an online Facebook prayer group, with more than 33,000 members.

Revd Pam Hallam is the only priest being ordained this year.  Pam has been working in the Offa Mission Area since her ordination as a deacon in 2023. She was born in the village of Southsea in Wrexham and has lived in Gwersyllt for the last 42 years. Before training to be a priest, she worked in the Shooting Star Cancer Unit at Ysbyty Maelor, Wrexham.

All six candidates will be ordained by the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron who said: “I am thrilled that we have once again six bright and different candidates for Christian ordained ministry. The Church will be all the richer for their experience, and the enthusiasm they bring to ministry.”

Before the service, all the candidates will go on retreat at St Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre in Tremeirchion. They will be led in their retreat by Canon Dr Jane Williams who, amongst many other roles, is McDonald Professor in Christian Theology at St Mellitus College.

Everyone is welcome to the ordination service at St Asaph Cathedral on Saturday 28 June at 10am and candidates appreciate support from their local churches and communities.

The Diocese of St Asaph stretches from Llandudno in north-west Wales across to the Wales/England border and down to Newtown in Powys.  It is one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, an autonomous Province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Quotes from those being ordained:

Pam said: “I have enjoyed being a Distinctive Deacon for two years; it has been a privilege to be part of the lives of people in times of both joy and sadness, but I’ve learnt that God still has plans for me and so I will be ordained as Priest. The calling to be a priest has been one of much prayer and reflection, but the Holy Spirit and those around me have given me the encouragement I needed to take this next step and so I look forward to continuing my ministry within St Asaph Diocese.”

David said: “There are so many things I’m really excited about. As an ordained minister, I will be part of other people’s spiritual journey, one that guides and encourages. At the same time, it is a huge responsibility and will, with God’s Grace, be an incredible experience. Whilst it brings some challenges, the opportunity to represent a church that encourages innovative and active engagement with the secular and multi-faith communities is something I’m very much looking forward too.“

Jampa said: “I’m most excited about being able to finally fully dedicate myself to my calling; to really be there for those who need me; to help others go deeper in their faith; and to let people know that we all are truly loved.”

Sharon said: “In 2017 I found myself in St Michael’s Church, Caerwys, having been in Pentecostal churches since the age of 18, when I became a Christian. It was during this time that I started Theology for Life and with encouragement from John Lomas, now Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, I began asking if God might be calling me to ordained ministry in the Church in Wales. It was a thought I could not shake, so eventually, I went through the discernment process.

“I am now looking forward to joining Hope Street full-time and walking alongside the community there in Wrexham. I’m excited to see God at work in people’s lives, bringing hope and transformation. Seeing people encounter God, especially for the first time, is such a joy!”

Ian said: “My call to ordination has probably been twelve years in duration, with many people suggesting ordination over the years, but work got in the way. After much prayer, encouragement, endorsement and guidance (and retirement) I felt that God was truly calling me. I am looking forward to a healing ministry, one that meets people where they are at, trying to bring hope, wholeness and faith to their lives.”

Glyn said: “I’m looking forward to sharing God’s love with others and spreading the Good News as is asked of us all. I want to follow in the footsteps of the disciples in the book of Acts and go out into the world spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.”