(Article from The Advocate 10 April, 2011)

A flexible approach to becoming an Anglican priest has helped a former teacher find his life’s purpose.

Joshua Skeat was ordained at St George’s Anglican Church in Burnie on Saturday by the Bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower.

Raised in a Christian home, Mr. Skeat said he “walked away from the faith” during his teenage years but when he and his wife were invited to attend a Somerset church soon after moving to the coast in 2008 he heard a calling from God to enter the ministry. The father of two left his teaching position at Wynyard High School to complete what he calls his ministry apprenticeship with Somerset’s Connections Anglican Church.

“Basically we explored a new way of training and working in ministry so I am studying half-time by distance and working in the church” he said. Mr. Skeat said he understood it was a relatively new approach to training in the Anglican Church. “I think one of the things we need to realize is we need to explore different ways of doing things” he said. “For me and my family to pack up and move to Melbourne so I could study for five years would have had a significant impact on my kids and my wife. That we can be doing it concurrently with ministry in the church adds a hands-on layer.”

Don George of St Peters Anglican Church in Launceston [St Leonards] was also ordained in Burnie on Saturday.

Links to find out more about “Connections” and the  Anglican Church in Burnie and  Joshua Skeat’s blog and  Don George serving at St Peter’s in St Leonards.