First Nordic Church Clergy licensed in Southwark Diocese

For the first time clergy belonging to Nordic churches have been licensed in the Diocese of Southwark (Bermondsey Deanery). The five clergy will still belong to their own national churches which they serve in south-east London, but have been licensed to lead services and give pastoral care in the area in the same way as Church of England clergy.

The Bishop of Woolwich, the Rt Rev Colin Buchanan, licensed them to Deanery on Sunday 24 February, at the Norwegian Church in Rotherhithe. They are (photo, l-r with Bishop Colin): the Revs. Helge Pettersson (Norwegian Church and Seamen's Mission), Ulla Kosonen (Finnish Church), Tapani Rantala (Finnish Church), Hallvard Mosdøl (Norwegian Church and Seamen's Mission) and Katarina Bäckelin (Swedish Seamen's Church).

The licensing is made possible by the 1996 Porvoo Agreement. They will have full voting rights in Bermondsey Deanery Synod, as will 3 lay people one from each of the Nordic churches

Bishop Colin Buchanan said: "These brothers and sisters work hard alongside our own clergy and often collaborate with them in serving the local people. It is a pleasure to give them a full ministerial role in our own church too."

° The Rev Helge Pettersson, Rector of St Olav's Norwegian Church and Seamen's Mission, is already a Chaplain of Southwark Cathedral.