Willie Shain-Ross and Tom Douce Graduate!
From Artizo’s Director of Training:
I am grateful to God and very excited to announce two more graduates from the Artizo training program this year: Tom Douce and Willie Shain-Ross.
And yet, I have to acknowledge that their graduation is bittersweet. The aim of Artizo is to help our apprentices grow in conviction, competence, and character through training and applied Gospel ministry in the church. Practically, their training invites them to become a more and more integral part of the St. John’s ministry team over the course of two years. Their voice and vocation flourish as they co-labour with Christ in our midst, until saying goodbye to them is like losing a part of our body. We’ll miss them! But we trust that God will use this time and their growth to bear even greater fruit in the wider body of Christ as they follow the call of God for what’s next.
Tom Douce has been accepted into a Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at Wheaton College, and plans to continue exploring how psychological tools can be helpful to church leaders. Tom is grateful for his time in Artizo, where he has grown in his ability to communicate Scripture and in his pastoral leadership ability. Tom is eager to continue serving with the tools he has developed in his next congregation, and I know he will be a gift to whatever congregation receives him.
Willie Shaine-Ross hopes to enter ordained ministry within ANiC, has been approved by the parish discernment committee, and is actively seeking a curacy in an ANiC parish. Willie has shown himself to be a capable leader and a hard worker throughout his time in Artizo. He is able to hear and grow from difficult feedback, has a truly pastoral outlook, and thrives in the rhythms of pastoral ministry.
Because we weren’t able to do a celebration of our graduates in real-time, we recorded them sharing about how they have grown, their thanks to St. John’s and Artizo, as well as a little about what’s next. Please enjoy, and do keep them in your prayers as they follow God’s call into what’s next.
Rev. Ben Roberts