ONE of the first female priests to be ordained in the Diocese of Chester is to become the Church of England’s 13th woman Archdeacon.
Revd Canon Dr Judy Hunt, the Director of Mission and Ministry for the Diocese of Chester and a former Priest-in-Charge at Tilston and Shocklach, has been appointed Archdeacon of Suffolk.
Canon Hunt will take up her new role early in the autumn.
A former vet specialising in equine surgery, and a former lecturer at Liverpool’s Veterinary School, Canon Hunt is joining a diocese that includes the horse-racing centre of Newmarket.
She said: “I passionately believe in the call and the ability of each and every local church to be alive and attractive.
“I leave the Diocese of Chester with many happy memories of fellowship and hard work, as well as fun. The area and its Christian communities have given me great strength and support over the past 24 years as both a lay and ordained person. I am grateful for the opportunities for ministry that this current post has given – and to colleagues for the fruitful work we have done.”
Canon Hunt was one of the first women to be ordained in the Diocese of Chester, and has spent her entire ordained ministry here – from 1991 until now.
Following a period of ministry in Heswall, Wirral, she became Priest-in-Charge of the rural parishes of Tilston and Shocklach from 1995 to 2003.
She has also held the posts of Deanery Adviser for Children and Young People, Adviser for Women in Ministry, and Assistant Director of Ordinands.
Canon Hunt, of Abbey Street, Chester, became Director of Ministry in 2003 and the Mission portfolio was added three years later.
