For more than three decades, Ann Handslip has been a familiar and faithful presence at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Norris Green, dedicating her time to serving both her church and local community.
Originally from Wrexham in North Wales, Ann moved to Liverpool in 1980 and first began attending church locally with her children. Although she initially attended a different church, she soon discovered the Good Shepherd, beginning what would become a lifelong journey for her where she would start her ministry.
Since joining the church in 1991, Ann has become a foundation to church life at the Good Shepard. What began through leading a Rainbow Guide unit gradually developed into decades of service across almost every area of church life!
Over the years, Ann has served as a Sunday school teacher, PCC member, deputy chairperson, chalice server, churchwarden, safeguarding officer, DBS recruiter and member of the shared ministry team. Ann managed to do all of this impressive work whilst raising five children and working full time. Throughout all of life’s ups and downs, her commitment to the Good Shepherd remained a constant.
Reflecting on that journey, Ann said: “I look back and think, with five children and a full-time job, how did I manage to do all that? But obviously, God was giving me the strength to do it.”
Her path towards Reader ministry began during a diocesan retreat led by the then Bishop of Warrington. During a healing service, Ann experienced what she describes as an overwhelming sense of peace and calling.
“I just knew I was being called for something,” she recalls. “It was the most amazing feeling.”
At first, Ann believed that calling might be towards ordination and applied to train for ministry. But decided ordination would not be for her and that reader ministry was more suited to her. Whilst Ann contemplated pursuing reader ministry, she soon decided to go for it following encouragement and from clergy within the Diocese of Liverpool.
“When Reader ministry was suggested to me, it felt like somebody had taken a weight off my shoulders,” Ann explains. “Everything suddenly felt right, this was where I was meant to be.”
From there, Ann began training as a Reader, a ministry she says she has “absolutely loved”, particularly through preaching, leading services and supporting people through difficult moments in life.
Throughout her years of ministry, Ann became a steady and trusted figure within the congregation, particularly during challenging and uncertain moments for the church community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church sadly lost many long-standing members, deeply affecting the congregation. Ann supported the close knit community through those uncertain and trying times.
“We lost a lot of our congregation during COVID because many of our members were elderly,” Ann reflects. “It was an incredibly difficult time for everyone.”
Despite those challenges, Ann speaks warmly about the close relationships formed within the congregation over the years and the importance of supporting one another throughout church life and personal life.
As Ann recently stepped back from active Reader ministry, the church gathered during a moving Eucharist service to celebrate both her retirement and the granting of Reader Emeritus status, recognising her decades of faithful service. During the service, led by Team Rector Helen Edwards, Ann laid down her blue Reader scarf on the altar table and received a letter and certificate from Bishop Ruth recognising her Reader Emeritus status.
Originally, the service had simply been plAnnd as a straight forward celebration of her ministry, but the decision to award Emeritus status brought an even deeper sense of acknowledgment of Ann’s dedication to Christ.
“I was absolutely over the moon,” Ann says. “It meant so much to still feel recognised for my ministry and the years I’ve given to the church.”
The service itself became a deeply emotional occasion, filled with warm messages and tributes from members of the congregation and clergy from the past and present. One message that deeply touched Ann, was from an old curate from the Good Shepherd who served at the church in the early 1990s but now serves his own parish within the Diocese of Manchester. The congregation were also shown a PowerPoint presentation featuring photographs from Ann’s ministry over the past 30 years. Ann also received gifts from the church, including a handmade card from the children’s church, before celebrations continued with lunch and a cake following the service.
“I realised how much people had appreciated what I’d done,” she reflects. “You just do these things because you care, you don’t always realise the impact it’s had on people.”
Looking back on more than 30 years of ministry, Ann describes the experience as both “amazing” and deeply fulfilling, particularly through helping others in their own journeys of faith.
“It wasn’t something I ever expected,” she says. “But it’s been amazing to be part of helping people along their faith journey and serving the church community that has meant so much to me for all these years.”
If you want to find out more about Reader Ministry and if it could be for you, get in touch today with our Vocations Team via lifecall@liverpool.anglican.org
