From board room to pulpit - quite literally a leap of faith

Publication date: September 2006.
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The Reverend Patrick O’Ferrall is a very unusual Curate. Prior to being ordained in 2001, he spent 32 years in the oil industry and 9 years with Lloyds Register of Shipping, the last 7 as Chairman. “I just felt that when I retired I wanted to give something back”, said Patrick. “I knew the Reverend John Ashe well and he suggested that I should get ordained. ‘You’re just the sort of man the church needs’, he said. ‘In the words of the Heineken commercial why don’t you go out and reach parts of the community that the church can’t!’, so that’s what I did and here I am”. As well as being chaplain to the Meath where he conducts regular communion services for residents and staff, John is also chaplain to the Borough Council and Chairman of the Godalming Chamber of Commerce.