A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
The ordination took place on 19 June 2011 and saw Efird also gain the title of ‘Vicarius Canonicorum’, meaning 'The Canon's Priest'.
This comes as a result of Efird completing a successful diaconal year, after being made Deacon by the Archbishop of York last June.
As Deacon, Efird is serving as Assistant Curate in York Minster for four years and receives training in ministry by the Dean and Canons of York Minster.
He preaches once a month, participates in the liturgical life of the cathedral and takes part in pastoral work.
As Priest, Efird is now also able to preside at the Eucharist, his first of which will be held on Sunday 26 June in the cathedral.
He is also able to perform weddings, baptisms and funerals and, after a few years of experience, will be able to hear confessions.
Efird revealed his desire to be ordained began at an early age, as at 16 he decided he wanted to be ordained as a minister of the United Methodist Church.
This led him to read a BA in Religion and then begin an MDiv in Theology to prepare for ministry.
However, during his course, he decided to no longer pursue full-time ordained ministry and instead followed his new-found interest in Philosophy and completed an MSc and PhD in Philosophy.
After this, he took up lectureship at the University of York and admits “my desire for ordination went dormant”.
Only four years ago did his former desires for ordination resurface, when the Canon Chancellor of York Minster spoke to him about non-stipendiary, part-time ordained ministry in the Church of England.
It is a scheme which has allowed me to realise what I think to be my vocation as an academic priest
Ministry in Secular Employment, a scheme run by The Church of England, allows Christians to combine full-time work as an academic with ordained ministry.
Efird revealed: “It is a scheme which has allowed me to realise what I think to be my vocation as an academic priest.”
“At different points in my life, my faith drifted away. However, since I have found what I take to be my true calling as an academic priest, I haven't had any great crises of faith.”
“Nevertheless, just as faith is compatible with reason, so is it compatible with doubt; indeed, I think faith requires both reason and doubt,” he added.
Efird insisted his ordination as Priest does not affect his position as lecturer in Philosophy and Provost of Vanbrugh College but is “complementary to the roles I play at the University”.
“My teaching and research in Philosophy has a theological focus which helps inform my preaching at the cathedral, and vice versa, and my pastoral work in College helps inform my pastoral work in the cathedral, and vice versa.”
“It is a great privilege to preside for the first time in the provincial cathedral and where Christianity began in the North, some fourteen hundred years ago,” he added.
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