We are continuing the series of stories celebrating our soon-to-be Reverends as we head towards the ordination weekend on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June. Today's story comes from Lori Cook.
How was Lori called?
Raised in a Christian household in Sydney, Australia, faith has always been central to my life from an early age. My maternal grandparents were missionaries and my mother’s deep commitment to prayer shaped my own faith. It was never just a Sunday obligation but a way of being.
My faith became truly my own through moments of challenge and questioning. Rather than weakening my belief, these experiences deepened my understanding of God as both mystery and companion. Living in different cultures, I saw how the gospel transcends borders and calls us to recognise the image of God - the Imago Dei - in every person. This shaped my passion for intercultural mission and the Church’s role in reflecting God’s diverse kingdom.
Before training for ordination, I pursued studies and a career in politics, working in Sydney, the USA, Namibia, and London. My research explored apartheid, autism and theology’s role in inclusion and belonging, shaped by my conviction that the Church must be a space where all are seen, known, and valued as bearers of God’s image.
Drawn to questions of justice and governance, I saw politics as a way to serve the common good, yet I increasingly felt called back to the Church, not just as a place of worship, but as a community of transformation. Alongside my academic and professional journey, I was deeply involved in ministry, and living in intentional Christian communities profoundly shaped me, teaching the beauty and challenge of shared life.
The call to ordination was a gradual unfolding rather than a single moment. I sensed it in my teens, but it took another decade and multiple intercontinental moves to become clear. There were struggles – questions of adequacy, of a woman’s role in ministry, of responsibility – but also moments of deep peace. The Holy Spirit’s work was evident in unexpected opportunities and in those who recognised my calling before I did.
As I enter ordained ministry, I most look forward to accompanying people through life’s greatest joys and sorrows – baptisms, weddings, funerals – where God’s presence is so noticeable.
To those discerning their call, I would say: be patient and open. God often speaks in whispers rather than shouts, through community as much as conviction. Trust the journey.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
1 Peter 4:10