Father Nigel studied at Durham University, Lincoln Theological College and the Seminary of the Mission de France in Paris. He was made Deacon in 1969 and priested in 1970, serving his title as curate at Saint Mary with Saint Columbia in Wallasey. He then became the vicar of the shared Anglican/Methodist of St. Barnabas at Hattersley from 1972-77. After 25 years in rural ministry as Rector of Odd Rode he came to St James in 2002.
Father Nigel came to the parish at a time when Congleton appeared to be "over-churched", leading to four churches in the town being incorporated into a Team Parish. Although Fr Andrew Burton had helped to lay the foundations for the team by sharing certain responsibilities with the former priest of St. Peter's and St. Stephen's, the PCC of St. James voted not to join the team.
This put St. James in a vulnerable position - and a lengthy vacancy increased the fear that there might somewhere be a "hidden agenda". The Diocese, however, showed its commitment to the future of the parish by appointing a senior priest to the parish, one who - as Rural Dean of Congleton - had important local experience as well as of the diocese's Pastoral structure.
Father Nigel sees his task as making the parish an effective part of the Body of Christ, financially secure and comfortable in its dual role as the Anglo-Catholic church in Congleton and, above all, a welcoming place of worship for the increasingly large population of the parish.
He brings to the task a strong devotion to Saint James the Great (he walked the ancient pilgrim route from Le Puy to Compostela on a sabbatical pilgrimage ten years ago) as well as a deep love of the dignified worship offered in Saint James' church, which he has shared on many occasions over the last quarter-century.
Father Nigel is also delighted at the opportunities to develop closer ecumenical links (a life-long preoccupation) within the town as well as finding ways of working with the Team Parish - to our mutual advantage.
It is his fervent hope that his successor will regain the freehold of the parish, so that the future of this excellent church will be assured.
You can contact Father Nigel here
