About Us

WHAT IS MINEHEAD PARISH?

We are the Anglican Church in Minehead (Church of England).  The Parish (our geographic area) includes the town of Minehead, much of the moorland area of North Hill, and a bit of Knowle Hill!  

We are part of the Diocese of Bath & Wells (www.bathandwells.org.uk); the Taunton Archdeaconry within that, and the Exmoor Deanery within that. 

FAMILY:

This is who we are as a church family:

"We are a God-centred, inclusive, and joyful church, where all are welcomed and valued, sharing the love of Jesus in our community." 

God Centred

God is at the heart of what we do, how we do it, and why we do it.  

Inclusive

We believe that God loves all people, whoever they are and with no exceptions, and has called all people to be as one with each other and with Him.  We believe that diversity is a strength, and different views and opinions are to be respected and embraced.

Joyful

'You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence' (Psalm 16).  

Welcomed and Valued

Whoever you are, you are welcome in our church family.  We believe that church welcome is not just about tolerating, but is about enabling each other to flourish.  God already knows you and loves you, and we would like to do the same.

Jesus

We are Christians, and so we follow Jesus Christ as our primary source of teaching and way of life.  As Anglicans we have a Trinitarian understanding of the person of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  

Community

We believe that our church should reflect the community that it is part of.  We seek to discern where the Holy Sprit is already at work in Minehead, and to be a church that responds to community joys and challenges, and a church that is open, welcoming, and relevant, to all who would seek it.  

WHO'S WHO

  • Our regular church family (people we see at a church service once a month or more often) numbers about 110.  Being a church in a community like Minehead means we also regularly get visitors who are on holiday here.  
  • Vicars:  The Reverend Philip Butcher & The Reverend Michelle Butcher.  Philip & Michelle are a married couple and job share being our Vicar!
  • Reader:  Diane Newton (from October 2026).  Diane is our Reader in Training, and will be licensed in October 2026.  A Reader works alongside the Vicar with a particular focus on leading in Mission, Pastoral work, preaching and teaching.
  • Churchwarden(s):  Richard Newton.  Husband to Diane above, Richard is our sole Churchwarden and is responsible for the practical matters relating to our wonderful buildings, and keeping good order amongst the people within them!  
  • Safeguarding:  Diane Newton & Tracey Staples.  Diane and Tracey are our Parish Safeguarding Officers (PSO's), and lead on Safeguarding matters within the Parish.
  • Administration:  Tracey Staples.  Tracey is responsible for the parish administration and is also our Data Controller for GDPR purposes. 
  • Children & Families:  Vicky Robinson.  Vicky is our Children & Families worker and leads on outreach to children and their families through our Families Together service and events.  We are also supported by the Exmoor Youth Project, which is run by Lynne Barton and supports Christian children's work in churches and schools locally.
  • PCC:  The Parochial Church Council.  The PCC is the Committee that is responsible for the running of the parish.  It is a charitable body and the PCC Members are individually elected by those on the Parochial Electoral Roll for a three year term.  Chaired by the Vicar, the elected members of the PCC are; Richard Newton, Diane Newton, Lynne Barton, Gordon Niccolls, Sara Evans, Russell Perkins, Chrissie Seymour, Jenni Boyles, Amanda Hazlewood.  
  • Treasurer:  John Thorogood.  John is our current PCC Treasurer and ex-officio member of the PCC.
  • Retired Vicars:  We are blessed to be supported by the ministry of retired ministers in the parish who hold 'Permission to Officiate' in the Diocese.  At present those active in Minehead Parish are The Reverend Canon Andrew Hazlewood and The Reverend Prebendary John Thorogood.