A Message from Revd Andrew Birks

After much prayer and reflection, I want to share with you that I have accepted the role of Senior Chaplain to the Bishop of Peterborough, and will therefore be stepping down as Vicar of Melbourn and Meldreth later this spring.

This has not been an easy decision. Serving these parishes has been one of the great joys and privileges of my ministry. You have welcomed me into your lives, trusted me with your stories, and worked with such generosity and imagination to help our churches grow in faith, hope, and love. I will always be grateful for the kindness, humour, and resilience that define these communities.

The new role will involve supporting the Bishop in pastoral, liturgical, and strategic ministry across the Diocese of Peterborough. It is a calling that has emerged over time, and one that I approach with both excitement and humility. Yet leaving Melbourn and Meldreth will be deeply bittersweet, and I will carry you with me in prayer as I take this next step.

Details about my final Sunday and opportunities for us to say our goodbyes will be shared soon. In the meantime, please keep the parishes, the Churchwardens, and all who will guide the vacancy process in your prayers.

Thank you — for everything we have shared, for all we have built together, and for the countless ways you have shaped my ministry. It has been an honour to serve among you. However, until I leave, it is very much ‘business as usual’, and a commitment from me that I will help to prepare the Benefice as much as I am able for the time when I have moved on.

Andrew+