Hello! I’m Henry, and I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed as your new vicar at All Saints, Leek, and St Edward the Confessor, Cheddleton. Over the past three years, I’ve been based at the magnificent Hexham Abbey in Northumberland, and it’s been a tremendous privilege to be involved with the Abbey’s engagement with schools, families and young people, working with our fantastic choir, welcoming our many visitors, and making the Abbey a place in which our local community can feel at home.When I’m not at work, I enjoy going to concerts or the theatre, singing and playing the saxophone, baking and cooking, as well as spending time in the great outdoors — and I’m much looking forward to exploring the beautiful landscapes of the White Peak and the Staffordshire Moorlands in due course. I’m now busy planning my move south for the end of June, and I hope that my licensing to the parishes of All Saints and St Edward the Confessor will take place some time in July. More details about this service will follow soon!I very much look forward to getting to know you all in the coming months (hopefully over a delicious piece of home-made cake!), and I’m excited to explore together where God might be leading our communities in Leek and Cheddleton in this new season of our shared Christian journey.With much excitement, and the assurance of prayers,HenryA Prayer for the JourneyGod of our pilgrimage, walk with us, we pray,as we prepare for this new season in the life of our communities.Give us open hearts and the knowledge of your steadfast presence in our midst,that we might be ready to follow where you lead, in hope, and joy, and love.Amen.
We are very happy to announce that, after a very long and sometimes difficult interregnum, our church now has, at last, a new vicar.It is with great delight that we welcome Rev. Henry Hope to lead our ministry, who comes from Hexam Abbey and who should be joining us around the end of June, when all the formalities are completed.We can now look forward with joy to this new beginning.
