Father Stephen at St Michael's

He takes over as team vicar of St Michael's in the Bexhill Team Ministry and was licensed in a service conducted by the Bishop of Lewes Wallace Benn.

The lesson was read by Father Stephen's wife Toni and recalled the stoning of Stephen, but in his sermon Bishop Wallace made the assurance that St Michael's is a friendly place and that stoning would be out of the question.

Over 150 people attended the service including members from the clergy of Bexhill and past churches where Father Stephen was based previously.

He commented: "I am very pleased to be the new parish priest at St Michael's. This is a lovely church with lots going on and I look forward to working with everyone in the future. I should particularly like to thank all those who have worked so hard at the church in recent months and especially for the service of licensing last evening. Bexhill is a good place to live and our young daughter really likes being at the seaside."

Father Stephen comes to St Michael's from St Leonard's church in Turners Hill, where he was also Anglican Chaplain to Worth Abbey school.

Before his ordination Father Stephen and his wife Toni were teachers locally and have a long association with East Sussex.