Popular minister heading for pastures new
A CHURCH minister who has been at the heart of community services in Stamford has spoken of his sadness at leaving the town.
But the Rev Bob Mackrill, 58, says he is looking forward to his new life as vicar of four villages in Rutland, and the challenges it will bring.
The Rev Mackrill has spent 13 happy and productive years at Christ Church in Green Lane.
He will become team vicar for Whissendine, Teigh, Market Overton and Ashwell towards the end of April, although no date for his licensing has yet been set.
"Over the last few months, I've had a growing feeling that my time here has come to end and I did give it careful thought and consideration," he said.
"But I feel that I have done the job that I was called here to do and I think it is time to let someone else take Christ Church to another level.
"I shall leave here with a very heavy heart because I have made so many friends over the years, which is what made the decision so hard."
During his time at Christ Church, he has devoted many hours to support the neediest people in the community, and in 2005 an access and learning centre was opened at the church to provide a range of services.
The centre has expanded the church's outreach projects – the community car scheme, which provides volunteer drivers for the elderly and disabled, a day centre for pensioners and housebound people, StartaFresh, which provides pastoral support and a befriending service for vulnerable adults, Teenzone, which works with young people, and Working with Families, which runs toddlers groups and supports parents.
The Rev Mackrill said the expansion of these outreach projects was one of the biggest achievements.
"What we have tried to express through the life of the church here is that God's love extends to everybody," he said.
"There has been a particular concern here for those that find themselves disadvantaged for one reason or another across the whole breadth of the community.
"We have tried to create a place for people to belong, there is so much loneliness in the community.
"With Teenzone for example, since that was established in 2007 we have had more than 450 children registered and we have raised more than 100,000 to run it, which is a measure of how much support we have had from the local community."
He is keen to make it clear that it has not been a solo effort and everything that has been achieved couldn't have been done without the help of the 140 volunteers, the huge congregation and the support of businesses and groups across Stamford.
"We have built a wonderful team of volunteers working on our projects, a fantastic congregation who have been involved in everything and have been at the core of it.
"They have provided the spring board for everything we have done here."
In the wake of his departure, he envisages that Christ Church will partner with St George's Church in St George's Square, Stamford. The proposal is being put to the parochial church council for consideration.
"I wholeheartedly support the partnering of the two churches because they have a heart like us for support and social outreach in the community. There will be a real synergy between the two churches, we already developed the King's Cafe concept together and we organised the Christmas party for children together.
"I hope the two churches will be able to work together positively and develop and maintain what we have achieved here."
The Rev Mackrill, who lives in Lonsdale Road, Stamford, with his wife of 30 years Bev, will be moving to Whissendine.
The couple have four sons, Tim, 28, who works as an osprey officer at Rutland Water, Sam, 26, and 24-year-old twins Harry and Jamie.
When asked if he expects a quieter pace of life in his new role, he laughs: "Knowing me, probably not! There's a lot to do but I know it will be very different. It is a new challenge for me and I am looking forward to living in Rutland."
He was born in South West London but spent his teenage years in Oakham studying at Oakham School before reading architecture at the University College in London.
It was while he was working at architectural practice Ruddle Wilkinson in Peterborough as director that Rev Mackrill first felt a calling towards the church.
He worked as an unpaid deacon at All Saints' Church in All Saints' Place, Stamford for four years before moving to Christ Church in 1997.
"I have been a Christian since I was a teenager and as I was growing up, I had a sense of wanting to grow communities - not so much building buildings, as building communities.
"I hope that is what we have done here at Christ Church and what I hope I will continue to do in Rutland, but first they will have to take me out of here kicking and screaming!"
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Stamford
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
