Priest in Charge
Rev Mark Stephen Bridgen

Age 45. Married to Karen, a nurse by background and having four children. Kristopher aged 20 and serving in the army; James aged 11 and now at high school and Grace, aged 9 and Olivia, aged 8, both at the local village Junior School.

We came to the benefice in January 2008 and we live in the Gnosall part of the benefice.

St. Lawrence Church serves the people of Gnosall and St. Mary’s Church serves the communities of Moreton, Bromstead, Outwoods, Great Chatwell and Wilbrighton.

Why am I Priest in Charge and not Vicar? Because the term Priest in Charge is an ‘open’ title. Being open it allows the diocese to develop my oversight of other villages and churches if need be. The benefice of Gnosall and Moreton is part of the deanery of Eccleshall and the deanery in 2010 will be developing with perhaps ours and a neighbouring benefice taking on other parishes. Being Priest in Charge gives the diocese the flexibility it needs to do this and to respond to changing times.

I began my ministry (served my title in church speak) as a Curate for four years in the parish of West Kidderminister. This was a mainly urban parish though with the hospital part of it. There were three churches and a staff of four.

I then went to Norwich where I served for just under three years as Assistant Priest at St Peter Mancroft Church in the heart of the city. Ministry was very much geared to the vast array of visitors and shoppers that you would expect to see in a historic city centre.

I then became Vicar of St John the Baptist Church in Longbridge, Birmingham for seven years. An outer estates ministry but one that was quite a roller coaster one as we had a substantial part of the Rover Car Works located in the parish and hence many people in the parish working at it. Roller Coaster as during my time came the change to BMW and Phoenix and eventual closure.

For six years I was Vicar of St Bartholomew Wednesbury and St. Andrew’s, Darlaston. A small former manufacturing town seeking to reclaim some identity after the loss of former glories.

And then, though I was brought up in a village in Leicestershire, rural ministry was something never experienced, but now being thoroughly enjoyed.