We are delighted to let you know that we will have a new vicar starting at St Peter's on the 1st March 2012.  It will only have been 33 months..... but they say good things are worth waiting for!  Fr Paul Trathen and his wife Heather, together with their five children will be a welcome addition to St Peter's.

Paul writes......

I am 42 years old. I am the elder of two brothers. Mark is two years my younger, a seasoned traveller, with his wife Natalie.   I am son to Dave and Elaine, who are presently living the life of the ‘actively-retired’ in Taunton, Somerset.

I have been married to Heather since 1993 (so, almost nineteen years now!). She has circumnavigated the globe umpteen times and lived principally in the southern hemisphere. We met at university in York; her roots, though, are in Essex. She loves her work as a ‘policy wonk’ in central government.

We started our family whilst living just a short distance from St Peter’s, off Wanstead High Street...

I am father to five gorgeous kids, Callum, 11, Iona, 10, Toby 7, Skye 2 & Aidan 2. (Yes, the last two were a twin surprise!) We enjoy being a busy, fun household!

A decent summary of my working life would have me down as an academic and cultural critic in the 1990s and a parish priest and community activist in the ‘noughties’.

I am passionate about film.

I came to Christian faith as a teenager and have ‘matured’ into the Catholic tradition of the Church of England after a heady start in Free Church Pentecostalism! My passion for liturgy now equals that which I have for film!

We are all excited about being a part of the church family at St Peter-in-the-Forest!

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Other members of the team at St Peter’s are Sue Diplock, Geoff Hammond and Myna Jones, who are all Readers and Harry Goodwin, who is a Reader with permission to officiate.  There are two non-stipendiary clergy – Canon Mike Gibbs and Rev Emile Jones.

Canon Mike Gibbs