New Priest-in-Charge for the Start Bay Benefice
The following announcement was made in the churches of the Start Bay Benefice on Sunday 13th March 2022
ANNOUNCEMENT – For services on Sunday 13th March 2022
It is announced today that the next Priest-in-Charge of the Start Bay Mission Community is to be the Reverend Mark Neave, presently Assistant Curate in the Whiddon Team Ministry. The Start Bay benefice, in the South Hams at the southernmost point of Devon, includes the parishes of Buckland Tout Saints, Charleton, Chivelstone, East Portlemouth, Slapton, South Pool, and Stokenham with Sherford and Beesands.
A native of rural Norfolk, Mark studied civil engineering at Manchester, Surrey, and Loughborough Universities, later receiving a theology degree from the University of Durham. He has been a member of the Institute of CivilEngineers since 1982 and his professional career has involved him in the design and building of bridges in diverse areas of England, Wales and Australia. Immediately prior to ordination he was Group Director of Bridge Engineering for a large firm in the South West, responsible for strategic business planning and the management of structuraldesignteams. He prepared for ordination here in Devon on the South West Ministry Training Course.
Mark was admitted as a Reader in the Church of England in 2016 and ordained in 2019; since then he has ministered in the rural multi-parish benefice of the Whiddon Team on the northern fringe of Dartmoor. He looks forward to joining the people of the Start Bay parishes and to working alongside the Reverend Michael Berrett, who will continue to serve as Interim Priest-in-Charge of the parish of Stokenham, Sherford and Beesands following Mark’s arrival.
Mark and his wife Rose will move to Charleton Rectory in early June and subject to the completion of all legal formalities, Mark will be licensed to his new ministry by the Bishop of Plymouth on Wednesday, June 8th at 7pm at a service in St Mary’s, Charleton at which all will be welcome.
Your prayers are asked for Mark and Rose as they prepare to move to a new home in the Start Bay parishes; for Mark in this next stage of his ministry as a priest; and for all the churches of the Start Bay and the Whiddon Team in their continuing worship, witness and service in their communities.