St Michael & All Angels bids farewell to its associate vicar
One of Chiswick's first women priests is to move to a parish of her own this month. Mother Nicola Stanley, who has been curate and associate vicar at St Michael & All Angels, Bedford Park, for the past four years, is to become vicar of All Hallows church in Twickenham.
Mother Nicola conducted her last services at St Michael's on Sunday, and said her farewells at a lunchtime party in the Parish Hall. The congregation had organised a collection for her and she was given a cheque and a framed print of Bedford Park scenes.
In a tribute to her in church, Father Kevin Morris, the vicar of St Michael's, said: "Nicola is a wonderful priest - one of a rare number of Anglo-Catholic women priests in the Church of England. She has brought her own particular gifts and skills to her ministry amongst us: gentleness and firmness, an enthusiasm and sense of humour, a prayerfulness and holiness - and she has helped us as individuals and as a congregation. We celebrate today an historical moment in the life of the Church."
Mother Nicola said: "I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to serve at St. Michael's, where I have received so much encouragement and affirmation. I am going to miss everyone here and am very grateful to them - and particularly Father Kevin - for the love and support they have given me."
Mother Nicola has helped encourage people with young families to come regularly to St Michael's and also launched a Breakfast Club for young teenagers. She's also involved herself in the Bedford Park Festival and last year a picture of her (with the assistant vicar Father Graham Morgan) won the first prize in the annual photographic competition.
Her husband James and sons John and Hugh say they'll also miss St Michael's but, as rugby fans, they're looking forward to the move to Twickenham. The rugby ground - headquarters of the Rugby Football Union - is in the parish of All Hallows.
Mother Nicola's induction at All Hallows will take place on the evening of Wednesday February 22nd.
10 Feb 2006 |
