Rev'd Canon Dr Mark Clavier takes up the role alongside Archdeacon Alan Jevons, with a brief to develop lay ministry and build a long-term strategy for the archdeaconry.

Mark will share some of the Archdeacon's responsibilities while also taking on a brief to travel the archdeaconry, meet with clergy and congregations, and help develop a strategy for the area.

One of his key priorities is the development of lay ministry. Mark believes that training lay people at scale — pastoral visitors, worship leaders, catechists — is essential for the archdeaconry to attract new clergy to its ministry areas.

"If you advertise a vacancy in a ministry area with few clergy and many churches, very few vicars are going to walk into that as it is now," he said. "But if they knew there were teams of pastoral visitors, worship leaders, and people leading study groups it would be a completely different picture."

He is equally committed to ensuring that every part of the archdeaconry — from its market towns to its most remote valley churches — has a real voice in shaping that future. "I want to listen to people's stories," he said. "Every congregation, however small, has something essential to contribute to working out what the Church's life here looks like in the years ahead. That discernment has to happen together."

Supporting and encouraging clergy and congregations will also be high on his agenda.

He continues as Vicar of St Mary's alongside his new responsibilities.

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