Daffodil LogoSt Mary's Church, Dymock


People

 

We have a full-time priest (Rector) in charge of the "United Benefice of the Leadon Vale". They are the only full-time stipendiary (paid) priest in the team, but are currently assisted in the Dymock area by 2 other priests who either have another job in commerce or are retired, and by 4 non-ordained (lay) assistants - 2 'Readers' and 2 'Lay Pastors', and by 4 PCC Appointees: Secretary, Treasurer, Organist/Choirmaster and Bell Tower Captain.

For details, click appropriate office here: Priests, Readers, Lay Pastors, Churchwardens, PCC Appointees
Priests
People trained in theology and ministry and 'set apart' (ordained) to serve God in Holy Orders
Picture of Tony Lomas
Rev'd Anthony Lomas
Rector: Anthony Lomas was installed as Rector on 6th March 2011. Tony is married to Ingrid and they have four grown-up children, Jamie, Tim, Verity and Alexandra.  Tony graduated as an agricultural engineer and then spent most of the next 15 years selling agricultural machinery in Africa, including a short period as an ex-pat in Morocco.  Following a short period as parish administrator and bookshop manager for the parish of Cirencester,  he worked until ordination as a sales and management training consultant. (Return to top)

Ingrid is head of Religious Education at Sir William Romney’s secondary school in Tetbury and first met Tony while they were training together as Readers at the West of England Ministerial Training Course (WEMTC).  They were married in 2000. (Return to top)

Tony has been involved with his local churches since childhood and his path to ordination spanned some 10 years  including a very fulfilling time as Reader in parishes in and around Cirencester, over which time he developed a particular interest in the challenges of rural ministry.  He trained for ordination on a second WEMTC course and served his curacy in the Coln River Group of Parishes, a benefice of 7 rural parishes just outside Cheltenham.  (Return to top)

In his leisure time, Tony enjoys DIY, cooking, travel and is a self-confessed gadget-freak. (Return to top)
Assistant Priests
Picture of Andrew Perry
Rev'd Andrew Perry
Andrew Perry is married to Janet and they have two daughters. He became a lay member of the Dymock Local Ministry Team (LMT) at its inception in 1981 and was ordained in 1994 as a Non Stipendiary Minister (NSM). He is licensed as an associate priest to the Benefice as a whole but has special responsibility for the parishes of Donnington and Preston and regularly assists at Dymock. Trained as an Agriculturist, Andrew first worked as a manager of farms, but then worked for 20 years as a Grain Trader, managing a local Grain Co-operative before retiring. He is currently project leader for the Rotary Club of Ledbury's "Tobago Diabetic Foot-care Project" which is assisting medics in the Caribbean to be aware of, and better treat, those suffering from Diabetes, thereby reducing the previously high number of foot and leg amputations per year... and fanatical about his lawn! (Return to top)

NSMs are a full priest but earn their living and practice their ministry by working in industry or commerce. They are a nation-wide ministry so can be asked to serve anywhere, which may mean they have to move house and job, although that's unusual as they usually serve in a Benefice near to where they live. (Return to top)
 
Picture of Rev'd Michael Bennett
Rev'd Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett is married to Sheila and they have three sons, Richard, Christopher and Jonathan. Michael worked for a year in a Sheffield steelworks before he was ordained in 1967. As part of his training, he served as a Curate, first at Chester-Le-Street in Durham Diocese and then at Portland, Dorset in the Diocese of Salisbury. He then served for 11 years as Vicar in another church in Portland, where he was chaplain to Portland Hospital, The Royal Naval Association and Portland Sea Cadets. (Return to top)

In 1985 Michael became Vicar of Alveley and Quatt near Bridgnorth in the county of Shropshire but the diocese of Hereford, where he was also able to work as a volunteer on the Severn Valley Railway. In 1993 he joined the Prison Service for two years as Deputy Chaplain to the country's second largest Young Offenders' Institute at Glen Parva, Leicester. (Return to top)

From 1995, Michael moved into the church in Wales, first in the Team Ministry in Wrexham and then as Vicar of Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain and Rector of Llanfechain and finally as Associate Minister in the parish of Rhyl, North Wales. Michael is concerned to show people that God loves us and wants to do new things in our lives and his church, so during his ministry he has been involved in "Anglican Renewal Ministries" and was at one time Chairman of Anglican Renewal Ministries in Wales. (Return to top)

Michael retired from full-time ministry in 2009 and accepted our part-time 'House for Duty' post in Dymock, where his outdoor interest is walking and indoor hobbies, model railway and stamp collecting! (Return to top)

A House For Duty person is often a retired priest, but it can also be a younger priest with another job. This is a national church scheme, not just peculiar to Dymock. In return for living rent free in the Benefice house, the holder of the office undertakes to serve as a priest for at least six 'sessions' during the week plus Sunday. (Return to top)