by Nick Evans

Newly ordained Rev Hugh Nelson has become curate of six of Sittingbourne’s outlying villages.

He, his wife Lizzie and their four young children moved into the vicarage in Church Lane, Newington, and have been getting to know the area and the people.

Mr Nelson, 36, joins a team ministry looking after parishioners in Newington, Upchurch, Lower Halstow, Stockbury, Iwade and Hartlip after his ordination at Canterbury Cathedral by Archbishop Rowan Williams at the start of July.

Mr Nelson has spent the past two years at theology college in Oxford and has lived in south east London for 15 years.

He said it will be a change moving from the capital, but is looking forward to working in a rural setting.

He said: “This is a complete change for us, coming from south east London. We have been warmly welcomed by people here and we’re really enjoying settling into the area.

“It has great rural beauty while, at the same time, it forms part of a working area with great purpose.

“I’m looking forward to helping the church and local residents in whatever way I can, using both new ways and more traditional means.
“At the same time I’m still training, so I am here to learn all I can about being a minister.”

Mr Nelson and his family expect to be in the area for the next three or four years.

He hopes he can join a local cricket club or five-a-side football team – preferably not ones that play on Sundays, though.