With the appointment and licensing of Rev Yin-An a new journey has begun for both our both parishes. Rev Yin- An and myself share a strong sense of what parish ministry is about and why it is so important to the mission and ministry of the church. In due course you will meet with, and get to know Yin- An, here he shares some of his own story and his hopes for the work of our parishes.

As I write this newsletter, I have just moved into Whyteleafe for a few weeks and have already enjoyed several coffee meetings with many lovely and amazing people. Thank you for the warm welcome — and for the excellent conversation.

It has taken me quite a journey to get here — not only from Hampstead in North London to Surrey (apparently just 20 miles, but often more like a 90-minute pilgrimage), but across places, ministries, and moments of discernment. In 2014, I received a full scholarship to pursue a PhD in theology at Durham and later Kent. During those years, I moved around England and spent much time listening for what God might be calling me to do with the gifts and passions I had been given.

Eventually, I made the (not-at-all-terrifying!) decision to leave my doctoral programme and explore ordained ministry in the Church of England. My ministerial journey began in the Diocese of Southwark, especially as a Pastoral Assistant in the Parish of Putney. After priestly training at Westcott House, Cambridge, I stayed in a benefice just outside Cambridge to develop my rural ministry — a refreshing and formative experience. This then led me to serve my first two years of curacy in the Welsh Marches, before returning to London to complete my training at St John-at-Hampstead Parish Church.

This long and winding journey has given me the gift of serving in very different contexts — and, as a foreigner, learning the English church and culture from the inside. Through all of this, one calling has become very clear: my passion is for building up parish community.

I come from the Episcopal (Anglican) Diocese of Taiwan — a close cousin of the Church of England — and I continue to teach in an episcopal theological college. Perhaps because of this, I have a deep appreciation for the theological idea of parish: a ministry rooted in place, presence, and geography, rather than simply in church membership. (A small confession: in the Episcopal Church, the word parish actually means something rather different!) To see the parish fully is not just to count those who attend services or appear on the electoral roll, but to notice everyone who lives, works, visits, or passes through the area. Parish ministry, at its heart, is outward-looking, missional, and willing to step beyond church walls.

For that reason, parish ministry must be inclusive — actively welcoming and embracing people across differences of politics, identity, philosophy, lifestyle, life stage, and social or cultural background. It is about building unity and solidarity, and about patiently constructing bridges where differences might otherwise divide us. In a world that often feels increasingly judgmental and fractured, this matters deeply — because, whether we realise it or not, we are all in the same boat, and we need one another.

It is precisely through the shared rhythms of parish life — worship, seasons, and learning together — that this sense of belonging and mutual care is shaped and sustained.

In this newsletter and in upcoming leaflet and emails you will find details of all that we can share in during the season of Lent beginning with our service on Ash Wednesday and details of our Lent Courses.