NEW Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice of Stratton and Launcells with Bude Haven and Marhamchurch Rev David Barnes will be welcomed to the area in January.

He was born in a small mining village just outside of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, and on leaving school trained as an engineer at a large firm in Chesterfield, later working for the Coal Board at various headquarters throughout the North Midlands.

It was during this time that he met and married Jean (who, he said, has put up with him for the past 36 years).

After many soul searching years of feeling called by God, David tested out his vocation through the church and was sent off to train for the ministry at Lincoln Theological College.

On leaving college, the couple spent his curacy in the Diocese of Manchester in the Parish of East Crompton near Oldham. They then moved into his first parish at Belfield near Rochdale.

Having spent six years there, they moved over the Penines into the Wakefield Diocese, and David was inducted into the Parish of Honley with Brockholes, where he and Jean have spent the last twelve years.

David said:?"It is now with great excitement and anticipation that we move into the cluster parishes of Bude Haven, Stratton, Launcells and Marhamchurch.

"During all these changes and challenges of life I have been greatly supported not only by my wife Jean, but also by our four now grown up children Jennie, Stephanie, Tim and Hannah."

His induction will be at 7pm on Monday, January 30, 2012, in one of the churches (still yet to be determined).