Vicar Marcus Green announces departure from St Catherine's at Annual Congregation Meeting

Revd Marcus Green tonight announced the end of his eleven year time as vicar of St Catherine's at the church's annual congregational meeting with the words, "This is my eleventh Annual Congregation Meeting, and my last".

The wardens and staff knew in advance, but the news came as a surprise to the members of the church.

Marcus will be taking up a post working at Leeds University in August, and stressed that until then he will still remain focussed on the parish and the very many challenges that face everyone. He spoke of the community projects, which he reported are in "rude health", and of the church's finances which are less robust, and of the main thrust of the church - worship, evangelism and compassion, which he drew from an exposition of John 3:16.

He also pointed out that although losing a vicar can feel a very negative thing for a church community, these are exciting days for the people of St Catherine's, and that he has every confidence that the Lord will bring somebody wonderful to lead the church in its next phase of life. Easter is "a wonderful time of hope re-born and new beginnings, which is just where we all suddenly find ourselves" he commented; "these are exciting days ahead for all of us, in different ways, and ones we must cover in prayer."

He closed by thanking the congregation for allowing him eleven very happy years, saying "I would not have swapped them for anything".