Our curate Dave will be with us for another year

Just in time for Christmas, we can share the good news that our curate Dave Pilkington will be with us for another year.

For anybody who doesn’t know Dave, he’s been with us for a few years now, both while he was training to be a priest, and since he was ordained in summer 2019. He leads the St Columba worshiping community, which meets on the Genesis boat at Hackney Wick. And he’s also very much a part of the St Paul’s community on Sundays.

Dave’s curacy was due to end next summer, but it will now end in summer 2023. Curacies in the Diocese of London usually last for 3 years, but Dave’s time with us has been hit by some extraordinary circumstances. A combination of boat-related issues, our previous vicar leaving a year ago, and a global pandemic has meant that his curacy has had a uniquely difficult progress.

We’re very grateful to the diocese for granting Dave this extension to his curacy, which is a real privilege because extending curacies does not normally happen. We will be working with the diocese to fix some of the boat’s problems and plan for the future of the St Columba community.

Dave says:

“Christina and I are so excited to have our stay extended at St Pauls, so we can continue the work at St Columba. It has been a frustrating time for all of us with the pandemic and we have faced some practical issues with the boat. However, the St Columba community has continued to grow, in numbers and in depth and we’re excited about this next season.

We continue to value your prayers as we seek to help people experience the freedom that Christ offers to everyone.”

Our vicar, Rev Darius added:

“It has been a real privilege to work alongside Dave in my first 2 months. It has humbled me to see and experience God at work in the community of St Columba. Now we have the privilege and the challenge to plan not only for the rest of Dave’s curacy, but for St Paul’s presence and work in the Olympic Park after Dave’s time with us is over.

Please join with us in prayer, as we seek God’s guidance for the next season of St Columba, and for reaching out in the Olympic Park with the good news of the Kingdom of God.”

 

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