‘Big wrench’ as vicar decides to move on
A VICAR who has battled mental health issues and spent 19 years serving parishioners in Rolleston and Anslow is taking up a new post in Derbyshire.
The Rev Ian Whitehead said leaving his church and the Diocese of Lichfield would be an “enormous wrench” when he moves to a new flock in Crich next year.
He has been appointed priest-in-charge of Crich and South Wingfield, in the Diocese of Derby. He hopes to take up his new post in March.
Mr Whitehead, who was ordained in 1995 after starting his career as a factory worker, has spent 19 years with the people of Rolleston and Anslow, and five years with the people of Tutbury, and has now decided to move on.
His workload currently covers St Mary’s Church in Rolleston, Holy Trinity Church in Anslow and St Mary’s Church in Tutbury.
He previously told the Burton Mail that after taking on responsibility for three churches, Ian suffered mental health problems and turned to craftsmanship and wood-turning to help him regain balance in his life.
The health scare made Ian reevaluate his life and while he admits he would never want to do anything other than serve the public, he wanted to focus on himself more and decided to try his hand at something new.
He now makes pens with hand-crafted wooden cases, which he sells online.
Any money he makes is donated to charity.
He told his parishioners: “After so long it will be an enormous wrench to leave our home with you.
“This call to move began in 2014 when the three churches came together on a Vision Day to seek a ‘common vision-locally expressed.’ “We were asked at the close of that meeting what God wanted of us as a result of that Vision Day.
“I knew that the call of God to me was to ‘Leave.’ “I still have the post-it note I wrote on with me. It’s not a decision that I have taken lightly but following an enormous amount of prayer and heart-searching and support from friends.
“Between all the three churches they will now need to begin the process to choosing the next Rector to lead them as churches into growth and development.
“Thank you to everyone, who I have met; for the number of years we have shared together, for all that you have taught me, for all that you have put up with and all that God has done in and through us together.”
Thank you to everyone who I have met, for all that you have taught me. The Rev Ian Whitehead