New Rector for the Welwyn Team Minstry - The Revd David Minchin

We are delighted to announce that The Welwyn Team Ministry Patronage Board has appointed The Revd Dr David Munchin, currently Priest in Charge of St Mary Magdalene Hatfield Hyde to be our next Team Rector.

This appointment is subject to the completion of the usual legal formalities. We hope to announce shortly the date of institution Meanwhile please pray for David and the people of Hatfield Hyde as he prepares to leave them and to move and come among us.

David writes :

I am absolutely delighted that early in the autumn I shall be joining you as Rector of the Welwyn Team Ministry. It is an exciting if slightly daunting prospect. I already know that the Welwyn Team has vibrant churches, an excellent ministry team, and strong communities.

A few words of introduction: I am 42 and have been married for ten years to Ysmena Pentelow.

Ysmena is also ordained and is the Vicar of Langleybury and Diocesan Continuing Ministerial Education Officer.

We have two Labradors (a brown one Belle, and a black one George), a rabbit called Cuthbert, and chickens called Norma and Jean.

I was brought up in North London though my parents now live in the West Country. I read Mathematics at Imperial College London for my first degree, and after that spent a year as a pastoral assistant at Lahore Cathedral in Pakistan with USPG.

On return I trained for the ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon. After ordination in the Diocese of London I served my curacy at Golders Green Parish church, and after four years moved to the Diocese of St Albans to serve for five and a half years as Precentor of the Cathedral.

For the past eight years I have been relatively local, being Vicar of Hatfield Hyde (a large parish surrounding the QEII hospital in Welwyn Garden City). I have very much enjoyed my time here.
So much has happened in that time, including last year the complete reordering of the church. I have also tried to keep my studies going, and last year gained a doctorate in theology from Heythrop College London.

For relaxation Ysmena and I enjoy walking the dogs, spending time at our small cottage in Norfolk and we both have a love of music.

We are very much looking forward to joining you.

PS – We sometimes dress less formally than in the photograph, but it was the only recent one I could find on the computer of both of us.