THE Rev Gary Crellin has been ordained as a priest at Worcester Cathedral - to serve rural parishes in the areas around Bromsgrove, Redditch and Droitwich.

And the Droitwich Church of England team has a newly-ordained deacon too.

Mr Crellin, assistant curate at the United Parish of Stoke Prior, Upton Warren and Wychbold, with Feckenham and Bradley Green, was among 12 candidates ordained as priests or deacons at the cathedral over the weekend.

He is a non stipendiary minister, balancing his church role with working for a company that provides commissioning support to the NHS.

He is married to Alison and is a father-of-three - but says he also has Stan the Jack Russell for male company.

Mr Crellin said: “One of my all-time favourite pictures is Holman Hunt’s ‘Jesus the Light of the World’.

"In it, Jesus is pictured holding a lamp outside a house, waiting to be invited in.

"Being invited to share my ministry with the people of Stoke Prior, Upton Warren, Wychbold, Feckenham and Bradley Green has certainly been illuminating and my door has always been open to new experiences and service."

Laura Handy has been ordained a deacon at Worcester Cathedral to serve in the Droitwich team.

She was born and raised in Bedfordshire before heading to Staffordshire to work for Youth for Christ for 10 years.

She moved to Worcestershire in 2010 to study theology and church leadership at Regents Theological College, while serving at All Saints in Worcester.

She has spent the last two years of further study at Mellitus College, London, while continuing to worship at All Saints.

“I am looking forward to joining the team in Droitwich and the surrounding area and seeing how God is at work and joining in." she said.

The Bishop of Worcester, the Rt Rev Dr John Inge, presided at the weekend ordinations, assisted by the Bishop of Dudley, the Rt Rev Graham Usher, and the Rt Rev Nigel Stock, Bishop at Lambeth, preached at the events.