Welcome Fiona

This week we welcome a new member to the team in the form of our new Curate Rev Fiona Beale. We’re sure you’ll all make her feel very welcome.

Fiona joins us after her ordination last week at Salisbury Cathedral – which has a splendid world famous spire don’t-you-know. Here’s what the diocesan website had to say about Fiona:

A youth worker with a love of the great outdoors Fiona was greeted after her ordination by a whole bus load of of parishioners and clergy from the Beaminster Team, who had been driven to the Cathedral by the Rector, the Revd David Baldwin.

48-year-old Fiona, who was an Associate Minister from Winchester Diocese, feels she is definitely called to Rural Ministry “serving all ages.” A frequent visitor to Kenya, where her parents live, Fiona wants to focus her future ministry on “serving the farming community.”

She will be joining 14 parishes and 12 PCCs, and her greatest concern is getting to know the geography:

“I am least looking forward to getting lost in the parishes and turning up to the wrong church!” she said.

A former Outdoor Education Instructor, who studied at Wycliffe Hall Oxford, where she wrote a thesis on Carmelite Spirituality, Fiona feels some of the skills she used in her previous jobs will be of use to her in ministry:

“So many skills are transferable, speaking to groups, leadership, pastoral skills, listening, teaching etc.”

Fiona, whose hobbies include kayaking, canoeing, mountain walking, reading and watching films, is planning on getting a dog for company and for far more gentler walks around the Dorset countryside.

And what is she most looking forward to about her curacy?

“Getting to know the different people in all the churches.”

If you’d like to say hello to Fiona in the near future she will be at the following Sunday services on July 7th.

  • 09:30 Drimpton Eucharist
  • 11:00 Broadwindsor Eucharist

Do come along and say hello.