Ian, who used to work as a barrister in
Norwich, has been a curate at HTB, famous as the home of the
Alpha Course, since 2010. He was inducted into the post of Priest in Charge of the parish at
St Thomas Heigham on Monday (March 11) by the
Bishop of Norwich.
Ian said: “This is very much a partnership between HTB, the Norwich diocese and St Thomas'. We are coming to work alongside those who have been faithfully serving here for many years and, whilst maintaining the traditional nature of some aspects of the church life, will also be bringing some contemporary ideas and practices into the worshipping and missional life of the church.
“Having come from HTB this will be in line with the ethos and vision there. The effectiveness of Alpha (now over 20 million people worldwide have done the course) speaks for itself and we will certainly be running Alpha regularly, starting in the near future. We plan to start a contemporary morning service in mid April,” said Ian
“Over the next few months a few people from London will be joining us but this is primarily a local work. We think of ourselves as locals! My father was a Norfolkman, and Jo and I raised our two children during our 22 years in Norfolk before we went to theological college in
Cambridge in 2008. It feels like coming home.
“There has been wonderful encouragement from many other local churches and church leaders, both Anglican and from other denominations, and we are really looking forward to working together with them all in unity and in faith that God is building His church right across this amazing city and county. People, mostly with historic HTB connections, and with a heart to see this work established in Norwich, are joining us in this adventure of faith.”
You can find out more details of what is happening at St Thomas’ on
Facebook,
twitter @stthomasnorwich or the new church website
www.stthomasnorwich.org
Pictured above are Ian and Jo Dyble with ian outside St Thomas Heigham.
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