THE Dorcan Church in Swindon, Bristol diocese,
is an ecumenical partnership with a single combined Anglican and
Methodist worshipping congregation. They have both an Anglican
Vicar and a Methodist Minister. But what makes it even more unusual
- and tidier - is that the Vicar and Minister are married to each
other.
The Revd Trudie Wigley has recently been licensed as Vicar of
the Dorcan Church by the Bishop of Swindon, Dr Lee Rayfield, to
work alongside her husband, the Methodist Minister the Revd Andrew
Wigley. She was also authorised to serve as a Methodist presbyter
by the Methodist District Chairman, the Revd Ward Jones.
"After ten years of being in different churches," Mr Wigley said
after the ceremony, "it is a particular and almost unexpected
privilege to be able to serve the same church and community
together."