SPENNYMOOR'S new vicar enjoyed a “fairly dramatic start” to life in the town at a special service on Sunday.
The Reverend Matt Tarling was licensed for the parishes of St Paul's, in Spennymoor, and nearby Whitworth Church, in a ceremony conducted by the Bishop of Jarrow, the Right Reverend Mark Bryant.
Rev Tarling was joined by members of his family as well as the congregation for the service.
“It was a big service and quite overwhelming, but I enjoyed meeting lots of new people,” he said.
“It was a fairly dramatic start to things – now it's down to the real work.
“My dad is a retired vicar and we have been to these kind of things before – it was funny for him coming to mine.”
Rev Tarling spent four years as a curate in Blaydon and Swalwell before taking up the vicar's post in Spennymoor.
He moved to the town two weeks ago with wife Kate and three young daughters.
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