Vicar moving from parish to Shropshire's prison
Shropshire's Stoke Heath Prison will soon be welcoming a new face on the chaplaincy team.
The Rev Mark Kinder says he is answering a new call and is looking forward to getting to know the inmates and the staff while learning new skills at the prison near Market Drayton.
He explains that the chaplaincy move has been subject to a rigorous selection procedure over many months prior to the coronavirus crisis.
Mr Kinder, 53, says: "I will be part of a chaplaincy team including Catholics and Muslims."
"It's been enjoyable being a vicar, but I felt it was time to explore being a vicar in the context of prison. I'll be learning new skills and learning to relate to prison life in difficult times.
"I'll be trying to share the Christian message of love and inclusiveness with people who have done bad things. It's about giving them a new start and giving them a future," he adds.
Mr Kinder was the town centre team ministry leader at Walsall's St Paul's at the Crossing, where he and his family served for 13 years.
He delivered his farewell sermon to the flock by YouTube video ahead of leaving to take up his new appointment in Shropshire.
"It looks like a really difficult time to be leaving.
"But my appointment to become a chaplain at Stoke Heath was made last year before the virus came. It is very sad. I have not been able to say farewell to people, but my thoughts are with them and I hope things will get better soon.
"We have been streaming services on Facebook and via videos and have been doing all we can to gather in difficult circumstances.
"Myself and my family have had a wonderful time in Walsall. I was the vicar of two congregations St Paul's and at St Luke's, in Chuckery.
"I have had wonderful support from the congregations and from the community.
"I also want to pay tribute to all the staff at The Crossing, including those in the coffee shop and the shops. We have worked hard together to get through difficult times trading.
"It has been tough in recent years, but we have kept going due to hard work and by operating as a team," he says.
Among the projects he has overseen include efforts to increase provision of the homeless resulting in the council setting up a winter shelter, Highs' and Lows', working closely with Black Country Foodbank by issuing vouchers for collecting food, organising vigils, working with pubs and promoting community cohesion and dealing with the impact of three English Defence League marches.
He and wife Helen have three grown up children Ella, Jack and Tom.
