A new vicar has been appointed as Priest-in-charge of Farsley and is expected to join the parish early in the new year.

The Diocese of Leeds has announced that Rev Nathanael Poole will take up the post following five years as an Associate Leader at the newly created Fountains Church in the city centre of Bradford and three years as the Interim Priest-in-charge at St Margaret’s Church in Frizinghall.

Nathanael particularly impressed the interviewing panel with his energy, enthusiasm and vision for helping the church in Farsley to grow and develop as well as his desire to support the work of the Church in Rodley.

His work in Bradford most recently has seen him establish a new city centre church in a former nightclub which has space for 800 people, created with money from the Diocese of Leeds’ Strategic Development Fund. He has also raised a considerable amount of money to invest into a new heating system for his other church in Frizinghall.

Nathanael is looking forward to moving to Farsley with his two young children and getting to know both regular churchgoers and others within the parish who visit church less often but who he hopes may find a spiritual home at St John’s.

Away from church Nathanael is a keen runner, enjoys cooking, staying fit, and travelling.

Following his appointment, in a video message to the congregations in both Farsley and Rodley, Nathanael said, “I've been to Farsley a couple of times and every time I've been I've thought it's a bit cooler than the last time I've been. From what I can see, Farsley is an exciting place to live and I look to seeing what the Lord might do amongst us and I am praying tht we will grow together as a church and we will be able to join in with some really effective mission to the village of Farsley and to Rodley as well."

No date for Nathanael to take up his new position has yet been set but it is expected to be early in the new year and further details will be announced when they are confirmed.

The church wardens from St John’s Farsley said, "We are thrilled that Nathanael will be joining us in the new year and we are excited by his passion for helping more people to join us in church and finding new ways of supporting the community. We hope that he will soon become a very familiar face to people in both Farsley and Rodley and look forward to the start of his ministry with us.”