Vicar of Dibley gives a helping hand

Andrew Voerman
Timarus own Vicar of Dibley is helping find a new priest for St Peters Anglican Church in Temuka. The Rev Sue Dickson has taken up the role of priest-in-charge and will be supporting the congregations in Temuka and Te Ngawai Parish at Pleasant Point as they look for a permanent replacement for Andrew Starky, who left for a position in Christchurch in April. Mrs Dickson said her role was to help the congregations identify their strengths and weaknesses and form a profile of what they would like in a new vicar. The position will then be advertised nationally, before nominees from the congregation give their final approval.

Guiding presence: The Rev Sue Dickson is helping parishioners at St Peters Anglican Church in Temuka with their search for a new priest.
Photo: SUPPLIED

I think theyre really friendly folk. You walk up the street and people say hi to you. The Rev Sue Dickson
Mrs Dickson said she got her nickname a few years ago after

somebody in her parish used it. Like the British television character, she has a thing for chocolate. She has lived in Timaru for 25 years, and ministered in Anglican churches for 14, most recently as priest assistant at Timarus St Johns Church. While the Temuka church is a new environment, she already thinks the people there are great.

I think theyre really friendly folk. You walk up the street and people say hi to you. Mrs Dickson said she was impressed by her new churchs programmes, such as Mums and Kids, a more relaxed service for mums and their toddlers, and Messy Church, where services are combined with noisy art and craft activities.