Mansfield vicar takes on additional role for parishes

A Mansfield vicar, who started his career supervising production in a sausage factory, is to take on an additional coordination role for the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham this month.

The Reverend Mark Adams (43), Vicar of Mansfield St John with St Mary, has been appointed as Area Dean of Mansfield.

Mark returned to the Diocese in 2007 to become vicar of St John’s, after training for ordination at St John’s Theological College, Bramcote and completing his first curacy in the parish of Skegby with Teversal.

Talking about the new role, Mark said: “I’m keen to see the role as supporting local churches in the deanery in their mission. I believe that, in the end, it is only local churches that can disciple people, so everything we do has to be about supporting them.”

After being brought up in Devon and educated near Bath, Mark went on to take a BSc in Food Technology at Reading University, before starting work in the food industry for Unigate Dairies. His next job moved him to Peckham in South London, where he worked as a Department Manager in a chilled foods factory making sausages. It was while attending a church in East Twickenham that he began to explore ordination before starting training at St John’s Nottingham for three years. He completed an MA in theology in the first two years and went on to study under the University of Nottingham for an MPhil – examining the role of computer technology in the future of the Church of England’s worship.

Since being ordained Mark said he has enjoyed working in Nottinghamshire and was very keen to return to the area, after some time gaining experience in a large parish - St Mary’s, Bletchley in Milton Keynes. Mark and his wife Helen, with their two children,  Michael (14) and Zachary (9), returned to Mansfield three years ago. He said: “We really enjoy being here and we’ve lived in Nottinghamshire longer than anywhere else, I feel this is our home.”

During his time in the diocese Mark has been involved on the Diocesan Synod, advised on the Communications Group, and also been involved with the Christian Festival New Wine – including their Leaders Network. Youth work and children’s work has been a particular focus of his ministry over the years and he is also a founding member of the Streetlight Trust charity, which supports work with street children in the Philippines.

In his spare time Mark likes watching Formula 1 racing and walking and going on caravan holidays. He says he still enjoys eating sausages and knows how to spot quality ones!

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