After twenty-five years as vicar of St John the Baptist Church, Midsomer Norton, the Revd. Christopher Chiplin has decided to hang up his clerical collar and is retiring at the end of September.

Fr Christopher and his wife, Diane, came to Midsomer Norton in June 1994 with their young family: Laura, 7, Alice, 5, Giles, 4, and Emma, 2, following a ten-year incumbency in St John’s Church, Highbridge. Prior to that, Christopher had been a curate in the Parish of Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, having previously served his title in St Mary’s Church, Chesterfield; the church with the crooked spire.

He arrived in Midsomer Norton to find the Parish Church was literally crumbling and a £200,000 appeal had just been launched. Undaunted, he famously abseiled down the church tower in October that year, raising over £2,000, spearheading fundraising which was enthusiastically embraced by the congregation and saw all restoration work to make the tower and roof safe and watertight completed by the millennium. Work to reorder and redecorate the interior of the building then began, and following a brief three month closure when services were conducted in the Church Hall, St John’s reopened to loud acclaim on Whitsunday 2011. In 2012, the organ was reinstalled in a new case to its current elevated position in the new gallery, having been cleaned and repaired. Other church improvements have included creating mobility friendly access to the church, installing a kitchen area and accessible toilet and resurfacing the church hall car park.

Retiring inevitably involves a certain amount of stock-taking and Christopher has reflected that he has baptised over 760 babies, and married 200 couples, including in 2017, perhaps the most poignant, his eldest daughter, Laura. The number of funerals he has conducted are countless (he thinks over a thousand), but his sensitivity, pastoral support and dignified services are highly valued and have been much appreciated.

Outside the parish, Christopher has played an active part in community life. He was Chair of Governors at Clandown School until its closure and Vice-Chair at St John’s School for twenty years. He is a valued trustee of the Sperring Charity; a position he intends to continue in retirement. As Mayor’s Chaplain for several years, he delivered a ‘Thought’ at the beginning of each Town Council meeting and has been awarded two Civic Awards. A keen swimmer, Christopher is a familiar figure walking through the High Street every morning to take an early dip, and has made many friends there. There was always a swimmers’ table or two at the annual Summer lunches he and Diane hosted in the Vicarage to raise money for the Restoration Appeal.

Diane, a former paediatric Ward Sister at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, chose to support Christopher in his work here in Midsomer Norton rather than return to nursing when the children were older. Along with Christopher and their children, she has embraced an ‘open house’ and delighted in welcoming anyone and everyone and making Midsomer Norton their true home. Diane was a Sunday School Teacher for twenty years and has been an active member of the church social committee for twenty-five years, helping to raise necessary funds for the Restoration Appeal. She has also been the Chair of the

Midsomer Norton Friends Group of Children’s Hospice South West for twenty-five years, helping not only to raise essential funds, but also ensuring the work of the now three hospices is widely known.

The children all attended St John’s Primary School, then Norton Hill, from where they all studied Music or Drama at University. They all gave regular performances at the popular lunchtime concerts and Giles produced and directed six plays while still at school which raised over £20,000 for Babe’s Big Appeal for CHSW. The children all now live in London, and Christopher and Diane are looking forward to seeing more of them.

The couple will be retiring to Salisbury, and whilst sad to be leaving the many friends they have made here over the last twenty-five years, they are looking forward to becoming part of a new community and enjoying a little rest before they see how this next chapter of their lives unfolds!

Fr Christopher’s final service at St John’s will be a sung Eucharist on Sunday, 29th September at 9.30 a.m. Anyone who would like to come is most welcome. Following the service there will be a presentation and the opportunity for parishioners and the community to say their goodbyes.

For any church enquires after 29th September, contact the Parish Administrator on: 01761 411216 or email: [email protected] Further information at: stjohnschurchmsn.org.uk