From: Rt Revd Martin Gorick
Acting Bishop of Worcester

17 October 2025

To: The parishes of All Saints and Hampton St Andrew

I am pleased to share with you some hope-filled plans for All Saints and Hampton (St Andrews). These plans have been agreed by the PCC’s and can now be shared with you.

I am delighted to announce that Mike Edwards, currently curate at St Peter’s, Bengeworth, will be appointed next summer as Curate-in-Charge of All Saints and St Andrews, with the hope that he will become Priest in Charge when he is signed off as having formally completed his curacy in January 2027. Mike is a gifted curate, with a real heart for church and community ministry in Evesham.

This is a model we have used several times recently when it is clear that a curate has a calling to a church within the diocese, and the right gifts to serve there. In those final six months of his curacy Rev Andy Smith will continue to supervise Mike as his Training Incumbent.

This really does give the new parish of All Saints and St Andrews a promising future and the PCC’s have agreed the principles. There will be some formal processes to go through regarding Mike’s eventual appointment, and Archdeacon Mark will guide them through these over the coming months.

For now, can I urge you to pray? Pray for Mike as he prepares to join you next year. Pray for your PCC’s as they work together with members of the diocesan team in drawing up a clear mission plan. And thank you for all you have been doing during the vacancy to support the on-going mission and ministry of the Church of England in Evesham and Hampton.

+ Martin