Diocese of York / News & events / News

The Diocese of York has appointed two new Pioneer Ministers to two of Hull’s outer estates. The Revd Ben Norton has been appointed as the first ever minister for the new Kingswood Estate, and the Revd Trisha Wick has been appointed as the first pioneer minister on the Longhill Estate. Ben is currently Pioneer Minister at St Cuthbert’s, Marton in Cleveland, and Trisha has just returned from ministry in South Sudan with the Church Mission Society.

Ben Norton was ordained as a Pioneer Minister in 2007, was curate at Emmanuel Church, Bridlington from 2007 to 2012, when he moved to Marton in Cleveland. During his time in Bridlington, Ben created Fresh Expressions of church including XY Church, a lads’ church that met in a pub, St Max's church, and the Beach Hut Advent Calendar on the seafront in December. When Ben moved to Marton in Cleveland, Ben drew on his past career as a hairdresser, and worked every Monday at Jargon hairdressers in Coulby Newham as a way to get to know people in the area.

The Revd Ben Norton said, “Starting in September, I will be taking up the role as Pioneer Minister for Kingswood in Hull. I am looking forward to this for many different reasons, but especially because I will have the privilege of serving the people in the City of my heritage. I was born in Hull, as were my wife and my children, and I am proud to that I can once again call it home.

“The role that the Diocese of York have created in Kingswood is one of great vision and in many ways one of great risk. My hope and dream for this role is that it will allow people living in and around Kingswood to find a safe space to explore their own faith journey and that as a result of this Fresh Expressions of church will begin to develop.”

Trisha was ordained as a Deacon in 1987 and a Priest in 1994, and moved to Hull in 1991 where she started the church on Victoria Dock. While in Hull she was also part time Chaplain at Dove House Hospice and Chaplain to the Lord Mayor for a year. From 1998 to 2015 Trisha was a Mission Partner with the Church Mission Society and served in South Sudan, where she was involved in theological education and training.

The Revd Trisha Wick said, “I am delighted to have been appointed as Pioneer Minister for Longhill in Hull, where a new and different phase of ministry is beginning. I will be exploring how to develop church in a new way on Longhill and I am excited to see what will emerge. I will be involved in the management of the Community Centre at St Margaret’s but most of my time will be spent out in the community getting to know people, sharing in the ups and downs of life in the Longhill community and discerning what is God’s plan for this new phase of ministry. I am so happy to be returning to Hull and look forward to making new friends and renewing old ones. Hull is buzzing with life, God is at work and I look forward to sharing in this.”

The Archdeacon of the East Riding, the Ven. Andy Broom said, “I’m really excited that Trisha and Ben will be coming to Hull to start new types of church in Longhill and Kingswood. In both of these estates, there are no traditional church buildings, but Ben and Trish will build up teams to work with and start a congregation. That could be in a pub or café – who knows! We believe that God loves everyone who lives in Longhill and Kingswood, and Trisha and Ben are just the right people to share God’s love with the communities.”