On Sunday afternoon, 22 January, and in front of a packed St Mary’s Church in Lastingham, the Rev Christine Haddon- Reece was licensed as Priest-in-Charge of the Benefice of Lastingham, Rosedale, Cropton, Hutton-le-Hole and Appleton-le-Moor parishes by Paul, Bishop of Whitby and Amanda, Archdeacon of Cleveland.

Christine was born in Roundhay, Leeds and moved to Nottingham as a child when her father moved to work in the Boots Laboratory there. On leaving school she worked in the offices of an Iron foundry before going on to qualify as a librarian.

In 1970 a theological college opened in Bramcote close to her family home and she met some of the students who attended her church. She joined a student music group and went to evening lectures at the college after which she enrolled for a four year theological degrees course. She then decided to go for full time ministry and after passing a selection course found a job in Roker where after four years she was ordained as a deaconess. From there she moved to West Hartlepool, where she fully ordained as a deacon before moving to Rosedale in 1990 as the assistant to Rev Francis Hewitt.

It was here, back home in Yorkshire, that she met David Haddon-Reece, fell in love and married in 1994. That year she was also ordained as a Priest in York Minster. She then served as vicar in Topcliffe for 12 years before moving on to the Egton Benefice. In 2015 she retired and moved back home to Thorgill House in Rosedale, but continued helping out with services in the Kirkbymoorside group and also, along with David, as a voluntary chaplain in York Minster.

Then when the post of Priest-in-Charge of the Lastingham Benefice became vacant in 2022, Christine applied and was accepted for a three year posting, after which she says she will retire for the final time after 45 years of ministry! She asks for all our prayers and patience as she sets out in her pastoral work here.