The Reverend Canon Anthony Rustell

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Greetings to everyone at St Martin’s, St Mary’s and St Barnabas. 

My family and I are very much looking forward to moving to Dorking in December and joining your church communities. I want to thank Felicity, Judy, Robin, Nicholas and Sandra for all the work that they have done in the past few weeks in supporting the appointment process, and for their leadership in sustaining the life of the churches through the vacancy. I also want to thank the clergy, lay ministers and PCCs for all their hard work during this time.

I thought it might be helpful to say a few words of introduction so that you know a little about me.

I was born and grew up in Guildford, and attended a number of churches that encompassed nearly all the traditions of the Church of England. On leaving the Royal Grammar School, I went up to Oxford to study mathematics at Christ Church. At 21 I entered training for priesthood at St Stephen’s House, and during my last year completed a Master’s degree back at Christ Church. In 2001 I was ordained as a deacon at Christ Church cathedral, and served my curacy at St Barnabas, Oxford. I also moved college from Christ Church to Keble, where I began my doctorate in Reformation history and I met Georgianna, my wife, who was studying linguistics.

On completion of my doctorate and curacy, in 2004 I married Georgianna and moved to be parish priest of three churches to the west of Oxford. During my time as incumbent I trained three curates, gained two more churches, and developed the outreach of the church communities. In 2011 we moved to Tongwynlais in Llandaff diocese in Wales, where I was parish priest to two churches and the Director of Ministerial Training. 

In 2014 I moved to become a diocesan residentiary canon at Portsmouth cathedral and the Director of Mission and Ministry. During my current post I have undertaken a number of diocesan roles such as Director of Ordinands, Mission Officer, Diocesan Safeguarding Lead, and Warden of Readers. My church interests include theological teaching, mission theory, public theology, and theological education in schools.

My wife, Georgianna, is an accountant. We have three children, Katharine, Elizabeth and John.  They all presently sing with Portsmouth Cathedral choirs; and Georgianna, Katharine and Elizabeth play the violin.  

I am delighted to be joining you and meeting the congregations and local communities. I look forward to working with each of the church communities so that together we can discern how all three churches can flourish and grow, be even more effective in our mission and outreach, and make the transforming love of Christ is known in our local communities.

Anthony Rustell