Rev'd Canon Dr Barry Wilson new Rector of St Mary'sClub Meeting

Robert Eardley introduced the new Rector of Nantwich to the Club having met him during Nantwich Show, and invited him to speak to the Club.

Barry started by quoting 1968 as the time when Switzerland dominated the wristlet watch market world-wide with 90% share, a situation which had held true for many generations but it was a Swiss engineer who created the quartz movement which has since by 1980 dominated world markets, leaving Switzerland with less than 10% share. This was an indication as to how things can change and where nothing can be taken for granted. Some churches have little or no congregation but Nantwich is fortunate in having a regular Sunday attendance of around 350 people and the age profile was, whilst rather in the grey haired category, also included a large number of young families.

He went on to mention that he had exchanged parishes with the previous incumbent Peter who had replaced Barry at Betley and Madeley. Barry explained that he had a career as a teacher of RE at Alsager, having trained at Lichfield and whilst he greatly treasured his roll in the ministry he was also mindful that teaching had become more difficult over the years. He felt that he should try to invigorate the business model and attempt to expand the congregation, mindful of how things change and the need for this change to be embraced to avoid the lesson of the Swiss.

What was to have been a five minute talk, and certainly no sermon, soon became a question and answer session which raised many points regarding how he envisaged enthusiasm for change to be generated. He is clearly open to suggestions and his undoubted enthusiasm was obvious to the members. In proposing a vote of thanks Gerald mentioned that changing strategies would be applied to an unchanging message and that it would be incorrect to wish him luck but rather Gods grace and guidance in his new mission.