Vicar says goodbye after 40 years of services (From Messenger Newspapers)

Retirement for Timperley vicar

12:00pm Thursday 5th April 2012 in News

A VICAR who has been a familiar face in Timperley for 16 years hangs up his dog collar this month.

The Rural Dean of Bowdon, the Reverend Canon John Sutton, will retire on Sunday after 40 years of of full-time ordained ministry.

He has been the vicar of Timperley since 1996 and for the past nine years had responsibility for 18 C of E churches.

He took over as vicar of Timperley in 1996 and for eight years before that he was priest at St. Anne's and St Francis, Sale Moor.

His role as rural dean involved assisting churches with problems especially when a vacancy occurred.

Mr Sutton said: “After my retirement, I shall move to Sale and hope to spend more time with my seven grandchildren and do some gardening.”

His successor, the Reverend Julian Heaton, the Vicar of St Anne’s and St Francis, Sale, will start his post on May 1, and be commissioned at a service at that church on May 9.

He has been at St. Anne’s for seven years and for four years before that, at St. John’s, Altrincham.

Mr Heaton said: “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues across South Trafford and responding to the needs of the more vulnerable in the community.

“My first job will be to work with the Parish of Timperley as they seek a replacement for Canon John Sutton.”