We are grateful to the priests who are leading our services during our vacancy - the Ven. David Painter, the Reverend Lynda Randall and the Reverend Lulu Pelly..
The Ministry Team provides support for Worship and Mission across the Benefice and includes:
Readers:
Mary McVay
Mary was licensed as a Lay Minister (or CofE Reader) in May 2007 and has been ministering in the Benefice since then. During that time she has been privileged to lead services and preach; to lead school assemblies and be part of the ministry team facilitating and/or leading in many ways to promote the Christian faith and prayer.
Mary is affiliated to the Progressive Christianity Network. She says "Many questions have been answered and a deeper understanding of the Christian faith established, finding that it is far less complicated and far more spiritual than I had imagined".
She is also a member of the World Community for Christian Meditation www.christianmeditation.org.uk - She adds "I am a trained teacher and facilitate meditation sessions in my home where there is a dedicated meditation room, and latterly via Zoom during the Covid 19 pandemic. Zoom meditation has proved very popular. Do contact me if you would like to know more. Meditation is open for anyone – those with faith, those who would like to have more faith, and the rest of us … who will always be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit which in the silence of meditation/contemplation will lead into true faith. Contact me at admin@southcleley-benefice.org.uk."
Monty Lynds 
Monty is married to Jane with three children and four grandchildren.
He is a retired chartered accountant who now prefers to be known as a folk musician / singer songwriter. He has a passion for the natural world and conservation issues, cricket and Northampton Town football club.
He is attracted to liberal/progressive theology and inter faith ideals and is a member and former trustee of The Progressive Christianity Network – Britain. He has been licensed as a Reader since 2011.
Richard Yates
Richard is married to Claire and lives in Towcester with their Jack Russell Terrier, Bailey. They have two grown up children and four grandchildren.
Richard worked for Lloyds Bank for twenty-five years before leaving and becoming Traffic Manager for a local coach firm. Following major surgery and a stroke he took semi-retirement, and now works term time only for Oxfordshire County Council doing special transport.
He is a keen bell ringer being chairman of the local branch, an organist, and a member of the vintage bus society. In addition, Richard organises coach outings for various local groups.
Richard was licensed as a Reader in 2010 after several years exploring his vocation. He supports the Affirming Catholicism movement, and also supports the inclusive church movement.
Anne Henson 
Anne was born and brought up in Potterspury, and still lives in the village with Ian, her husband, and her son and daughter. She has been a regular worshipper at St Nicholas' Church all her life, being a bell-ringer, choir member and altar server over the years, and took on the Churchwarden role in 2016.
Anne’s career started off in Lloyds Bank, where she remained for some 13 years before venturing off into the IT industry, undertaking a number of different roles until soon after her younger child was born. She now works as part-time administrator for the village pre-school and, in 2020, also took the role of Benefice Administrator..
Anne completed the Certificate in Lay Worship Leader’s Ministry in early 2018. Pre-covid she could be found leading some of our more informal services, mainly in St Nicholas, but occasionally further afield within the Benefice. Currently she is the main leader of the Zoom service of Morning Prayer each Sunday. She also has an interest in developing what we offer for young people and families.
The Diocese has announced that Graham Brack (Assistant Curate at Blisworth, Alderton, Grafton Regis, Milton Malsor and Stoke Bruerne with Shutlanger) will be licensed as priest with responsibility for South Cleley on 5th May. Until then Graham continues in his existing role, but will be seen around the benefice getting used to his new position.
Graham and his wife Gillian came to live in Yardley Gobion in 2019 after forty years living and working in Cornwall as pharmacists. Graham was first licensed as a Reader in Truro Diocese in 1991 and was ordained priest in Peterborough Cathedral in 2024. He is traditional in worship style, but looks forward to offering a range of worship options with the rest of the team. His thesis for his MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission was on ministry to children and allowing them to experience faith rather than being taught what they should believe.
In his spare time Graham writes crime novels, of which he has (so far) had 17 published!