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FATHER NEIL KELLEY was inducted as first Vicar of the newly created United Benefice of Saint Faith, Great Crosby with Saint Mary the Virgin, Waterloo Park in April 1999.
Born in Portsmouth, he was educated on the Hampshire Specialist Music Course. He was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music where he studied with Nicholas Danby, Geoffrey Parsons and Norman Del Mar. He has also held the organ scholarships of St Alban’s Cathedral and St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. As organist, he has performed in the Royal Albert Hall and many of the cathedrals in this country, as well as three American tours and performances in France, Germany and Canada. Whilst studying theology and training for the priesthood at Cambridge, he was Director of Music at Pembroke College Chapel. He has broadcast for Classic FM and has worked for BBC Television both as a performer and conductor.
Fr Neil served the parishes of S Mary the Virgin, Bedfont, and S Nicholas, Chiswick, before moving to Liverpool to the parish of S Chad, Kirkby. Since his arrival in Crosby and Waterloo in 1999, much of Fr Neil’s ministry has been focussed on the importance of encouraging the full participation of the laity in all aspects of the church’s life and ministry. The two parishes have an annual joint PCC meeting and produce a comprehensive Diary of Events for the United Benefice. A recent link has been established with Sierra Leone through the local Member of Parliament.
Fr Neil stands firmly in the catholic tradition of the
Anglican Church
but believes that tradition should not be rooted just in the past but
should
be open to embrace new possibilities. In recent
years, developments in worship at S Faith’s have seen a monthly
service of Compline and Benediction,
informal Advent Taizé services, the formation of a monthly
Rosary
Group and full involvement of Eucharistic Ministers. There is a
monthly
Healing Service and a team of Eucharistic Ministers takes the Blessed
Sacrament
to the sick and housebound and to those in hospital. Pilgrimages
to Walsingham and to Conques in France have been highly successful and
retreats to Mirfield and Parcevall Hall provide quiet time for
spiritual
renewal and friendship.
Monthly all-age eucharists are a recent feature of life at S Faith’s where young people play a prominent role in the liturgy. A week-long Holiday Club is now organised for young people at both churches in August and there are numerous social events throughout the year. A formal liturgy is also flexible enough to include the Sunday School presenting their work during the notices and the singing of “Happy Birthday” before the final hymn on Sundays!
In 2006, Fr Neil was appointed Diocesan Adviser on Worship and
Liturgy, being licensed for the role by the Bishop of Warrington in
September, 2006.
Hear
the voice of Fr Neil Kelley.
See Fr Neil presiding at one of the BBC Advent services. (Warning: large file - approx 1.4mb to download)