The Communard who turned to Communion will be talking about his calling to be a priest at a church hall in Cardiff next week.
The Revd Richard Coles will describe his remarkable journey from being one half of the 80s chart-toppers, The Communards, with Jimmy Somerville, to curate at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, London.
He will also talk about his work as a priest in broadcasting. He was the inspiration for the recent BBC programme, The Rev, steps in to present the Radio 4 programme, Saturday Live, and has been a guest on Have I Got News For You.
Speaking about his change of career, Richard said, “It was bananas. I had just turned 40, I had a good living and then suddenly I threw myself into theological college, an environment where I was wearing a cassock and sleeping with people in the same room … It was a cultural shock and very odd to begin with. Nobody joins the church because of the pay and conditions or because it is an attractive career package, you do it because you are conscious of a vocation to it.”
Revd Richard Spencer, the director of ordinands for Llandaff Diocese who organised the event, said, “ It can be very scary answering a call from God to be a priest as it can turn your life upside down and inside out. Not everyone’s calling will be as dramatic as Richard’s but we hope his story will inspire others and encourage them to explore God’s direction for their lives. We are delighted to welcome him.”
The Church in Wales is asking people to consider whether they are being “called” to ordained ministry as part of a five-year strategy to seek out and nurture vocations. Called, Here I Am – Send Me, it aims to recruit more clergy to ensure the Church can continue to serve every community in Wales in the future.
Revd Richard Coles will be speaking at Christ Church Parish Church in Roath Park, Cardiff, on Wednesday, October 20, at 7.30pm. All are welcome.
