Parish sings praises of Vicar of Berwick as he marks his retirement

The popular priest, known for his humility and approachable manner, reluctantly acknowledged guests’ appreciative comments, joking that people were being so nice that it was like being at his own funeral.

Former curate, Rev John Vileseca, said Dennis and his wife Catherine had looked after him well during his training at Holy Trinity Church. He described the vicar as compassionate and caring but revealed he had a mischievous side and liked to play tricks on his young apprentice.

Rev John said: “I could never tell whether he was joking – and usually, he was.”

But he added that Rev Dennis had a strong work ethic and a wealth of experience: “Where else would you find a priest who can also fix the church toilet?”

Church warden Paul Marshall also praised the minister’s practical skills and said he could often be found on the roof clearing the gutters, while Catherine’s expertise had been invaluable in helping the church set up its own website and leap forward into the 21st century.

He was thanked for his dedication to the community and the organisations he had served which include the ATC, the Newcastle Diocese Board of Education and the governing bodies of local schools.

Rev Dennis was ordained in 1986 and served many parishes in West Yorkshire before coming to Berwick in 2014. He had previously been a fitter of locomotives and then a design engineer before enrolling at theological college in Mirfield.

Dennis said he was very lucky to have had the experience but he had only just met Catherine before embarking on the three year course of prayer and study and he wasn’t sure how she’d take it. The couple went on to raise three daughters before moving to Berwick.

His notable Yorkshire accent and continued references to his beloved Leeds United left his congregations in no doubt as to his allegiance with his home county but he is equally fond of Northumberland and plans to stay.

He explained: “We spent many family holidays here and always said we would move up once the girls left home. We’ve loved being in Berwick; there’s such a variety of people and I have particularly enjoyed working in the schools.”

As part of his role, Rev Dennis held regular worship assemblies at both Holy Trinity and St Mary’s first schools and was also ex-officio governor on both governing bodies.

“I love the children’s energy; you never know what they’re going to say and you learn so much from them. They understand much more than you think and it’s a privilege to watch them grow and share the Christian ethos with them,” he said.

After retiring, Dennis and Catherine plan to settle in Bamburgh while she continues to work as a teaching assistant at Longridge Towers School. Not one to sit back, Rev Dennis has also accepted a part time job at Longridge as a design technology technician.

He’s also looking forward to having weekends free to spend with his family.