FOR many years, Fran Carabott thought he didn’t fit into the Church of England. When he was ordained in our cathedral this summer, he finally felt as though he did.

More than 10 years ago, he felt God calling him to become a Reverend and to plant a new congregation that would revitalise a closed church. He had no idea how that might happen.

Initial conversations with those in the Church just seemed to emphasise his lack of academic ability. He grew up in the east end of London, left school with no qualifications, and developed his faith in a Pentecostal church rather than in the Anglican tradition.

“I didn’t really fit the conventional model of a vicar at the time,” he said. “Various people asked me if I was sure it was God calling me, and the lack of qualifications was a big concern. However, I felt a strong sense not just of wanting to be ordained, but an overwhelming burning in my heart that God wanted me to bring a church that had closed back to life.

“It was quite frustrating, because the call didn’t seem to disappear, but I kept on getting knock-backs. People would ask me ‘how will you plant a church?’ and I’d have to say ‘I’ve no idea’! Yet God was still saying that’s what he wanted me to do. I knew it was him calling me.”

Fast-forward to 2017, and Fran’s vision suddenly became a reality. He was part of St Jude’s, Southsea, and the church had been asked to develop a new vision for the nearby St Margaret’s Church. That church building had been closed because of major structural problems, and services ceased in 2015.

After holding some initial prayer meetings there, a group of 12 worshippers from St Jude’s launched the church plant – worshipping together in the church hall from October 2017. People came to faith and the vision of building a community with Jesus at the centre came alive. They refurbished the church building, opened a soft play area, café and Pantry – and became an integral part of the local community. Now more than 100 people worship there each week, with hundreds of others pouring through the doors on weekdays.

In a radical move, Fran was initially asked to lead this church plant as a volunteer – he was still working as a gardening contractor at the time. After a year, he was commissioned as a lay pioneer minister. He joined Portsmouth Pathway for theological training in September 2018, and finally was accepted for ordination in January 2020.

“Seeing the vision that I had all those years ago being fulfilled is just incredible,” he said. “And in hindsight, I can see God working, even through those knockbacks. I had to learn patience and perseverance. Being on the Portsmouth Pathway really helped, as I was supported with the academic side of theology studies. People explained things, it was really encouraging, and I even managed to write and pass essays. Discovering that I was dyslexic, with the support of the Pathway, helped me to understand myself.

“I moved to study at St Mellitus for two years, which was a fantastic time of formation and equipping me to become the leader God was calling me to be. It helped me to fall in love with Jesus more and I’ve made lifelong friends.

“And the ordination was a real confirmation. It was a really powerful experience when the bishop laid his hands on my head. It was really the seal from God that said ‘This is it’. I felt like God was saying ‘you’re my man, I’ve called you’. At that moment, I didn’t feel like an outsider. I felt as though I did fit in, I was accepted for who I am.”