A new priest for the Pool Mission Area, near Welshpool, will be licensed by the Bishop of St Asaph on Sunday (4 December).

Revd Paulette Gower will look after the communities of Berriew, Castle Caereinion, Forden, Fron, Llandyssil, Montgomery and Pantyffridd.

A service of welcoming and licensing will take place at St Beuno’s Church, Berriew at 1500hr on Sunday.

Bishop Gregory said: “I am delighted to welcome Paulette to this new ministry.  Paulette brings a deep enthusiasm for the Gospel to her work and ministry, as well as many years’ experience.  I am sure that she will be a blessing for the communities in which she will serve”.

For the past eight years Paulette has been based in Gwersyllt, Wrexham, as Vicar and also Mission Area Leader of Alyn. She said: “I am looking forward to meeting people and working with each of the churches to help them write the next chapter of their stories as they work together to ‘grow faith’, ‘bring hope’ and ‘demonstrate love’ to their communities. I am also looking forward to helping with the local Guide Unit, and seeing if I can regain the skills I had as a teenage bellringer”. 

Paulette is the eldest of five, and aunty to one niece and four nephews.  She enjoys strumming her guitar, swimming, reading, inventing wide games for the Guides, doing jigsaws and playing board games.

Since lock down her teddy bears have produced over 90 online Bible stories, with Teddy Francis-John and friends gaining a growing number of followers of all ages.