On Wednesday 21 May 2025, Bishop Gregory licensed the Revd James Tout as Vicar of St Giles’ Church and launched the Wrexham Mission Hub which will create a centre of musical excellence. The intention is to start a new choir, attracting children from a wide range of backgrounds across the city. You can see a gallery of photographs from the occasion below and details about the licensing service.

The Bishop of St Asaph will license a new Vicar of Wrexham on Wednesday (21 May) as part of plans to develop a Mission Hub Church in the city.

The Rt Revd Gregory Cameron will license the Revd James Tout at St Giles’ Church which will become a Mission Hub creating a centre of musical excellence. The intention is to start a new choir, attracting children from a wide range of backgrounds across the city.

James was ordained in St Asaph Cathedral in 2019 and served as an assistant curate in St Giles’ Church, before moving to the Diocese of Bangor in 2020. Prior to ordination, he worked as a science teacher in The Marches School in Oswestry where he trained for ministry alongside his role as an assistant head teacher.

Bishop Gregory said: “‘It is great to be welcoming James back to St Giles’ Church as its new vicar. James is someone who has had a number of previous experiences as a teacher and associate head, and most recently as chaplain to the Archbishop of Wales. He brings huge enthusiasm and a warm disposition which will, I’m sure, endear him very quickly, to the people of Wrexham.”

Originally from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, James is a fluent Welsh speaker. Throughout his time in the Diocese of Bangor he retained a licence in the Diocese of St Asaph as an associate priest in the Offa Mission Area.

The Revd James Tout said: “I’m very excited to begin this new chapter with a church and community I came to know and love during my curacy. It’s a huge honour and privilege to minister with them to the city of Wrexham, and my hope and prayer is that we will be bold in what God is calling us to do, and confident in the good news we have to share with everyone.”

James will be working alongside the Revd Petra Goodband, who was licensed to St Giles’ by Bishop Gregory in September 2024. Prior to her ordination, Petra’s main career was in music, both performing and teaching. She sings and plays instruments, including the oboe and saxophone, and has recently taken up the harp. Over the years Petra has also led choirs of various sizes.

Wrexham Mission Hub is one of three new Mission Hub Churches being created in the Diocese of St Asaph following a £5.6m investment by the Church in Wales’ Growth Fund. All Saints Church in Newtown and Christ Church in Prestatyn will also be launched as Hub Churches. Four hubs exist already in Mold, Welshpool, Holywell and Penrhyn Bay.

Mission Hub Churches have a structure that harnesses ministry and outreach skills: each is led by a Mission Hub Priest, supported by an associate priest and a lay minister who focus on outreach. Each hub is created to be a centre of excellence for running and growing a church, with people encouraged to come into their church for a range of worship and other activities.

More details about plans for Wrexham Mission Hub at St Giles’ Church will follow.

St Giles’ Church is one of the seven wonders of Wales, designated as such in an anonymous rhyme, thought to have been written in the late 18^th or early 19^th century. The current building dates from the end of the 15^th century and is one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical architecture to be found in Wales. Today, it serves the needs of the Wrexham city centre population and welcomes tourists from around the world. It is a regular stopping-off point for American visitors who are familiar with the streaming programme Welcome to Wrexham made by the Hollywood owners of Wrexham AFC. The churchyard of St Giles’ houses the tomb of Elihu Yale, one of the benefactors of Yale University.

The church tower, which rises 135ft above the city, is open to visitors on the first Saturday of every month during the summer. Bookings can be made at the Visitor Information Centre on Chester Street by email tourism@wrexham.gov.uk or call 01978 292015.

St Giles’ Church is part of the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales, an autonomous Province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.