A CARING and popular minister who is retiring will be missed by his congregations and the community.

The Rev Ian Rigby, who is part of the Delamere Forest Methodist Circuit, will give his last service on Thursday, August 5, at The Hurst Methodist Church.

For 10 years he has been the minister for The Hurst and Blakelees in Kingsley, Norley Methodist Church and Oakmere Methodist Church, conducting communion and prayer and funerals, weddings and baptisms.

Mr Rigby and his wife Dorothy, of Top Road, Kingsley, are moving to Halton Village in Runcorn where they will still be near to their friends, daughters Kathryn and Elizabeth, and grandchildren, Eleanor, Anna, Rachel, Robert and Alice, who was born last week.

Before entering the ministry Mr Rigby was a teacher for 25 years, ending up as headteacher of a Church of England primary school in the Bolton area.

In 1985 he went to theological college in Manchester for two years. He then spent seven years in Runcorn as a minister before moving to Kingsley and the Delamere Forest circuit.

Mr Rigby, 64, said: 'I think I have been fortunate in life in that I enjoyed both my teaching career and I have enjoyed being in the ministry.

'I have enjoyed some of the privileges the church has given me in that I have shared so much of life with so many people, both the good things and the bad things in life.

'I have fulfilled my dream of going to India twice and working with Christian Aid. I have been happy living in the Delamere Forest circuit and in Kingsley and we're going to miss it very much, both the place and the people.

'It's important to me that I haven't just been minister in the four churches but in the community I live.'

Mr Rigby has also conducted assemblies at St John's Church of England School and the primary school in Kingsley. He has been an active member of Kingsley Walking Group and is chaplain at Halton Haven Hospice.

Gillian Peartree, circuit steward, said: 'He is an exceptional pastor. He has been a great source of comfort and support to people.

'Since his retirement has been announced I have been inundated with reports of his kindness, not just from church people but other people in the village and of other denominations.'

Mrs Peartree continued: 'He is a jovial and very emotional man. I would guess when he is doing his final services he will find that quite a strain to say goodbye.'

Jean Perry, speaking for the 25-member congregation at Blakelees, said: 'We're a very small congregation in Blakelees but he's been thoroughly good for us.

'He's been so helpful to people all around. When we have had happy times he has celebrated with us and when we have had upsets he has sympathised so much that we really are going to miss him very much.

'He has been almost a member of each family. It's very hard for someone following to live up to him.

'We're very sorry that he's going but we're hoping that he will have a long and happy retirement.'

Beryl Colley-Davies, who attends Norley Methodist Church, said: 'His 10-year ministry has been intensive and caring. He was a regular visitor to Norley Wednesday Club - the over-60s club. To him everyone was equal. He continued to visit club members in their homes when they became housebound. He was a regular visitor to Mount Pleasant nursing home in Norley.

'He has a great understanding of human need and a real understanding of terminal illness and how it affected the relatives as well.'

Mr Rigby's leaving party for 200 guests took place on Saturday.