By Heather Pickstock
Evening Post
May 5, 2008
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The new vicar at a Clevedon church rocked by a sex abuse scandal wants to help the community forget the past and look to the future.
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The Rev Roger Jackson, 50, was officially welcomed as the new parish priest at St John's Church in an induction service led by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Rev Peter Price, and the Archdeacon of Bath, the Venerable Andrew Piggott.
Mr Jackson, previously parish priest for three villages in Buckinghamshire, has taken over from the Rev David Smith, who was jailed for five-and-a-half years last May for grooming and molesting six youngsters over a period of nearly 30 years.
Mr Jackson, who is married to Susan, a teaching assistant, and has two children, Aiden, 21, and Naomi, 19, said he was looking forward to meeting the people of Clevedon and leading a new, happier chapter for the church.
He said: "We need to put the past behind us and move forward.
"I am looking to the future and what I can do to help people come to terms with what has happened.
"I can't imagine how people must have felt - it must have been devastating for them.
"It is going to take time for the hurt to heal, for people to come to terms with what happened and to move on.
"I will be working to rebuild goodwill and re-establish the trust of the people of Clevedon."
Mr Jackson, who was ordained as a priest in 1989, said he was looking forward to meeting the community.
He said: "At the moment I am trying to find my feet in Clevedon.
"I will be observing how the town works and I am looking forward to meeting not only the congregation and people involved with St John's but the Clevedon community as a whole.
"Although my family and I have only been in Clevedon for a short while, we have been made very welcome.
"I would like to thank everyone who has extended the warm hand of friendship.
"I am looking forward to building on the church's strengths as, together, we seek to serve all the people of the parish."
The institution and induction service was attended by more than 200 people including North Somerset Council chairman David Shopland, Clevedon Town Council chairman Robert Garner and Julia Elton, deputy Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet, the Right Rev Andrew Burnham, preached the sermon.
Mr Jackson worked in industry as a buyer before studying for the ministry at Chichester Theological College.
He is a keen photographer and motor racing fan who enjoys regular holidays in France and has an interest in Renaissance art.
Churchwarden Tony Wring has been heavily involved in the appointment procedures.
He said: "We are delighted that Roger is our new priest and we are convinced we have got the right man for the job.
"We now look forward to the church growing in strength in the community."
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