800-year-old church gets first female vicar

St John the Baptist church in the heart of Cardiff is getting ready to welcome its first ever female vicar today.

Twenty years ago, Liz Griffiths was working in the city as computer specialist. She returned to the city this week to take up her new post as vicar of St John the Baptist, where she will be inducted tonight by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan.

She is taking over from the Rev Keith Kimber, who retired after eight years in the role, and will be the first woman to lead the church's ministry in its 800-year history.

Rev Griffiths, 49, spent six years serving as associate vicar in one of London's most famous churches, St Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square.

The church has built up a reputation over the years for its work with the homeless and in music.

She was at the church during its major £36m refurbishment and comes to her new post with a passion for urban ministry.

Dr Morgan said, “I am delighted to appoint Liz Griffiths to serve the community at the heart of the capital city of Wales.

"To the thousand people who visit each week, St John’s is a haven of peace in a frantic retail environment where they can find spiritual refreshment. For others, it’s an uncomfortable reminder that there is more to life than getting and spending.

“As a parish church it supports those who work and live in the city centre and also ministers to those who exist on its edges, for whom the streets are home.

"Liz has a wealth of experience in city parish ministry and understands the challenges it brings and the opportunities it offers for the church to serve the community.”

Rev Griffiths trained for the priesthood at Rippon College, Cuddesdon, and was ordained as a priest in 1999.

She has spent the last two years serving as the Vice Principal of Eastern Region Ministry Course based in Cambridge.

She said, “I am thrilled to return to Cardiff and to take up this post as I particularly enjoy city centre ministry.

"Cardiff is a vibrant, exciting place but like all cities there is also despair and isolation. I believe St John’s has something distinctive to contribute as it engages with the social, economic and political life of the city as well as offering a valuable space for worship, silence and contemplation.”