Father Lameck to celebrate his 20 years ministry

Do join the congregation at St Alban's tomorrow morning at 10.30 to help celebrate Father Lameck's twenty years as a priest.

The service is at 10.30 am and will be followed by a 'Bring and Share' lunch at the Barbour Institute

Lameck Mutete was born in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, during the early sixties. His place of birth is about twelve miles away from Rusape in a small loving rural community called Hera. He is the third of nine children. Lameck is married to Perpetua and has four boys; two of whom are here and the other two still in Africa.

As a young boy, it was always his desire to become a teacher but instead he became a police officer much to the disappointment of his late mother who felt strongly that joining the police force was becoming more of an enemy of the community. She might have been right during those days, but Lameck later proved to her that it was in fact the opposite. He enjoyed working with the community and after fifteen years of service, he realised his call to priesthood. He then went into seminary from 1994-1996 and, after ordination, he continued to serve as a Police Chaplain while at the same time helping as a non-Stipendiary clergy in church.

He read theology at Bishop Gaul College, the University of Zimbabwe and the University of Chester here in the United Kingdom.

In 2001, he left the Police after serving the government for over twenty years. This was at the height of political instability and Lameck strongly felt that he would not be part of a regime that he did not accept as morally justifiable in the eyes of God. This is his belief "Justice for everybody or freedom for nobody".

Father Lameck left Zimbabwe for the United Kingdom in 2003 and in December 2004 was appointed the first African Rector of St Alban's Tattenhall and All Saints Handley in the Diocese of Chester. In September 2010, St John the Divine Burwardsley became part of Father Lameck's benefice. He brings with him a wealth of experience in both rural and urban ministry and pastoral care in all states of life.