With a reminder that they shouldn't attempt to be a sort of spiritual Andrew Flintoff - "does all the batting, all the bowling and all the fielding while everyone else watches in amazement" - three Methodist ministers were welcomed to the Stanley circuit last Sunday, the start of the Methodist new year.

That part of north-west Durham was hewn largely from coal, the Primitive Methodist chapel for the workers (it's said) and the Wesleyan for the gaffers. Long united, the circuit's 11 churches now range from Lanchester with 177 members to Craghead, with eight.

Emma Morgan, newly ordained, is herself married to a minister. Graham, ordained in 1991, is based in Darlington and sources innocent merriment by compiling ecclesiastical joke books. Emma, working part time - paid part time, at any rate - will commute from one corner of the county to the other.

Joan Thornton, like the other two a former teacher, has been a minister in Newcastle and will officially work one day a week as she approaches retirement.

Keith Jump, ordained eight years, had leaped across from Lancashire, proclaimed it to be God's chosen county, made much play of his "blissfully" single state and of the failed attempts to alter it.

"Others have come as single ministers," warned Mary Lloyd, the circuit superintendent, "most of them have gone away married."

As is the Methodist mode, they wore clerical shirts of many colours. Mrs Lloyd's combined most of the colours at once.

The welcome service was at Annfield Plain Methodist Church which we'd visited ten years ago - Remembrance Day, lest we forget - shortly after its re-opening following a terrible fire 20 months previously which left just three walls standing and destroyed the Morrison Busty colliery lodge banner and the Methodist Insurance Society's balance sheet.

Rebuilding cost \'a3650,000, at the time the society's biggest ever pay out.

Handsomely renewed and energetically supported, the church was well filled - "We've had to queue to get in for once," said the superintendent - among those eagerly present the splendid Jack Harrison who had the misfortune to be sitting directly behind the AYS column.

"It was always the same at the pictures," said Jack, genially. "I always found myself behind one of the big fellers."

Perhaps one of Graham Morgan's, a little joke at the foot of the weekly newsletter told of six-year-old Angie and her brother Joel, aged four, in church together. Rebuked by his big sister for his constant chattering and giggling, Joel demanded to know who was going to stop him.

Angie pointed behind them. "See those two men at the back, they're hushers."

It was possible that most of Sunday's congregation hadn't read it. It was possible they were too busy talking.

The service was led by Mrs Lloyd and by the Rev Leo Osborn, chairman of the Newcastle Methodist district and ardent fan of Aston Villa FC, whose dismal defeat of Newcastle United the previous day was to hasten Sir Bobby's dolorous departure.

Would he mention that 4-2 faux pas in his address? As might have been expected, but shamelessly wasn't in this quarter, the chairman resisted temptation.

It was Leo who drew the Flintoff analogy, who supposed that if ever they existed the days of "omnicompetent" ministers had gone - "and I for one say thank God for that" - who argued that God didn't bulldoze his way in, or compulsorily purchase people's affections.

"It isn't the way our God is."

There was also a welcome for spouses, where presently appropriate, which hadn't happened when the superintendent arrived. "I was linked with all sorts of people," she said.

The circuit choir was there, too, including a good bloke called Peter Collins who used to be a journalist but repented of his sins and now works for Traidcraft, instead.

There was a reading from Isaiah about the "rugged plain" - not half as rugged as it used to be - another from St John's gospel about the Father's house having many rooms, and nice for once not to have heard it at a funeral. After an hour the Methodist egg timer was upturned; it was another 30 minutes before coffee and conviviality and a chance informally to meet the ministers.

Emma and Graham Morgan had met in their native Stockton, where he was a Methodist youth worker and she was still in the sixth form, and married in an Anglican church. They have bairns aged 11 and 13.

"Our priority is to make sure that our diaries are up to date and that we don't abandon the children," said Emma.

"It's going to be interesting trying to get the balance right, but the kids are very complimentary about their father's cooking," said Graham. It was he, by common consent, who'd encouraged his wife to make Yorkshire puddings.

Emma had made up her own mind about the ministry, Graham added. He'd merely acted as the sounding board.

Andrew Flintoff could probably have hit a double century, taken eight or nine wickets and baked a dozen corned beef pies for tea while all this first footing was going on. It didn't matter: they'd made a good all round impression, nonetheless.

EXACTLY eight years after the column reported on its imminent closure, the "futuristic" church of Christ the King at Bowburn - near Durham - holds its final service tomorrow (9.30am).

Started in the 1960s, completed in the mid-seventies, the church is best known for its free-standing, fibre glass "steeple" - frequently compared to an upside down space rocket - and for its "pineapple" roof.

Officially it symbolised the crown of thorns; realistically it has been a bed of nettles. One of 26 churches once chosen for an exhibition of outstanding post-war ecclesiastical architecture, it has long been a victim of erosion and water damage, repairs wholly prohibitive.

The Bishop of Beverley leads the final service, the Archdeacon of Durham preaches. "We want it to be a big hat day, a joyful beginning not a sad end," says one of the churchwardens.

They'll share with Bowburn Methodists until they can afford a portable building, have permission to build a new church but no money with which to begin it. Fund raising has already started; it is unlikely to be to the same design.

A FEW weeks before they return to the Civic Theatre in pantomime, five months after the column caught up with them at the Whitby Gospel Music Festival, born again Cannon and Ball will be at Darlington College on October 27 with their "Rock Around the Church" show.

The publicity promises the "very best" of British comedy. "We want people to know that it's not boring being a Christian," says Bobby Ball.

The show - another master stroke of the Rev Graham Morgan's - also stars Syd Little, half of another familiar comedy double act. Tickets are £10, box office (01325) 256880.