New man at St Mark's

Leslie Phillips was the parish priest in the first series, Donald Sinden subsequently. Joan Hickson played the super-efficient housekeeper - a vicarage answer to Dr Finlay's Janet - and Harry Fowler the ex-con odd job man, inevitably a Cockney scallywag.

It extended to four series and 46 episodes, had to be shown later in the evening when the humour became a bit black - what on earth were they on about? - and probably begat All Gas and Gaiters which begat the Vicar of Dibley which...

Well you get the picture, as probably they used to say at Pontop Pike.

We recall it because the Rev Gary Nicholson is the new man at St Mark's, Eldon - unmarried, rides a motor bike, has a degree in psychology, taught in the secure unit at Aycliffe School ("ideal training for the priesthood, gives you resilience"), fervently follows Newcastle United, decided at 14 that he wanted to become a priest but was 33 before he managed it.

"I just kept pestering the diocese and eventually they gave in," he says.

Eldon's a small village near Shildon in south Durham, joined almost invisibly (though locals can still see the seams) to places like Eldon Lane, Bridge Place, Coundon Grange, Close House and Coronation. Long neglected, categorised D, the communities are now making a brave fist of regeneration. Itself once threatened with closure, the church in some ways carries the banner, though among the problems Gary Nicholson inherits is that he is just about the only man at St Mark's.

Ignore the organist and the one-off columnist, and only one among the 29 congregation is male - and he, since these are egalitarian days, is in unchallenged charge of the kitchen.

It was more than a quarter of a century since we'd been in there, the church now wonderfully transformed. Where there were heavy pews there are free standing chairs, where wooden floor fitted carpet, where clutter space, where darkness light.

"It really was very gloomy, but when we need help it's amazing how people turn out," says Janice Clark, one of the churchwardens.

Even some of the husbands had rolled up their sleeves, just so long as they hadn't to turn up on Sunday mornings.

Barely a week passes, either, without the Echo's local news columns detailing some sort of function - beetle drive, fish and chip lunch - at the back.

The church based Girls Friendly Society has 30 members, too, their "best in Durham" shield proudly displayed.

"Admittedly not many of them come regularly to church but you have to lay the foundations" says church council secretary Pam Hutchinson. (Her husband's Church of Scotland, she adds, but still lets her come.)

For years St Mark's came under the wing of the parish of Shildon. Two months ago, however, Gary became priest-in-charge of St James, Coundon - two miles up the hill - and St Mark's, Eldon.

Previously he'd been a non-stipendiary curate in Spennymoor - "a real nice young feller" someone says.

His motor bike's in the porch, leathers in the vestry. The Flying Reverend, the bairns have christened him already. On the table at the back are some egg boxes (reason unknown), a biography of former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel (ditto) and lots of jars of marmalade.

There's cointreau and orange, whisky and orange, brandy and orange, even plain old orange. £1 20 a jar; mouth watering.

Gary, who prefers the style "Father" though there is little evidence of Anglo-Catholicism, greets them warmly, though his tone changes as he recalls recent events at the other end of his patch.

Gary Walton, from Coundon, has been found murdered behind a pub. "We pray for the repose of Gary's soul, and for his family, and of course we pray for justice," says the priest.

In his sermon he announces that his latest "fad" is yoga - "not replacing my passion for football, rather an addition" - and that he's planning a demonstration for the Bishop of Durham.

"I know what you've been thinking these past few weeks - how does Father Gary manage to maintain that magnificent Olympian physique which makes him stand head and shoulders above other clerics.

"I actually want to go down to Auckland Castle, wrap my left leg round my right and see what he makes of it. I'm sure he'll be impressed."

It's as brief as it's jolly. The only problem about such sit-com sermons is that they tend to obscure the serious bit. This one's about Mary Magdalene ("a side street hooker") and God's power to transform lives.

He has made an instant impression - "just what we'd been hoping for," says Pam Hutchinson. "It's been extremely hard work at times, but we've pulled together."

Janice Clark ("one of the Eldon Clarks, my father played in the band") admits that at times they'd been close to despair, but the enlightened church has given them heart.

"The people of these villages have been battered about a bit, pushed to and fro," says Gary. "Hopefully my appointment will be seen as an act of faith by the diocese, a fresh beginning."

Their determination is undoubted. Now, he says, he hopes to heighten their spirituality. "There are times when you're so busy raising money, or just trying to keep the building going, you forget things like that. They're hungry for it, I'm sure." Due for Sunday lunch at his mum's in Crook ("she'll kill me if I'm late" he'd said) the new man at St Mark's is off down the road on his motor bike. As probably they said 37 years ago, this one may be well worth watching.

l Principal services at St Mark's, Eldon, are at 11am every Sunday and at St James, Coundon, at 9. 15am. The Rev Fr Gary Nicholson is on (01388) 603312