St Austell bids a fond farewell to Rev Howard Flint, who led his last service as vicar at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday and retires officially tomorrow.  

The popular priest has been at the Holy Trinity helm for seven years, but is moving to Hampshire to be closer to his family.  

His tenure saw the development the old Hop & Vine pub site opposite the church into the Trinity Centre; the transformation of the church by placing pews on wheels to allow them to be moved to create a space for major events; and moving worship entirely online during the pandemic.  

Rev Flint, 64, and wife Kay came to St Austell from Kent. “We didn’t know anyone here, but we felt called here by God,” he says. “We had hope, and there were great people in the church, but we needed a vision.” 

That vision came in the form of the dilapidated Hop and Vine, which had been put up for sale by St Austell Brewery. “At a meeting, someone said, ‘Could we buy it?’ We all looked at each other and thought, yes, we could. That was the beginning of quite a journey.”  

The inn was converted at a cost of £1.2 million, much of which was raised by the community. The Trinity Centre’s meeting rooms are used for church groups on a Sunday and rented out during the week; a coffee shop is due to open this autumn. 

The 2020/21 pandemic was certainly a challenge. “Churches were closed, and we had to move everything online, which meant learning how to record and edit. We had people in New Zealand and the USA tuning in each week – friends and relatives. We definitely got a lot more reach, and it felt less parochial.  

“Church can get locked into being about people who come, and this made us more aware that it was about connecting with the community – we were praying for people we had never met. On the other hand, we had to work harder to keep in touch with people who were perhaps elderly, isolated and not tech-savvy.” 

As Rural Dean, Rev Flint supported the parishes in the wider deanery. These included Fowey, which has been without a vicar for four years following a departure which left the congregation deeply divided – a situation made worse by an advertisement for a male replacement.  

“At the time, there was a lot of hurt,” he recalls, “like when a family goes through a difficult time. They are now in a much happier place with a much better idea of what Fowey needs, which is a church that functions well. I am hopeful for its future.” The new Parochial Church Council recently readvertised the post – to any gender.  

In the wider community, Rev Flint had an active role in the St Austell Revitalisation project, and was a keen member of the tennis club. But in 2021, he faced a personal challenge when he was diagnosed with cancer.  

“I’m doing well now, but there was a moment when the consultant asked me what my new reality was. I realised that while I loved being here, I wanted to see more of the grandchildren – we have four between the ages of four and 10. When we move, I will no longer be vicaring and will have my weekends back. 

“It feels like our season here is coming to an end. We leave in good spirits, and it’s time for someone else to come and do the next bit.”  

Rev Flint and his wife Kay will leave St Austell on September 5. The role of vicar will be advertised following his departure, and he anticipates a replacement in the New Year, with the “really good ministerial team” filling the gap in the meantime.  

“it has been a privilege to have seen God’s work here,” he said.