After almost a year in vacancy, The Bishop of Lincoln has announced the appointment of the Rev Samantha Parsons as rector of Grantham Harrowby and Londonthorpe.

Assistant priest Rev Les Batty has been officiating, with the support of other church members, at The United Benefice of the Church of the Ascension, Harrowby, and St John the Baptist, Londonthorpe, since the end of May 2018.

Rev Parsons, who has most recently been working as curate in the Horncastle Group, will join the churches in the summer following her licensing service in August.

The Diocese of Lincoln has the following information about Rev Parsons' life and ministry: "Sam was born in London and brought up in Buckinghamshire. As a teenager she discovered a love of languages and other cultures.

"She studied geography and Spanish at Aberdeen University and, after graduating, worked as an English language assistant in northern Spain. She then trained as a teacher and taught geography at a secondary school in Lincoln.

"After a few years, sensing a call to mission, she went to serve in Paraguay as a mission partner with the South American Mission Society where she taught English and Bible in a bilingual Anglican school.

"Following this, together with her husband Rupert, they both went to work for an Anglican Early Years Teacher Training College in Paraguay where Sam taught English and Christian Worldview. As part of the senior leadership team she set up various social programmes working with indigenous Indian communities and helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn through play.

"After eight years she went to work as an educator and pastoral care worker in a children's home for vulnerable girls in rural Paraguay.

"Sam and Rupert returned to the UK in 2012 when Sam began to explore a sense of call to ordained ministry. She trained at Cranmer Hall in Durham and graduated with a degree in Theology, Ministry and Mission in 2016 and was ordained at Lincoln Cathedral in the same year.

"She served her curacy in Horncastle. Having a passion for community mission, inclusion, and youth and children's work, she set up various community initiatives and helped expand the ministry with children and young people in the town.

"Sam loves nature, cycling, walking and reading and is sometimes known to frighten the cat with her guitar playing."

Rev Parsons' licensing service will take place on Monday, 5 August at 7pm at Harrowby Church of Ascension with the Bishop of Grantham and Archdeacon of Boston officiating.