Rev’d Alistair Milne is the new Vicar of St Mary the Virgin Merton. Ali was collated and inducted by the Bishop of Kingston, Right Revd Martin Gainsborough, and the Archdeacon of Lambeth, Venerable Simon Gates, on Sunday 1 March at Choral Evensong.

Ali introduces himself and his family:

“I grew up in Ruislip and attended The John Lyon School in Harrow, where I played plenty of football and cricket – the latter remaining my sporting love.  

My wife, Carrie, is from near Penzance. Carrie studied psychology before training as

a midwife. We have two daughters, Annabelle (Belle), who is six, and Elodie (Didi) who is three. 

Before training for ordination, I worked as an accountant for nearly a decade, first in practice and then for a global charity.  During that time, I began to search more seriously for God, trying to make sense of life in all its complexity. That journey led me to realise how deeply important character formation is – who we are shapes how we see the world and how we love others. 

It is one of the reasons I’ve been drawn to the kind of Christian worship found at St Mary’s: worship that values the beauty of holiness, embodied practices, and a reverent sense of mystery, helping us learn how to live compassionately in a complicated world.  

We are very much looking forward to becoming part of the life of St Mary’s and getting to know you all.

L-R: Annabel Skinner, Deputy Churchwarden; Paul Kohler, MP for Wimbledon; Councillor Ed Foley, Merton Park Ward; Revd Ali Milne, Vicar of Merton; Rt Revd Martin Gainsborough, Bishop of Kingston; Councillor Martin Whelton, The Worshipful Mayor of the London Borough of Merton; Ven Simon Gates, Archdeacon of Lambeth; David Reeves, Churchwarden.