South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 11 April 1942

Vicar of Kilnhurst Takes Over

Rev. W. S. Fletcher.

The Rev. William Stephen Fletcher, Vicar of Stainforth was on Wednesday instituted Vicar of Kilnhurst by the Bishop d of Sheffield (Dr. L S. Hunter).

The induction was performed by the Archdeacon of Doncaster (the Ven. R. W. Stanhard). There was a large congregation, including Special Constables, Home Guard, and Church Girls’Brigade.

The Bishop said in some parishes the lay people expected too much of their Vicar, in the sense that they expected him to do it all by himself, and he reminded the congregation that the witness of the Church to draw men and women into its fellowship and life was a power which could not be exercised by the priest alone, however truly and deeply he was of God and however gifted he man might be.

He laid emphasis on the fact that the laity should take a greater responsibility. A parish could make too much of an incumbent by leaving him too much alone in the discharging of his spiritual duties. Parishioners had to share his spiritual ministry. On the other hand there was given to a priest through ordination and service, the responsibility of duty and leadership in the Christian community. His training and experience were in that direction, and the parishioners should help him forward.

Dr. Hunter said Mr. Fletcher’s last parish was an Industrial one, and he was familiar with the problems of the lives of the industrial community. He hoped his ministry at Kilnhurst would be richly blessed in the very fateful years ahead.

The Rev. W. S. Fletcher was a chaplain to the Forces in the last war. In 1924 he was appointed Priest-in-Charge of the New Edlington, leaving in a 1925 to become Vicar of Mortomley and High Green. In 1929 he became vicar of Stainforth.