A former Royal Navy chaplain is the new Rector of Stoke Damerel Church.
The licensing ceremony for the Reverend Keith Robus took place at the beginning of May and was conducted by the Bishop of Plymouth the Rt Revd Nick McKinnel.
Revd Robus was brought up in a pub in South London, went to the local church primary school and joined the parish church choir at the age of seven. Since that time he has never left.
His early education took him to Westminster College for Hotel and Catering studies then to employment at Midland Bank with Bateman Catering. From the age of 14 he was aware of a possible vocation to the priesthood and 12 years later it was confirmed by the Church.
He spent three years at Chichester Theological College to be ordained deacon in Harrow, West London. It was in that parish he became the local Sea Cadet Corps Chaplain.
After four years with a marvellous training incumbent he left to be the curate in charge of a church in the inner city of London, Harlesden, which had a predominantly West Indian congregation.
In ten years the church grew from a failing church to a vibrant community church which opened its doors to all. From there he was called to serve in Acton where he joined the Royal Naval Reserve. Acton Parish grew and as with all the parishes where he has served, much building work was undertaken.
After seven years as being Vicar in Acton he became a full-time Royal Navy Chaplain.
He spent time at sea with HMS St Albans and HMS Gloucester, and also served as Rector of St Ann’s Church in Portsmouth Dockyard. He has been on land operations in Iraq and on deployment as sole British military Chaplain in Kabul, Afghanistan. Since then he returned to sea with the Hydrographic and Meteorological Squadron. For his last four years he has been the Chaplaincy Team Leader at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.
During the time in Dartmouth he got to know both Bishop Robert Attwell of Exeter and Bishop Nick Mckinnel of Plymouth.
It was Bishop Nick who invited him to apply to become the next Rector at Stoke Damerel. So he arrived with many experiences, a lot of energy and kit-bags Naval ‘can do’ spirit. He thanks everyone who has worked for the parish community in the last few difficult years, and requests they continue with assisting him and help him leading the way forward.
