Shocking news: Michael Tillett, resigned after having an affair with one of his flock, a mother of two who is separated from her husband
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When churchgoers discovered they were to be addressed by their bishop at Sunday service, there was excitement at the prospect of a major announcement.
And they weren’t disappointed – although the news wasn’t what they were expecting.
The stunned congregation at St Helen’s Church, Ipswich, were told their married vicar, Michael Tillett, had resigned after having an affair with one of his flock, a mother of two who is separated from her husband.
The Bishop of Dunwich, the Right Reverend Clive Young, told worshippers bluntly: ‘Rev Tillett is no longer your vicar because he has been having extra-marital relations with a parishioner.’
The 55-year-old vicar and his lover Anne Alcock, a lay chaplain with a teenage son and daughter, were believed to be in hiding together last night after he revealed the affair to a member of the diocesan staff last week.
The couple said in a statement yesterday that they could ‘no longer deny’ the love they shared for each other.
They said: ‘We regret the heartache that we have caused both to our families and friends. We felt we had no choice but to be open about the love that we had, and have still.
‘Realising the consequences for both our professional and vocational lives, we are spending some time away in an effort to take the spotlight off our respective families and to seek both peace and understanding amongst ourselves.
‘We would value people’s understanding and concern at this very difficult time for everyone but for all concerned the love that we have for one another is something we can no longer deny. We felt the only response was to tell the truth.’
And they weren’t disappointed – although the news wasn’t what they were expecting.
The stunned congregation at St Helen’s Church, Ipswich, were told their married vicar, Michael Tillett, had resigned after having an affair with one of his flock, a mother of two who is separated from her husband.
The Bishop of Dunwich, the Right Reverend Clive Young, told worshippers bluntly: ‘Rev Tillett is no longer your vicar because he has been having extra-marital relations with a parishioner.’
The 55-year-old vicar and his lover Anne Alcock, a lay chaplain with a teenage son and daughter, were believed to be in hiding together last night after he revealed the affair to a member of the diocesan staff last week.
The couple said in a statement yesterday that they could ‘no longer deny’ the love they shared for each other.
They said: ‘We regret the heartache that we have caused both to our families and friends. We felt we had no choice but to be open about the love that we had, and have still.
‘Realising the consequences for both our professional and vocational lives, we are spending some time away in an effort to take the spotlight off our respective families and to seek both peace and understanding amongst ourselves.
‘We would value people’s understanding and concern at this very difficult time for everyone but for all concerned the love that we have for one another is something we can no longer deny. We felt the only response was to tell the truth.’
Affair: Michael Tillett's wife Sue Tillett, 65, left, and Anne Alcock, right, a lay chaplain that he is believes to be in hiding with. Mrs Tillett, spoke of her ‘distress’ at the way he had treated her, although she called for him to be shown forgiveness
Mr Tillett’s wife Sue, 65, spoke of her ‘distress’ at the way he had treated her, although she called for him to be shown forgiveness.‘I feel great sadness, shock and bewildered that this has happened but I do not wish there to be any recriminations towards those involved,’ she said.
Mrs Alcock, 49, is a director of Inspire Counselling and Training, formerly Inspire Christian Counselling, which offers advice on religion and relationships.
She and Mr Tillett are believed to have fallen for each other while she worked at the church, where she was lay chairman of the deanery synod.
Her husband Graham, 47, is deputy head at a secondary school in Ipswich.
One parishioner said yesterday: ‘We were all shocked earlier this year when we heard Anne had split from her husband.
‘They always seemed such a perfect family. But no one had a clue that she was carrying on with the vicar.’
Man of the faith: The induction of Reverend Michael Tillett to Holy Trinity Church
Another said: ‘I can’t remember anything like this happening. It was right (for Mr Tillett) to resign – he simply couldn’t have carried on once people knew what had happened. He is meant to set an example.’
Mr Tillett and his wife were due to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in September. They have a 28-year-old son, Benjamin, and Mrs Tillett has a 31-year-old daughter, Emily, from a previous marriage.
Mr Tillett served as a trainee curate at Framlingham with Saxtead, Suffolk, from 1998 and became a priest the following year. In 2001 he was made priest in charge of Stoke-by-Nayland with Leavenheath and Polstead and in 2007 he became rural dean of Hadleigh.
From 2010 until his resignation last week he served as rector at St Helen’s and two other churches in Ipswich – Holy Trinity and St Luke’s.
Senior clergy delivered the shock announcement at the other two churches on Sunday.
The curtains were closed and no one was answering the door at Mrs Alcock’s four-bedroom end of terrace house in Ipswich yesterday.
Mr Alcock said in a statement: ‘I would ask for respect for my and my family’s privacy at this time.’
Mrs Tillett was at the detached four-bedroom family home she had shared with her husband and was being comforted by the Bishop’s chaplain, the Rev Mary Sokanovic.
A neighbour described Mrs Tillett as ‘an absolutely lovely lady’.
A spokesman for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich said: ‘It is with great regret that it has been announced that the Rev Michael Tillett will be standing down from all ministerial and parochial duties with immediate effect. The resignation is for personal reasons and we ask for prayers for all those who will be saddened by this news.
‘Michael Tillett revealed the existence of an extra-marital relationship to a senior member of diocesan staff late last week.
‘Such an admission involves statutory disciplinary procedures which have been instructed. No further detail can be given in order that these processes are not compromised.
Culled from The Punch.
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