The Revd Canon Paul Cubitt
In 2020 the Rev’d Canon Paul Cubitt became Team Rector. Ordained for 25 years he has served in Herefordshire, Yorkshire and for the last 15 years Norfolk, his home county. He is married to Clare who has a background in early years teaching and they have two adult children.
Paul has a passion for mission and ministry, for making church buildings fit for purpose, and building links with the local community. His sabbatical project in 2019 was to visit seventy major churches (over 1000m2) up and down the country asking the question ‘Millstone or Mission Resource’. He is a training incumbent and hopes a curate will join the Team in 2024.
He is a governor at two Dereham CE Schools, is a member of ‘aboutDereham’ (https://aboutdereham.org) and is part of the team working towards the economic and social improvement of the town as part of the 'Future Breckland: Thriving People & Places' initiative.
Within the team ministry he has responsibility for Dereham and Scarning. As Team Rector Paul believes in being known across the benefice and at present tries to have 2 out of 3 Sundays at Dereham and Scarning and the other Sunday in another part of the benefice.
The Revd Laura Purnell – Team Vicar
The Rev’d Laura Purnell was ordained in 2018 and served her curacy in Gaywood, King’s Lynn. She came to the Dereham and District Team Ministry in 2022 with responsibility for Shipdham and Bradenham Churches. Laura also oversees and coordinates the schools work in the benefice. Laura is concentrating on the secondary schools and any of the primary schools that don’t have direct link with one of our other incumbents. Laura is looking forward to helping the new Team Vicar however she can with the two primary schools in the new Team Vicar’s parishes. Laura has a passion for families and how we can bridge the gap between meeting them through schools and welcoming them into our churches, although she is aware this passion is a work in progress.
Laura is married to Martin who is a Local Lay Minister (LLM) in the benefice, serving in the Shipdham and Bradenham churches. They have 5 grown up children and twelve grandchildren scattered across the country and globe.
The Revd Michael Newey
Michael was ordained Deacon in June 2025 at Norwich Cathedral. He remains in full time business and is training part time in a Self-Supporting Ministry (SSM) capacity.
Lydia Crick – LLM
Lydia was licensed as a Reader in September 2008. Her decision to become a Reader was a gradual one.
It was about 20 years ago at a licensing of a Team Vicar she realised, in the middle of the licensing, that God was calling her as well to a ministry. It took a little longer to discern a call to Reader Ministry. Serious illnesses gave Lydia a different view of what is important in life and she left paid employment to serve as a Reader. She has worked as a library and information specialist in public service.
Lydia was at University when she heard a preacher talk about how the father ran to meet his returning wayward son in the parable of the Prodigal Son. This has been one of the most important things she has learnt. God loves so much that He doesn’t passively wait for us to come to Him but runs towards us: the father “had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15: 20)
Tom Cross - LLM
Tom lives in Mattishall with his wife, Susan. They have two grown up children and a Tibetan terrier.
He was licenced as a lay minister in 2008 and has been in the Dereham benefice since 2020. He enjoys being part of the team, leading services throughout all the churches. He takes funerals and leads Bible study classes and is a Deanery Synod representative.
Tom has many hobbies, including stamp collecting, making scale model aircraft and tanks, heavy rock music, foreign travel, plus going on archaeological digs. He also writes books (adventure stories) and self-publish them online.