The Diocese of Monmouth took a step into the future on Sunday April 12th when Usk became the first Ministry Area in the Diocese to be formally inaugurated.

The Bishop of Monmouth, Rt Revd Richard Pain, inducted Revd Kevin Hasler as Ministry Area Leader in a service at St Mary's Church, Usk. Revd Graham Opperman and Revd Pamela Love were licensed as members of the clergy team, and churchwardens and lay leaders were commissioned for their role in the Ministry Area.

Ministry Areas are a new structure in the Church in Wales. Rather than expecting one vicar to minister to an increasing number of separate parishes, churches in a Ministry Area will have a leadership team and a Ministry Area Council, and will work together sharing resources where appropriate.

The Usk Ministry Area consists of nine parishes in and around Usk: Usk with Gwehelog, Gwernesney and Llangeview, Llanbadoc, Llangwm Isaf and Llangwm Uchaf, Llangybi with Coed-y-Paen, Llanllowel, Llantrisant, Tredunnoc, Wolvesnewton.

Kevin said: "Covering some thirty square miles of rural Monmouthshire, with nine parishes and ten church buildings with twelve services each week, the new Usk Ministry Area is going to be a busy place. As the various worshipping communities work together we will be asking God to show us how we can be recognised as God's people and Jesus' disciples in our town and villages, in our workplace and schools, on our streets and in our homes."

Bishop Richard said: "The formation of the Usk Ministry Area is a significant step in the life of the Diocese as it marks the beginning of a new structure that should enable us to resource the future church.

"The post of Ministry Area Leader is vital for the Ministry Area to succeed and I am confident that Revd Kevin Hasler has both the ability and the vision to bring about changes required for a missionary church. Kevin has held an important senior management role in the Royal College of Nursing and has also developed a ministry of spiritual guidance within the Diocese. Practice and prayer are essential requirements to discern the way forward and I am sure that Kevin, along with Graham and Pamela, will offer a collaborative ministry that will inspire and bear fruit.These are exciting times!"

The Usk group of nine parishes have been working together for some time through a Council which has lay representatives from each parish.

The Diocese of Monmouth is one of the six dioceses of the Church in Wales. As part of its '2020 Vision' the Church in Wales is taking a fresh look at its structure and ministry to see how it can best serve Wales in the 21st Century. The formation of Ministry Areas is a key part of its strategy.

Revd Kevin Hasler, a registered nurse, was Director of RCN Direct from 1996 until recently. He was programme director for the RCN Website and for the RCN Membership Information Systems Programme. Thus, he has some twenty years experience in the Royal College of Nursing of building award-winning teams and leading organisational change.

Kevin has a Batchelor of Theology (Hons) degree from Bangor University, and an ILM Level 7 Executive Diploma in Management (NE065014608808). He is an executive coach and supervisor of coaches within RCN, and also a Magistrate and Justice of the Peace.

While still in full-time emplyment with the Royal College of Nursing, he was ordained in 2006 and served as a non-stipendiary priest in the Raglan Group of parishes before becoming priest-in-charge of the Llangwm Group in April 2008.

Since 2012 he has been a priest in the Raglan deanery. He is a recognised Spiritual Director.