Revd George Bearwood, a former rock musician turned priest, is making waves in Holyhead Ministry Area as the new Pioneer Priest. With a background in the music industry and a passion for horror films and theology, Revd Bearwood brings a unique perspective to his role in connecting with the community and spreading the message of faith.
Having spent decades living and working globally, with stints in London, Berlin, Osaka, and Los Angeles, Revd Bearwood retired at the age of 40 and pursued various other careers, including opening a tattoo shop and becoming an auctioneer and collectibles dealer. However, his deep commitment to his faith and desire to connect with people in unconventional ways led him to pursue a calling to ministry.
“I think it is very difficult to pinpoint what inspires anyone to pursue a calling to ministry,” says Revd Bearwood. “But I suppose for me it was that despite my successes in my previous careers, I always felt something was missing, a potential that I wasn’t fulfilling, and that drew me initially into the church, which of course led me to where I am now.”
Ordained in 2020, Revd Bearwood sees his new role as an opportunity to reach out to those who may not typically find themselves in church, using his unique life experiences to bridge the gap between contemporary culture and Christian faith.
“My background and my faith journey are quite unusual. I’m often told that I’m not your usual vicar,” he says. “Bringing other people to know how God can truly change their lives allows me to meet them where they are, at whatever stage in their faith journey that might be.”
With a passion for horror films and theology, Revd Bearwood also runs the “Spooky HaT Club,” a horror and theology film group, as a means of connecting with the community and sparking discussions about faith. He believes that horror films, with their themes of good versus evil, can have deeper theological and philosophical messages that can inspire someone’s faith journey.
“Horror movies by their very nature are all about theology. At their most basic level it’s about good overcoming evil, but quite often the faith messages in these films are deeper and more elaborate than that,” he explains. “These films work on many levels. They can be cheap, sensational entertainment aimed at a certain demographic, but you only have to scratch the surface to find a wealth of theological and philosophical ideas just waiting to be explored.”
As he prepares for his new role in Holyhead, Revd Bearwood is excited to bring his unconventional approach to ministry and connect with the community in meaningful ways. He is also joined in his passion for faith by his wife, Canon Alex Mayes, who serves as a priest and was recently appointed as Director of Ministry for the Diocese of Bangor.
“Many people in the towns and villages in the Bro Cybi Ministry Area may have a strong faith, some faith, or no faith, and I believe that engaging with those people to share our faith is important, and we do that best when we allow God to utilize our life experiences,” says Revd Bearwood. “My role hopefully means I can be that link between contemporary life and a living faith, and I do feel very blessed to be able to do that.”