A man who played Jesus in the Newham Millennium Passion play “A Light in the Darkness” will return to Newham as an Anglican Minister.

Rowland Jide Macaulay was 34 when he was cast to play Jesus in 2000 and it became a life-changing experience for him and for many locals.

Macaulay, now 47, is known as Jide and will be ordained into the Church of England by The Bishop of Chelmsford, The Right Reverend Stephen Cotterell in Chelmsford Cathedral on June 30.

After his ordination he will serve as Curate in the East Ham Parish Team, and split his time between St Bartholomew the Great, and St Mary Magdalene churches in East ham.

Jide said: “Coming back to Newham is a continuation of the experience from 2000 and I am really looking forward to serving in the local community.

“My Anglican training in Cambridge has helped me to bring together the necessary skills and to equip me for an inclusive parish ministry and I cannot wait”.

Jide has focused on offering pastoral care to sexual minorities living on the margins of society.

He will be Officially welcomed in the Parish of East Ham on July 7 2013 where he will be joined by family and friends at a special service at St Bartholomew The Great, Barking Road.