The licensing of the Rev Jonathan Wilkes on June 13 was both an end and a beginning for All Saints Church, Kingston. For it marked the end of a long line of vicars stretching back more than 1,000 years, and the start of a team ministry, headed by a team rector, to serve the combined parishes of All Saints and St John the Evangelist.

Mr Wilkes was inaugurated as priest-in-charge (team rector designate) of both churches by the Bishop of Kingston, the Right Rev Richard Cheetham, during a service attended by the mayor, representatives of Kingston Inter-Faith Forum, several local Christian denominations and many leading Kingston figures.

Assisting the bishop were the Rev Ian Thompson, dean of King's College (which is the patron of All Saints' living), the Ven Stephen Roberts, archdeacon of Wandsworth and the Rev Simon Coupland, assistant area dean.

Mr Wilkes, 39, will play a key role in setting up a team ministry of which he will be eventually be the rector, with "team vicars" serving under him in the combined parish.

This system, new to Kingston, is part of a Church of England policy of bringing parishes together instead of operating them as separate units under separate leadership.

It overturns centuries of tradition, particularly at All Saints, which has been at the core of local life since Saxon times. Civic and Crown Court services are held there, it is the Royal borough's principal concert venue, and has an open-door policy for town centre workers and users.

When its last vicar, the Rev Jim Bates, left 14 months ago the search began for an inspirational priest who could take charge of two churches serving very different areas, who was equally at ease with the highest and humblest, who valued fine church music and who was willing to take on a crumbling Grade I listed building with a £2million restoration appeal to it.

They have found him in Jonathan Wilkes, who has come to Kingston from Paddington, where he was priest in charge of St Peter's, Elgin Avenue and St Mary Magdalene.

Ordained in 1996, he is noted for his work in making the church relevant and accessible, and his enthusiasm for the creative use of church buildings.

He is also a talented cricketer, who captained the London Diocesan team. However, he has now he has transferred to the Southwark Diocesan.

He and his wife, Linda, a school teacher, have moved into 15 Woodbines Avenue, a house long familiar as Kingston Vicarage.

Now it has a new name: Kingston Rectory.