A new church pastor says he feels “blessed" to have joined such a "phenomenal" congregation.

Erroll Jacobs, of First Avenue, Hendon, and his family have been settling into their new life at Hendon Baptist Church, in Finchley Lane.

The 39-year-old and his wife, Lyndsay, and their two children, Esther, eight, and Ethan, six, will be officially welcomed into the church at a special ceremony on Saturday.

Mr Jacobs has been a full time minister for the past 18 years and having spent seven years at a church in Essex, is determined to give his all to his new parishioners.

He said: “This is where God wanted me and my family to be. It’s a very nice place and we enjoy the hustle and bustle of life.

“The church has been amazing, we really feel at home here. We feel blessed because we have joined such a phenomenal congregation.

“There are over 25 different nationalities in the church and its very multi-ethnic. I am looking forward to meeting the needs of the community.”

Mr Jacobs was born in Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, and eventually went to Cape Town University to study theology before returning to his home town to study for a masters in philosophy. In 1998, he officially became a pastor.

He met Lyndsay, a science teacher from England, while studying in Cape Town and the couple eventually moved to New York to work with Christian organisation World of Life International. They moved to England in 2006.

Mr Jacobs added: “I was born into a Christian family and I was always encouraged to follow that lifestyle, but it wasn’t forced upon us. It’s a path I chose.

“I originally wanted to be a lawyer but I felt that God was leading me in a completely different direction. I say that instead of studying law, I studied God’s law.

“I hope my family and I have make happy memories here in Hendon.”