Peter Crumpler, Director of Communications for the Church of England's Archbishops' Council, is to leave in September to train for ordination as a priest in the Church.

He took up the role in May 2004, after three years as Communications Officer for St Albans diocese, and more than 20 years in public relations for the energy industry.

He heads a team of 12 at Church House, Westminster, responsible for the communications of the Archbishops' Council, Church Commissioners, Church of England Pensions Board, House of Bishops and General Synod, and the operations of Church House Publishing, the official publisher of the CofE. He liaises closely with the communications teams supporting the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and in dioceses across the country.

"It's been good to have been part of a team supporting the Church of England's role as a Christian presence in every community, and developing the way that we have communicated - engaging with new technologies, launching new projects, developing our media training, and encouraging more people across the Church to engage with the media in a wide range of ways.

"Now, I'm excited about training for ordination and being part of the Church's mission at its vital grassroots, as well as undertaking some continuing communications work."

Peter Crumpler, who is a Reader (lay minister) at St Paul's Church, St Albans, will train on the Eastern Region Ministry Course for two years.

Before joining the CofE, Peter worked at senior levels in British Gas plc and its successor companies, holding posts including Head of Communications for BG Group plc and Head of External Affairs, International, for BG plc.

He oversaw the communications for operations in the UK and more than 20 overseas countries, and led the introduction of BG's Statement of Business Principles that set out the company's ethical framework.

Peter Crumpler trained as a journalist and worked in local government public relations before joining British Gas in 1981. He has been involved in Christian communications for almost 40 years, beginning with writing for youth magazine, Buzz, in the 1970s.

Peter was made a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in November 2002, for his work in communications for the energy industry and the Church.