After another long interregnum, Nigel Johnson came to the Parish in January 2000. Previously he had served a curacy in Huddersfield and been a parish priest in Holmfirth in the Wakefield Diocese before coming to Derby Diocese to the United Benefice of Calow and Sutton cum Duckmanton – latterly being Rural Dean of Bolsover and Staveley. Before ordination, he taught as a Head of Music in Wakefield and was an Organist & Choirmaster from the age of 16. For a time he was Chairman of the Derby Diocesan Board of Education and is also an Honorary Canon of Derby Cathedral.
He came to the Parish at a time of much change in Church and society. St. Chad’s Hall and St John’s House had previously been sold and the decision had been taken to close Dunston Church House too. The six clergy licensed to Newbold and working together for much of the previous decade had all gone. In 2000, the smaller refurbished Rectory was re-established and the Benefice became a single parish once again. With continued house building, the population of the Parish was now over 15,000. In Advent 2006 the Parish became part of the newly-created Chesterfield North MMA (Mission and Ministry Area) – comprising the Parishes of Old Brampton, Barlow, Newbold, Old Whittington and New Whittington.
It became clear that Newbold Church was in need of refurbishment and change to meet the needs of the Third Millennium and plans were put in place to build a new entrance porch (now complete); to create a disabled toilet and store in an enlarged present porch (also complete); and the need to enlarge the Parish Room and add a new kitchen, a new Choir Vestry, and a Church Office was identified; and there were also plans to enhance the Lady Chapel, needed after the removal of the Chancel Screen (placed there in the 1957 alterations).