After a career in tax, both with the Inland Revenue and a firm of chartered accountants, he trained for ordination at Lincoln Theological College, studying for a Master of Divinity degree at the University of Nottingham.
[1] Black was made deacon at Petertide 1993 (27 June) by Richard Llewellin, Bishop of Dover, at Canterbury Cathedral[3] and ordained priest in 1994.
After this he was priest in charge of Brents and Davington with Oare and Luddenham (1996–2002), during which time he was also a minor canon of Canterbury Cathedral and assistant director of post-ordination training.
[4] He moved north to become vicar of St Mary's Church, Whitkirk (2002–12) and capitular canon of Ripon Cathedral (2008–12).
His most recent book, Follow me: living the sayings of Jesus, was published by Sacristy Press in 2017 and he has written a hymn, "Christ the Saviour", based on this.