Gary Groves has resigned as athletic director at Deering High School in Portland to take a ministry position at a Gorham church.

Groves submitted his resignation to Deering’s administration this week and will start his new job as pastor of West Gorham Union Church beginning Sept. 2.

“I’ve had a lot of change going on and this all happened really quick,” Groves said Friday evening. “There’s no way I can be an athletic director and (be involved with the church). It’s too much and it wouldn’t be fair to the school and to the church.”

Groves also has joined the Portland High football staff as a volunteer assistant coach and will work with defensive backs and defensive secondary.

Groves, a former athletic director at Portland and Westbrook high schools, was the AD at Deering for the past year.