Ordained deacon on 2 July 2023

I’m excited to be moving to Derby to join in with what God is doing there. I’ll be moving with my wife, Rachel, and two boys, Simeon (4) and Felix (2). 

I felt called to church leadership soon after becoming a Christian as a teenager in my local parish church. I started leading things in the church and then when I turned 18, I took the next logical step… I went to study chemistry!

The sense of call remained in the background though and I had a bit of time to grow up (and I also got married). After a while I began exploring my call to ordained ministry with the encouragement of people around me, thankfulness for the gifts God has given me, and my excitement at seeing people transformed by the gospel of God’s grace.

After a less than succesful BAP (selection conference) I got a job managing a local Christian charity in Colchester, where we were living at the time.

The charity ran a drop-in centre supporting vulnerable people struggling with all kinds of things but especially mental illness, homelessness, and addictions.

Alongside this we had a Sunday service in the city centre Baptist church, and it was my privilege to pastor that precious and thoroughly chaotic group of people.

God taught me a lot and I saw him do incredible things.

After another BAP (more succesful this time) I have had three great years in Cambridge studying at the wonderful Ridley Hall.

Following five years in full-time ministry, it has been a welcome opportunity to step back, read, learn, and think deeply. I’ve also benefitted from being on the pioneer training pathway and I’m excited about seeing God bring new forms and expressions of church to life.

As a family we’re excited to be moving to Derby where my wife grew up and where we’ll be close to her parents.

We’re also looking forward to being able to climb hills again (Cambridge doesn’t have any).

Most of all we feel called to be part of the church family at St Francis in Mackworth. I’m excited to learn, serve and lead in that community.