Meet Our New Revs - Part 2

First published on: 14th July 2022

Rebecca Lloyd  

St James' Westbrook within Warrington West Team 

 I am married with two boys who are now 6 and 9. I server’s local school governor and run my business from home. For the last 15 years I have trained and worked as a solicitor specialising is property law. I have grown up in the Church of England and spent our early married years in an Elim Pentecostal church returning to the Church of England 8 years ago where I soon took the role of churchwarden and developed a new fresh expression concentrating on young family worship.    

I think if I’m honest I had heard the call when I was 18 and hadn’t recognised it, or maybe I did and chose to ignore it. I heard the call again in my twenties but didn’t explore it as I was busy with my career and getting married. About 7 years ago church advertised a reader open day which one of the older ladies asked to go on. She didn’t drive so I said I would go as I thought this was something I’d like to do in the future. At the open day, I was inspired by the chaplaincy discussions and funeral ministry. By the end of the session, I was excited and ready to start there and then. Then came the blow - training was on a Tuesday night which I couldn’t do. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to do this so I wrote rather a anty email to the leaders of the day saying how inspired I was and how disappointed I was and wish I’d known before coming re the training night.  I got an email back asking me to meet for coffee. We met soon after and I told them my story and the gentlemen said that on reading my email they had both separately felt I should be looking at ordination training. I remember laughing at them saying I was never doing that as I had a job already. They went on to explain SSM ministry which did tick boxes and more importantly that I could do reader or ordination training in Manchester or Warrington on different nights. I came away excited but scared at the same time. I rang my vicar and told him what they said and within minutes he was on my doorstep so excited. The irony of what inspired me and got me excited now scares me (funeral and end of life ministry) but I’m trusting God will give me all I need to do the ministry he’s called me to.    

I’m passionate about reaching the unchurched and the community where I live and work showing the love of God to all. I want to be a beacon in my community and raise the profile of the church in a positive light to make a real difference in the community.   

I will be staying in St James westbound where I have been serving for the last 8 years. I will, also be involved in the wider West Warrington team which I look forward to. I look forward to serving the community and building new relationships and projects to support local community and church. I am excited to learn about and support the churches in the occasional offices.    

I hope to serve my community well and learn and support the wider team. While I plan to stay as SSM I’m open to seeing what God will do in the future through me and so if I’ve learned anything I’m holding the future lightly and will see where God leads me. 

 

Laura Neilson  

St John Burscough 

I will be a self-supporting deacon and so will continue with callings running alongside each other. I am a doctor who is passionate about tackling inequality and the impact of poverty through leading organisations working to change communities through healthcare in low economic communities.  

The kingdom of God is an exciting place to be, full of mystery, potential and the possibility of what God has next. The love that God has for people within church, outside and church and those totally not bothered about faith is undefinable, unrestrainable but very real. I see this love in all sorts of places and spaces and people. The call to be a Deacon has been a gradual one that became impossible to ignore and I start this phase slightly baffled but with a sense of peace and excitement.  

 I want to see God's love and grace flow in our communities, to see children, young people, adults, older folks coming into and deepening their relationships with God; to see the community of the church flourishing, to see social justice growing and to look after this wonderful planet God has leant us.  

 Burscough St Johns is a great church with a bunch of fantastic people I am looking forward to the creativity here, the community and getting to know everyone more. Also, they are brilliant at baking cakes and I really like cake so it's a good fit.  

 

 

Frances Nunn St Andrews

St Helens Town Centre Team 

Yorkshire born, my earliest memories are the farm we lived next door to as children; watching lambs being born was a real highlight! I think my love of the outdoors probably began there, and I feel particularly close to God when exploring the landscape. I've had a varied career; studying Theatre Design and working as a designer and community artist for fifteen years before re-training as a teacher. I have always had a love of learning and progressed through leadership training to be a senior leader in school.  

It was as a senior leader that I felt God calling me to something new. At the time, I wondered if it was to deputy headship and explored this through the Diocese's Christian Leadership Course. However, that nagging feeling that it was something else wouldn't go away, so I arranged to chat with my incumbent. She suggested I was being called to ordained ministry, and I knew as soon as she said it I couldn't ignore the possibility she was right; I remember thinking 'Oh no...it is isn't it!' Part of testing this out was doing Directions which helped me explore if God really was calling me to ordained ministry as opposed to other vocations. There were lots of challenges but many affirmations too. I also audited a module on preaching as I was being encouraged to preach and felt very ill equipped. I was encouraged by the opportunities to explore and develop skills before launching into the formal discernment process. Throughout the formal discernment process I felt very supported, although again it was challenging, you realise this is just the start of a much longer process of formation.  

Having initially been hesitant to preach, unpacking scripture and preaching has become a real joy and passion. While there is lots to wrestle with, I find digging into God's word - trying to understand what it meant to the early church and how God is speaking through His word today - so exciting. I also have a passion for leading worship; seeking to help create a space where people can be open to encountering God. Understanding how we help create sacred space is something I hope to explore further as I continue to learn from the wide variety of our church traditions and new expressions.   

I will be serving in the St Helens Town Centre Team based at St Andrews Church. Interestingly, it is the church where I did Directions at the beginning of this journey, so there is a lovely symmetry there. As a team, we are part of the first wave of Fit for Mission, so I am looking forward to working alongside and learning from my clergy and lay colleagues as we explore what God has planned for the deanery. Along with my husband, I am also looking forward to getting to know St Helens and my new local area of Dentons Green!  

I was asked by my training incumbent what I wanted out of my curacy, and it was to learn to be the best parish priest I could. I know I have a lot to learn and am excited about the opportunities I will have working with the team. I have been so thankful for all the love, support and encouragement I have had throughout this journey and I know it is not done yet.   

So much has happened over the last few years since I first had that nagging feeling God was calling me to something new. While the specific discernment and formation process has been challenging, I believe God is always forming and reforming us whatever our calling and circumstances. Psalm 52:8-9 have been special verses for me throughout training and I believe God plants us where we can all flourish:     

'But I am like an olive tree   flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you  in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good'  

  

 

Mark Orrell

Parr Team 

Prior to perusing the calling to ministry, I served the Lord in a number of roles, working as an evangelist and project leader for Manchester City Mission and Youth for Christ.  Before this, I was a soldier and I served in Iraq.  

I felt a strong call to ministry during my time serving in the Army.  After following the advice from some friends and a lot of prayer, I chose to follow Gods plan by leaving my previous job and following his plan for my life.  


I am passionate about sharing the Gospel with those on the edges of community.  I am also passionate about seeing lives changed for the glory of God.      

I will be serving in the Parr Ministry Team in St Helens.  I am looking forward to engaging in mission and sharing the transforming news of the Gospel with the people in my parish  

My hopes for the future...To serve Jesus faithfully in my new role and to grow as a Priest in faith.   

 

Philippa Shaw

St Ann Warrington and St Andrews Orford 

I attended church and taught in church schools for over thirty years. I think my calling began about then too. I just wasn’t listening. 

My calling was less bright lights and a booming voice and more of a slow sunrise and a whisper that wouldn’t go away. Eventually, it occurred to me to do something about it. Feeling the strands of my life coming together for God gives me strength to get through some of the real challenges of all aspects of ministry I’ve encountered so far.  

I feel a strong sense of calling to pastoral care and chaplaincy. I’m currently exploring military chaplaincy. People need to share difficult and unexpected situations in their lives and one thing God has definitely shown me is the importance of listening.  

I will be a curate in two parishes: Warrington St Ann’s and St Andrews Orford. It will give me the experience of different church traditions and different styles of ministry.  

My hopes for the future...I would just like more people to know how much God loves them. 

My interests and hobies...I enjoy Latin and Ballroom dancing and horse riding! 

 

Catherine Jacobs  

St Aidan with All Saints Speke 

Catherine will be ordained on Sunday 17 July, 6 pm at All Saints Church, Speke. 

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