This morning – Sunday 4th Feb – it was announced that Revd Gill Rowell is expected to be our new Vicar.
As well as the announcement by the Churchwardens at both Cornwell and St Catherine’s , a brief written introduction to Gill was handed out . It is reproduced below.
Gill came to faith at the age of 30 on her own in the kitchen(!) having read Norman Warren’s “Journey into Life”, and quickly became fully involved in the life of her local church, leading the children’s work, vicar’s secretary, home group, leading services and preaching.
She studied theology at what was then London Bible College, (now London School of Theology) and graduated in 1995; she then trained for ordination with the St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course, and was ordained deacon in 1999 and priest in 2000.
Most of her church ministry has been in small, traditional rural churches leading a variety of services and outreach. But that’s not the full story!
Whilst Gill was training for ordination she was also working for Novi Most International, a Christian charity working in Bosnia & Herzegovina to help young people face their futures with hope and confidence, and be instruments of transformation in their communities. Novi Most works in partnership with the post-war fledgling evangelical church (which is Pentecostal). She led the prayer ministry and recruited short term volunteers for summer camps, and became Director of Novi Most in 2004, facilitating the organisation’s strategy and implementing it. Her ministry with Novi Most spanned 17 years, and she has recently become a Trustee.
During her time working for Novi Most she was also serving her curacy in leafy Buckinghamshire; then taking on a non-stipendiary role with particular responsibility for St John’s Ashley Green, Chesham, and she is now leaving her role as Team Vicar (House for Duty) in the Parish of Cheddington with Mentmore in Buckingham, where she has been for the last four and a half years, to join us.
She applied for the role because we described ourselves as “gently charismatic and open evangelical”, and as she read the Parish Profile she became more and more excited!
Gill is still excited at the possibilities for the future and in awe of God’s wonderful timing, leading and guiding – and can’t wait to meet everyone! She will be moving in to the vicarage with her trusty and effervescent dog Alfie (a Labrador/staffy cross), and possibly 3 chickens…
At present, we expect that Gill’s Induction will take place at St Catherine’s towards the end of April.
Please pray that God’s guiding and enabling presence will be very evident to Gill – and to all of us – as she begins her ministry in Tilehurst and Calcot.
With our gratitude to God, and to all who have worked so hard to maintain the life of this parish over the last 16 months,
Sonia Ludford & Richard Yates – Churchwardens