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New Wardens, Mark Hoare and Rosemary Reeve (June 1992 edition of the Church Magazine) Mark Hoare takes over from Phil Johnson - a hard act to follow and is to serve alongside John Lenthall. Pray for them both in their responsibilities. The PCC will be electing two deputy wardens for St. Thomas' soon. At St. John's, we welcome Rosemary Reeve as Warden, taking over from David Jarvis. She will serve with Mavis Clough. At St. Peter's, Ian Wright and Adrian Marsden-Jones continue in the harness. New Deputy Warden, Kevin Turville (August 1992 edition of the Church Magazine)
Churchwardens Step Down (April 1995 edition of magazine)
Christopher Frith New Church Wardens and Deputy (June 1997 edition of magazine)
Michael Mann, New Deputy Warden at St Thomas' (June 1998 edition of the Church Magazine) Michael Mann, his wife Catherine and children Juliet and Rosemary have belonged to St Thomas' for about 10 years. Having been a sidesman for a number of years, he is now taking on this additional responsibility. He has a PhD and works as a thermal engineer with Rolls Royce in Derby. New and Retiring Wardens (June 2000 edition of the Church Magazine) We have a long line of wonderfully faithful, hard working Wardens. We are so grateful to them all.
Praise God that they all, in common with so many others, are using their gifts in the service of His Church Christopher Frith Mark Hoare -New Church Warden (Again!) (June 2001 edition of the Church Magazine) As we welcome Mark Hoare, taking over as Church Warden we thank Geoff Beresforde for his three years of service. Geoff has been ultra reliable, humble, unobtrusive, approachable, entertaining and a thoroughly nice person. In short, Geoff has been a first rate warden. Face to Face with Mark Hoare Mark, can you tell us a little about yourself?
Within a couple of weeks of moving to Chesterfield. Gemma was six weeks old at the time. I remember it was an evening service and in those days in the winter the service started at 4pm. I had been to church regularly until I was about twelve and had been confirmed, but had lapsed. (I was even a choirboy, although I think it was to make up the numbers rather than for my singing abilityl) Ann had become a Christian at college and we had started to go to church in Ashby. However, it was not until I had re done the confirmation course at St Thomas' in 1988 that I understood what it meant to be a Christian and became one. And have you been coming ever since? Yes. Church life has been a major part of our lives. Both Gemma and Ian were baptised at St Thomas', and Gemma was confirmed here and Ian at St John's. (In fact Ian's baptism was the first that Christopher did here.) They have both been members of the creche, Sunday Club, Quest, Pathfinders and are now in CYFA. What was is that brought you to the decision to offer yourself as Warden this year? I have never actually offered to do any jobs at St Thomas'! I think God must give my name to other people who then ask me if I had thought of doing a particular task. I remember before I became Warden last time I was washing up after Sunday lunch with Philip Herrick. He suddenly asked me if I would consider being Deputy Warden and then Warden. Before then the thought had not even crossed my mind. This time, apparently, Ann had suggested to Pam Brimelow that she should ask me. After prayer and discussion with the family I agreed. Using your imagination, what would you like to see happen at St Thomas' over the next few years? I hope we can continue to grow as a united church, both spiritually and numerically. There is the next stage of our development project to get under way. There is outreach to the community to continue. It would be nice not to have to worry about are we going to have enough money but to whom are we going to give our surplus! However, all that we do must be underpinned by prayer. How exciting it would be if the meeting room was too small for our Saturday mornings of prayer! Have you a favourite verse of scripture? I don't really have a particular favourite verse. However I take great strength and encouragement from a couple of verses: "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt l 1v28) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3v16) and I also have a particular psalm that I try to live up to, Psalm 15. Thanks to Pam Brimelow, retiring as Warden (August 2004 edition of the Church Magazine)
Thanks to Karen Riley and others (August 2004 edition of the Church Magazine)
Thanks to Mark Hoare -retiring as Warden (June 2005 edition of the Church Magazine)
Thank-you Mark for making my first year as your fellow church warden so painless, and for your service to St. Thomas. Could there be a third term theyre becoming very popular! Karen Riley Welcome to Bernard Blanksbey -New Warden (June 2005 edition of the Church Magazine) Goodbye from me and hello to him.
Who am I .an ex-Church Warden on the first Sunday of his 'retirement'! It was quite strange, quite liberating being able to come to church and not have to concentrate on anything but worship. I would like to express my thanks to everyone who has helped and supported me during my time as Church Warden. There too many to name but just look at the list of 'doers' at the back of this magazine. As Bernard Blanksby takes over I am sure that all of you and God will give him the support you gave me. Mark Hoare Bernard Blanksby introduces himself (August 2005 edition of the Church Magazine)
After getting married in 1970 and setting up home at our current address I suppose the gift of two lovely daughters produced the most natural desire that the children should be taught about Jesus and the love of God. St. Thomas was the Church chosen for this task. What I hadnt considered is that I would become involved in church life myself. I was encouraged by the Rector, Rev. Vivian Watts-Jones, to join a confirmation class. After confirmation there wasnt time to shrink back or reconsider my situation. It was a case of We need to get this baptism group going and youll do. Visiting new families in their homes and supporting them at the Service was interesting. We had 10 baptisms at a 4.00 pm Service once and it was chaotic. When Rev. Christopher Frith arrived he used a different brush to paint the picture.There was more vibrancy in his work and the church grew. In this period I led the baptism group, organised Christian Aid collection and became a Deanery Synod Rep. with a place on the PCC. I also survived three years on the Diocesan Synod and led a house group so life was very busy. There is a feeling of expectancy and new growth in the church since Rev David Mouncer settled in. Our Living Stones Project Building to Grow not only supports the building development plans but also a Year of Mission, July 2005 to July 2006, into which much planning and preparation of activities for all ages has already been implemented. Please look out for the notices of these events and come and see. You will be most welcome. If you have any problems please contact either myself or the church office. Introducing Irene Jones -New Deputy Warden (April 2007 edition of the Church Magazine)
My Christian heritage is something which Im very proud of. Back in 1925, my maternal grandparents left Belfast for Brazil, pioneer missionaries with very little in their suitcases, where they founded the Acre Gospel Mission. Today it is a thriving ministry, with missionaries not only in Brazil, but also in other countries including Portugal and the Canary Islands. I was brought up in a God-fearing home with my younger brother Donald, in the small town of Dalry in Ayrshire. My family were very involved in the local church for many years, and one Sunday night after evening service I remember my mother praying with me as I asked Jesus into my heart at the tender age of eight. God was about to lead me on an amazing personal journey, which would bring me closer to Him, (and Chesterfield!) as I sought His plan for my life. After leaving school, I went to Strathclyde University and from there to a local hospital where I was a medical secretary. Whilst at Irvine Central, my interest in a nursing career was born and I subsequently went to Glasgow Royal Infirmary to do my general training. I should add that apart from teaching, nursing was the second worst job I would have chosen to do, so what exactly was God doing? Anyway, after a few years working in the profession, I took a career break and went to work as a medical representative for a pharmaceutical company. During this time I married my first husband, and moved down to Derby. In between having two children, Bev who is now 20, and Craig, almost 16, I resumed my nursing career. After eight years of part-time night duty, I went back to work as a medical representative for the company I still work for. Throughout this period, my circumstances changed dramatically, and I found myself alone with two children, deep in the Refiners fire. Was there really a God, and if there was, did he really care what happened to me? The bottom had fallen out of my world, but all the while, God was there, quietly working miracles in my life which were to have farreaching consequences. Since my early years, He had His hand on me, leading me here and there, and He wasnt about to let me down. So, slowly I began to learn some painful lessons, and I can honestly say it was from that point that I truly began to live for Christ, the kind of life I should have been living, daily trusting in Him and relying on the power of His Holy Spirit in my life, not on my own strength. Seven years later, Ken and I were married in May, 2005 and I moved from Derby to Chesterfield. God was clearly leading me to St. Thomass, although I had never been in a Church of England before! That was two years ago, and Im still on my journey, eagerly waiting to see what God has in store for me next, which is clearly helping to support the other Deputy Wardens which will in turn lead to who knows what. In the midst of my despair, almost 10 years ago, someone gave me a card with the words of Jeremiah 29 vv 11 13 on it. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." I clung to this promise of hope, and now I want to give God all the glory and praise for turning my negative life into a positive one. What peace floods my heart, knowing that I am where God wants me to be, doing what He wants me to do, and trusting in Him for each step of the way on the rest of the journey. So please be patient with me when I officially take on this new role. Not only do I need the Holy Spirits help, I very much need yours too! Thank you so much, all of you, for making me feel so welcome at St. Thomass. May God pour out His blessings upon you. Irene Jones Introducing Bryn Garland -Deputy Warden (August 2007 edition of the Church Magazine)
When we returned to the Chesterfield area with my work as an accountant in a company making trailers we decided to take the children to church as we thought there was something missing in both our and our childrens life. This coincided with the early ministry of Christopher Frith and we soon enjoyed the vibrant family services of that time at St Thomas. Maureen attended confirmation classes and was confirmed in 1988 and I renewed my vows in 1995. Claire in particular grew in the church and was confirmed in 1995. Many of the church family will remember her as an active member of CYFA and keyboard player in one of the many evolving youth bands for which we are blessed at St Thomas. She returned to St Thomas in 2001 to be married to Joe another committed Christian. This was a joyful and spirit filled celebration. Maureen and I joined a house group early in our church life. This helped our spiritual growth through the biblical teaching and its application in the modern world, coupled with the great fellowship and friendship found in a small group. Our last group in which I helped lead eventually broke up with people moving out of the area and abroad and we have moved on to David Holdens group which we enjoy very much. I cant say why or when we migrated to the evening service but we have been there some years before starting to serve as side persons and with refreshments. I appreciate as Duty Warden it is so important to make the welcome into church the main priority and the badges we wear remind me of the fact. My sometimes dour demeanour is because I am concentrating on some other aspect of the service such as getting the computer to work! I wish I had the gift of our editor both in getting the computer to work and having a sunny disposition. I will try harder! This is my walk with God which has been a slow steady journey of commitment to the life of Christ. No pivotal moment, just a series of steps through the preaching, praise and prayer at St Thomas with which we are blessed, the teaching and fellowship of the house group and the love within the church which makes our walk of witness so fulfilling. Bryn Garland Introducing Mark Marsden -Warden at St Peter's (August 2007 edition of the Church Magazine)
Both my brother and I went to preparatory school in Bakewell and we attended Morning Prayer every Sunday in Bakewell Church. At thirteen I followed my brother to public school in Hampshire where everyday there was assembly and worship for the whole school. Again we had to attend the local village church each Sunday, where again the service was Morning Prayer. In 1967 aged fourteen I was confirmed and communion was celebrated either in the village church or within the recently created school chapel. I recall around this time there was a change in the delivery of the service as the Alternative Eucharist Service was introduced. On leaving school I joined the Derbyshire Police Service initially as a cadet and then a regular officer, working in Derby and then Chesterfield. I was married to my childhood sweetheart in 1975 at St Thomas, by Vivian Watts Jones. St Thomas was the church that she and her family had worshipped in since they moved to Chesterfield in 1958. Strictly speaking this is the very same parish church I should have worshipped in for a large chunk of my, life having lived in the parish for some 20 years. I continued to work in Derby before moving back to Chesterfield in 1976. We were obliged to live in a Police House in Grangewood until 1979 when we moved to our current house in Holymoorside just before Christmas of that year. I spent the rest of my police career in the Chesterfield Division undertaking a variety of different roles. I retired in September 2002 having completed my allotted 30 years service. We have three children, a son 29 years, a daughter 26 years and a daughter 25years. From the late 1970s we attended St Peters as a family on a fairly regular basis. Ken Scott was the first minister I knew, followed by Peter Allan, Brian Porter and Judith Henderson and of course latterly Alex Simpson. My two daughters were baptised at St Peters by Ken Scott, my son having been baptised at the Crooked Spire by Dennis King before we moved to Holymoorside. My eldest two children are married. My elder daughter was married at St Peters in May 2005. As you can probably gather I have followed a very traditional church upbringing and in the main have continued in the manner I have always known and liked. My mother and more specifically my maternal grandmother had a significant influence on me. There have of course been lapses in my church attendance, for a variety of reasons but I have always retained my belief. However at times I have struggled with this belief. Initially it was the thought of my mother becoming a widow at 26 years old with two children aged 3 years and 18 months respectively to bring up. Never having known my father was difficult to come to terms with. Later it became clear that this was selfishness on my part. Latterly when having to deal with the more unpleasant side of policing that has involved children and vulnerable people and other particularly nasty events I have often asked myself how or why can these things be allowed to happen. As to why I became a Church Warden I suppose it is my way of trying to put something back into the church family. I felt I had something to offer and it was a progression from membership of the St Peters DCC in the early 1990s. So here I am. Mark Marsden Tim Wheeler -New Deputy Warden at St Thomas' (February 2008 edition of the Church Magazine)
Im no great spiritual giant and I struggle with praying and reading my Bible regularly. Over the last couple of months I have tried to read my Bible and pray with greater regularity and it is having an effect. I have started to be more forgiving sometimes grudgingly!! Im seeing people more in the way Jesus views us. Wonderful as we are we arent perfect. We are in need of forgiveness. We need love and the Holy Spirit to change us. The surprising news is that Gods love is for everyone from those people with tremendous self confidence to those who are broken in spirit. If anything I have said strikes a chord with you and you want to explore your relationship with God, do come along to St Thomas. Ill be acting as deputy warden at the 6.30pm service which is a smaller quieter service than the morning services. You will have a warm welcome. I hope to welcome people personally as they come into church but if I dont say hello come and introduce yourself to me. Like those before me, I hope that I will be able to work behind the scenes to allow you to grow closer to God. Tim Wheeler |
