When I first started coming to this church, back in 1990, it was because my mum, Claire, had decided to move churches in order to explore her own faith.  I came along with her and my brother to see why she thought this new place was a good fit.  We had recently been away with friends to a Bible camp over the summer holidays and I figured if I could find the Jesus those people had at a church nearby then it might be worth getting up early on a Sunday morning again.

My early memories of what was then West Wickham Christian Fellowship are hazy because it was a long time ago!  But what I remember finding is a group of people who seemed to genuinely enjoy meeting together and making following Jesus relevant to their lives – not just on Sunday, not just for grown-ups – but, as my kids would say, “ for real life.”  And there were other people my age, and older teens too!  As a youth group we were expected to be honest, hear Biblical truth even if it was hard, and to serve when we could.  

Most of our Sundays started sitting in a gang together at the front alongside the Overhead Projector because that was a youth type job.  I remember thinking then that having an OHP instead of a song book made the church really modern. But all these years later and despite everything having changed in some ways, it is encouraging to see that nothing has changed in others – our young people today are still expected to be honest, hear Biblical truth even if it is hard, and serve when they can.

Back then we didn’t know everything we do now – and growing up my friends and I made a lot of mistakes and compromises that knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t recommend to our current young people – but God was good and gracious to us. He blessed us with experiences of Him through his Word and his Holy Spirit that whatever academic life threw at us, could not be argued away.  

Many of those who grew up in the same generation as I did are now raising their own families in church or are involved in church leadership themselves. It is a blessing to still be in church with some of them, and I think knowing that there are so many of us still following Jesus says a lot about our God and a lot about the foundations that were built into our lives even that long ago.

So the year I turned 40 (1990) was a dry one spiritually for me. In the summer our children, Sarah and John, and myself attended a Faith camp where we were encouraged that a move of the Holy Spirit would come in the ‘90s and that we would need to be in a living church so that when the wind blew we would stay strong, and we would know whether or not we were currently in a live church. God also convicted me there that I hadn’t been baptised by full immersion, and I committed myself to obeying that. So in the autumn I sought out the then leader of WWCF to ask if he would baptise me, as that was not tradition where I was….

I found a church full of life and expectation of the Holy Spirit’s presence, welcoming, young, great family role models for my two, passion to worship, and excitement to be gathered community together.  And prepared to baptise and support new people!!!   We were home.

A year or so on, I was offered the opportunity of joining staff team as a pastoral/care assistant. Women were rare in leader roles back then, this was an amazing, if sometimes daunting, privilege. Several of us studied for a Theology qualification and I just loved serving the church in whatever way I could, and loved that my children were brought up in that atmosphere of expectation that we were all loved by God  and filled by the Holy Spirit, and necessary to God’s kingdom.

We grew in this community, understanding the grace of God, taking His Word seriously. A safe place for my children to grow and continue to commit themselves.  The most precious gift to a parent is to know that God really has their children’s hearts. A great joy was to introduce my next door neighbour Ann and her family to the church, the greater joy is to continue serving the church family together still!!

Both Sarah and John went away to study at university, which gave each of them their own joys and conflicts.  Both then returned to live at home for a while. It is a great blessing to have church family to support and offer a safe return.

They both found their life partners and were both married by Pastor Jonathan in the BTC building incredibly transformed by Helen, in 2008.  John’s wife, Stella, was already a member of our church when they married, whilst Steve, Sarah’s husband, was saved and baptised at BTC. All our five grandchildren were born and dedicated within the family. John and Stella, Joe and Zach, moved up to Fife and are happy working for the Kingdom and serving in Liberty Church up there.

Steve and Sarah were dedicated to serving BTC kids and youth, especially because they were so blessed to have their own three, Nat, Abi and Benjy. It was therefore our hardest time when Steve died from cancer in May 2019.

I had the most amazing 60th birthday a while ago!  BTC is family to me and we are a church who rejoice with those who rejoice, and must always also be those who mourn with those who mourn. I have been both of those, so it has been my most recent joy to celebrate BTC’s 30th anniversary with my own 70th birthday….thank you everyone.

During my 30 years in this church family I have been privileged to develop and serve with the Allsorts toddler group team, to assist in the creation and work of Inspire women, sometimes to cook vast quantities of nibbles!, to lead Ministry teams at Bible weeks, to love so many and to lose too many dear Christian brothers and sisters.  I have seen the balance brought back of God’s provision of His Word and the spiritual food that it is for us together with the life and movement and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  I have seen God gather the nations into a once middle-class white church, and been blessed by all the generations and differing worldviews brought into one through Jesus.  It is challenging doing life in all its seasons together, joyous and painful, but what God wants for us all now and in the years to come is glorious.