Rachel will be arriving at St Oswald's in late June as Curate. We look forward to welcoming her. We asked Rachel to tell us a little about herself.
About Rachel
Hello, my name is Rachel, and I'm very excited to be coming to Ashbourne and the villages for my curacy and to be working with Rev'd Dwayne and you. I've been living in Warwickshire for the past 28 years and have had many jobs over that time from Care Assistant to Library Assistant and Social Care Support Worker to Community Development Officer. I'm passionate about people and I'm really looking forward to getting to know you all.
I'm married to Alan, and I have two sons and two stepdaughters, most of whom have grown up and left the nest. I have a little dog called Bella who, despite being a Chihuahua, is very friendly and loves cuddles and fuss.
I've been studying for the past 2 years at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, just outside of Oxford, and have been living there half the week and then back in my current home of Hillmorton in Rugby for the rest of week. I serve in my local church when I'm not at college, so it works out to be a full-time course.
Church-wise, I come from a varied background, initially born into and raised as a strict Baptist, then spent my older childhood and teens in a lively but conservative CofE church, then in my young adult days we went to an evangelical church as a family for a while before settling into our local village parish church. I've been in rural ministry for most of my adult life and am used to multi-parish benefices and juggling different priorities. I'm also very happy in a variety of worship styles from very liturgical and choral through to worship band and drums!
I think I come with a variety of skills and experience, having been a churchwarden for several years during an interregnum and spent many years in community-facing roles. But mainly, I'm eager to know what skills and gifts you have and how I can help you know God more and fully inhabit the person God calls you to be.
Rachel