‘I love being with my family’ – Gill’s Story

Gill shares her story of life and faith.

Hi Gill, can you start by telling us about your parents and where you were born?

My parents met in a hospital while my mum was a Ward Sister in Romford and my dad was a Hospital Chaplain, and they married the day before the Second World War started in 1939.

I was born in Oldchurch Hospital in Romford in 1945 and am an only child. When I was three, we moved to Leicester where my dad was a Baptist Minister. Then in 1961 we moved up to Portobello in Edinburgh where he ministered at Portobello Baptist. In 1966 we then moved to Hounslow, West London where I went to live with my grandmother in Barnet to help her before she died two years later.

When did you became a Christian?

I was very young when I became a Christian and Christianity has always been a big part of my life.

My father enjoyed being a Baptist Minister and my mum enjoyed being a Pastor's wife running the youth group and other Church activities.

When did you get baptised and where?

My dad baptised me in 1963 at Portobello Baptist Church in Edinburgh.

What jobs have you had during your life?

I’ve had a variety of jobs: nursing; working at Boots; dental nursing in Edinburgh and in London and Hounslow; police officer; and I was a school parent governor at Hillmead School and a classroom assistant.

When, where and how did you meet your husband Terry?

I joined the police force in 1972 and I met Terry in Watford when I was posted to Watford Central police station in 1973. We got engaged in November 1973 while attending St James Road Baptist Church in Watford and were friends with Liz Lake's parents.

We married in October 1974 at Bishop's Stortford Baptist Church as we visited BSBC whenever we visited Terry’s parents. Terry was brought up a Catholic and my parents opposed this and didn't attend the wedding even though he was a lapsed Catholic when we met. He converted to a Protestant Christian through Gordon Snelling, the Church Minister at BSBC who married us.

After we married we bought a flat and then a house in Bushey, where we attended North Bushey Baptist Church until 1980 when we moved to Collins Cross Road, moving in 1984 to our current house with our two boys.

Tell us about your family.

Our eldest son Andrew was born in 1978 and Stuart was born in 1980. They both went to Sunday school at BSBC, Boys Brigade and Crusaders. We are a close family.

How long have you been at BSBC?

We started coming to BSBC in 1973 when visiting Terry's parents. We became members in 1980 when we moved to Bishop’s Stortford.

What roles have you had within BSBC?

Because of work and children, and doing degrees etc. we mainly attended on Sundays and home groups, but since retirement I have been involved serving at the Breaking Bread Café and being a volunteer receptionist at the Church Centre two days a week; I am part of the Contact group team; I have done hospital chaplaincy in PAH Harlow and am a volunteer therapist at St Clare’s Hospice.

You mentioned that you have taken degrees. Which ones have you taken and when?

I became a qualified registered nurse in 2004. In 2008 I received a BSC Hons in Palliative Care, both from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

What are your favourite things or things that excite you?

I love being with my family. I enjoy the theatre; I like being out in nature. I do some knitting and reading. I'm a member of Bishop’s Stortford Women’s Institute (WI) and U3A. I love family history. My great, great uncle founded the Evangelical Alliance.

Please pray for my sons and their partners to come to know Jesus.