‘We felt that attending BSBC was like putting on a well fitted glove.’ – Julia’s Story
Liz went for lunch at Rosey Lea in Bishop's Stortford town centre with Julia Horner on a warm April day before Easter to discuss her life story.
Hi Julia, Can you start by telling me about your childhood and early life?
I had a very happy childhood. I'm the youngest of 4 children and have 3 elder brothers. My mum trained as an infant school teacher and my dad was an electrical engineer mostly for IBM. We had a modest life but it was idyllic with camping holidays, riding bikes and climbing trees. We moved a lot with my dad's job so I went to a variety of state schools except for the 3 years when we lived in the Paris suburbs where I spoke French fluently till the age of 6. I did well at school and by the time I was 16 I had a strong interest in maths and sciences and so did A levels related to those, and then I decided with my science background and being good with my hands and sociable to go to Dental School in Birmingham to study Dentistry. But before that I had a gap year.
What jobs have you had since leaving school?
During my gap year I worked for a Geophysics Company called Digicom as a Trainee Input Geophysicist. Then I trained as a newly qualified Dentist and my first job was in Margate. Later I got a job in Southampton where I worked for 17 years and then I worked in Great Dunmow. After early retirement I had a job as a dental therapist for a year and then became a support worker for Keiran (Calvin's brother) who had Down Syndrome and Dementia.
When and how did you become a Christian and get baptised?
My mum was a Christian and I was taken to Sunday School at the Methodist Church. One day I heard the Gospel and I knew then that I could become a Christian but I decided to wait till I was older, and I stopped going to Church.
My two eldest brothers went to a Billy Graham Crusade and became Christians there. When my eldest brother got baptised I was invited to come and I was interested to go and see my first adult baptism. I went to the church and accepted the sermon mentally but decided again to wait till I was older, as I was 10 years old and I could see that becoming a Christian was a commitment, and I wanted it to be for life. But while I was singing the final hymn, the power of the Holy Spirit fell on me, I felt swamped by the power of God and I realised I was now a Christian and so I went back to Church and grew as a Christian. I got baptised aged 15 at the local Evangelical Church.
Tell me how you met and married Calvin and about your children & grandchild?
I met Calvin at Birmingham University when he was studying History. He was a friend of a friend but I mostly got to know him through the Baptist Church we both went to. After Uni, we went our separate ways and met again while I was living in Southampton around the age of 25. We started going out and got engaged, and married 9 months later in September 1989. We had our first daughter Briony 4 years later and Laurie 2 years after that. Briony got married in 2018 and we recently had our first adorable grandchild Naomi in February this year.
How long have you been at BSBC and what roles have you served in?
We moved to Bishop’s Stortford in 2005 and quickly settled into the Baptist Church after visiting a few churches in the town. We felt that attending BSBC was like putting on a well fitted glove. We have been here ever since. I've been a Deacon for social action for 3 consecutive terms and I sing in the Worship band.
What other voluntary roles are you doing?
I help at the Foodbank and I run Exchange which takes a lot of my time.
What are your hobbies and favourite things that you enjoy?
I love singing and I enjoy being part of the Bishop's Stortford Musical Theatre Company. I'm part of the chorus and I love the build up to the show and dressing up in the costumes etc.
I also enjoy sewing and dressmaking, quilting and patchwork. My biggest sense of achievement was making my wedding dress. I also like going to the theatre.
What are your plans for the future?
I'd like to spend regular time with my grand daughter in Sheffield and so hope we can spend more time together. I didn't have a close relationship with my grandparents as they were older and they lived far away when I was younger.