Catherine Church – Fellowship

What does the role of Fellowship Deacon entail?

The role is to encourage everyone to be welcoming and to look for ways to involve people on the fringe to become more involved and part of our fellowship.

How long have you been Fellowship Deacon and what have you been doing since you took on this role?

I have been in this role for just over three years. I initially joined during lockdown when all meetings were on Zoom, and at first it was to encourage groups to start up again and start up Network events to encourage people back into the Church after a period of isolation. I then moved on to re-forming the Network group, and we now have an enthusiastic group of people who meet up to plan social events around the Church calendar which includes lunches, brunches, barbecues, theatre trips, picnics and more…

I am also working alongside the outreach team encouraging folk on the fringe of the Church to come along.

What is your vision for the Church?

My vision is to encourage us all to grow closer in our relationships with one another so that we grow to be more like Christ; and to encourage others to come and belong .

What other roles have you occupied since joining BSBC?

I organise the stewarding team for Sunday services and have helped out with cover for Sunday Club in the summer, and in the past have been involved with arranging flowers for Sunday services.

I also help out at Exchange on a Thursday.

When and how did you become a Christian?

I was brought up in a Christian family and became a Christian after a particularly moving baptismal service in my late teens.

At this time I was attending Waltham Abbey Baptist Church with a membership of about 40. I was baptised at the same time as my father and four others at the age of 18.

How long have you been at BSBC and what is your background before coming to BSBC?

I have been attending BSBC since the new church building opened in 2012.

As a child, I attended a small mission hall which had Brethren roots, before going to the Baptist Church in Waltham Abbey. However, before joining BSBC we were in membership at Wormley Free Church, a tiny one room chapel near where we used to live in Cheshunt. I was Church Secretary at Wormley for about 10 years before moving to Little Hadham.

Tell us a few interesting things about you…hobbies? Other volunteer roles?

That's a difficult one, to think up interesting things about yourself!

I don’t have any other volunteer roles. I do run a book club and enjoy reading when I have the time. I have enjoyed travelling and visiting other countries in the past and I also enjoy going away in this country and visiting National Trust properties. I love being near the sea.

I spend a fair amount of time looking after Thomas and Emmeline – my grandchildren – and also enjoy gardening, which is just as well because I have a large garden!

Is there anything we can pray about for you and/or your role?

Can you please pray that our fellowship will develop by welcoming more people into our family.

Specifically prayer is needed that more people come on board in the Network group, especially some men with good ideas!