Who’s who
Vicar
Rebecca Mitchell
I was bought up in a Christian home but went off the rails in my late teens, getting involved in drugs and toxic relationships. In desperation for my life to change I cried out to God and from that day onwards He has been faithful to me.
I came to St. Mary’s very broken and ended up doing Pathway and surrendering my life to Christ. My life is now totally transformed. I am married to Darren and our 3 children are amazing. All praise to God who lifted me out of the miry clay to be a new creation in Him.
Sue Oldham
I was a member of the choir and youth club at my local church until my mid-teens. Then I fell away from faith and was lost in a wilderness of drink and drugs for many years. Looking back now I am sure that God tried to reach out to me many times but I “saw through a mirror darkly”. In autumn 2004 I came to St Mary’s Church seeking help from Pathway for my then boyfriend. It was I who ended up doing Pathway, then Alpha and giving my life to Jesus. Since then I’ve grown in faith in God and confidence in myself and now love serving God by reaching out to disadvantaged adults.
Darren Mitchell
For 31 years my life was so far away from God. Through my misspent youth and early twenties I was frequently involved with criminal activities as well as being addicted to drugs and alcohol. I then became involved with drug dealing with led to a prison sentence in 2001. I felt such an emptiness and void in my life that in my desperation I cried out to God while in my prison cell. I asked God if He was real. To my amazement He showed me that He was. I was immediately filled with His love through His Holy Spirit. He then gave me a promise through the Bible that He would set me free from the past and all that I had been through. I’ve now been free of alcohol and drug addiction for 11 years, married for 9 years to Rebecca with three amazing daughters. So God is good and keeps all of His promises.
Charles Holden
I have been part of the Church of England all my life. My parents were actively involved in their local church and I was brought up in a close Christian home. Although I had been baptised and confirmed by the time I went to University in 1971 I had unresolved questions about God and was without a faith that had become ‘my own’. I realised that it was impossible to live up to Jesus’ teaching and the standards he had set in my own strength and one Sunday I was challenged in a Service to accept Jesus for myself. I found new direction from inviting Jesus anew into my life and I believe that has led me on a journey of growing closer to God day by day.
Gary Matthews
I am really excited to see what God is going to do in and through the 20s and 30s Acceler8 project.
God saved me from a life of sin when I was in my mid-twenties and His love came to me after being in Christian rehab. God transformed me around 8 years ago and it’s been a crazy journey since then. I am now trying to live my life out for God with a beautiful godly wife that He has blessed me with.
I am based in St Mary’s, Leamington Spa and have been in the congregation about 5 years. I am looking forward to identifying, encouraging and equipping 20s-30s and enabling them to use the gifts God has given them to reach out to a lost generation.
Hannah Hampson
I was raised in a loving Christian family home attending church regularly. I was a ‘God-smart’ child who knew all the answers but hadn’t experienced a personal relationship with God. This happened around the age of 16 thanks to Jesus working through some patient and prayerful youth leaders! Since then it has been a privilege to get to know God better and to experience his love, peace and joy in the everyday. My heart is to see the children of St Mary’s become ‘God-connected’, knowing him personally and communicating with him daily. Our desire as a church is to see our children fully integrated into the church family, using their God given gifts to serve alongside adults. I also hope to support our fantastic parents as they seek to model and teach faith and Spirit filled lives at home, at work and in the community.
I am always happy to listen, chat and pray with you so please don’t hesitate to get in touch!