Leadership team

The leadership team consists of a number of elected deacons – the word comes from the Greek for servant – who are experienced people with various giftings and responsibilities, led by an ordained, trained minister who is accredited by the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

Derek Thurgood is a manager of a large housing association business and hold the office of church treasurer as well as being a deacon. He particularly looks after membership matters as well as having responsibility for the facilities, and co-leads a house group. He lives in Wokingham.

Peter Massey is a scientist and business manager with a general leadership brief in the church which includes some significant projects such as bringing the constitution into line with charities commission recommendations and heading up the ministerial settlement process. He and his family live in the Woosehill area of Wokingham.

Jane Spiller is a teacher  and shares responsibility for children and youth as well as being one of the trainers on the puppet team. She and her husband live fairly near to the church in the Winnersh area.

Shirley Evans works with severely handicapped children, shares responsibility for children and youth as well as bringing administrative gifts to the team. She lives with her husband and family in the area of the church.

Staff

Rev Calvin Julian-Jones is an accredited Baptist minister who trained at Spurgeon’s College, London. He is a passionate preacher in the best Welsh tradition with a particular heart for those who are still on the fringe of a relationship with Jesus, and he emphasises the greatness and love of God overarching a confusing world. He has previously pastored churches in Lower Earley, Reading and in a challenging area of South Wales.

Andie Ayoubi is the church’s administrator. When not handling bookings, emails and publicity she is a vocalist on the church’s worship team, a mother and a freelance PA — and finds time for gardening.

Team leaders

Justine Baston is the Children and Youth Coordinator, looking after Sunday Club for children, some youth activities and having a floating role to facilitate the Sunbeams mums-and-toddlers group, among other activities.

Derek and Sandra Slocombe head up the church’s pastoral team, watching out for those who need a bit of support, prayer, practical assistance – and just love.

Grant Slocombe is the church’s worship team leader and as such is responsible for the music ministry and developing the band which leads it. He also has particular experience in ministering to people becoming free from substance addictions and similar lifestyle difficulties – and is gifted as an evangelist.

Preachers

The church is fortunate in having an excellent regular preaching team of which at present Ian Greig takes the larger share and others also bring God’s word regularly.

Rev Ian Greig was the church’s moderator and interim pastor from Oct 2007 to April 2010 and steered the church through a time of transition and change, a specialised ministry he exercises more widely. Together with his family, he lives near the church in Barkham.

Lawrence McNulty is an outstanding pastoral preacher and teacher who has been involved in training ministry teams in other churches, and who has worked with Ellel Ministries. He lives locally and is part of Kings Church, Wokingham.

Paul Valler is an early-retired enterprise senior manager and an elder at neighbouring Finchampstead Baptist Church, who has a keen sense of encouraging Christians in the world of work — or in the world, for that matter.

Martyn Strong is a musician and worship leader from Caversham Baptist Church who also preaches. He has a particular gifting as an encourager. He works locally for BBC Radio Berkshire.