Our Minister

Welcome

Welcome to our website, where you will find information about our community and it’s activities. We hope it is of interest. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.

People come to church for all sorts of reasons; because they are spiritually curious, or are looking for greater meaning in life, or are facing difficulty, or are looking for friendship – many reasons. We want to assure you that whatever reason you may have for visiting our church, and whoever you are, you will be warmly welcomed.

We are a faith community, but we do not insist that you believe anything in order to become part of our community, nor will we try to “convert” you to Unitarianism. We don’t claim any kind of spiritual exclusivity. In fact, one of our aims is to be as inclusive as possible, welcoming people of different beliefs, lifestyles and ethnicities. We are simply a group of ordinary people who gather around shared values, and who wish to explore their spirituality, build caring community and do good in the world.

I am the minister to Ditchling Unitarians, but I do not manage or control the church. I have a specific role within the community. The church is democratically run by the people who attend, and who choose to get involved. We are a community that tries to support each other, but also looks to help the most vulnerable in our society and the wider world.

So do come along and find out more, and bring with you your questions and your curiosity. We look forward to meeting and welcoming you.

A Little About Me

I trained as a Unitarian minister between 2016 and 2018, having previously worked for the fire service for 25 years. I studied for a diploma in Theology with the University of London and undertook my ministerial training at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. I first came to Ditchling Unitarian church in 2017 as part of a student pastorate, before being appointed minister in October 2018. I work on a part-time basis, leading at least one Sunday Service per month. I also run a coffee morning twice a month and a meditation group once a month. Since October 2021 I have also worked part-time at Horsham Unitarian Church.

I believe that we all have a faith within us waiting to be discovered and lived. During our gatherings I hope that people will catch a glimpse of this, and be inspired to reflect on what they think is important. For me, this is a journey that lasts a lifetime, and so there are no quick fixes or easy answers. I think patience is an important spiritual quality, but it can be challenging to practice in a fast-paced digital age!

Care and compassion are two other important qualities which I try to place at the centre of my ministry, and I value contemplative practices such as meditation and prayer. I also love stories, creativity, music and poetry and draw inspiration from the wisdom of different faith traditions, such as Christianity and Buddhism. I think that faith is a matter of the heart and I have a sense of connection with a greater mystery beyond my understanding, but which is also within myself. It has many names, but is known by some as God.

My great privilege in ministry is to meet people, and to share with them life’s joys and challenges.