Steph is a self supporting minister (SSM) and works part time in the parish.
"I live in Congleton with my husband Paul and my two daughters, Becky and Katie.
I have been training for self supporting ministry at all Saints Centre for Mission and Ministry. Training at All Saints is a bit like training with the Open University; you remain in your home parish and you attend training sessions on weekday evenings and residential weekends. During the course I have completed a Durham diploma in mission and ministry.
A main focus will be to develop the links with the schools at Bosley, Wincle and Sutton. I have always had a sense that God is calling me to work with our schools, their pupils,staff and governors. As part of my training, I worked as an Open the Book coordinator and trained with Walk Through the Bible as an OT Mini presenter and I am always interested in finding ways that the church and school can work together and support each other through the good times and the tough times.
One area of ministry which interests me is how the church uses social media to reach out to those who are not able to regularly attend Sunday worship and I hope to explore this further whilst I am with you.
I am member of the Diocesan Environment Forum which works with the Department for Social Responsibility to increase awareness of the environmental issues facing us all, and how churches can make small changes which can make a big difference. Caring for the environment is something I am very passionate about and as the fifth mark of mission we should all be caring for our planet. I hope that whilst I am with you we can develop ways to make our parishes and our lives more sustainable for the future. I think changes to the environment and especially our climate are felt most keenly by those who have the strongest connection to the land.
I am very much looking forward to rural ministry. I am familiar with this area of work, as before starting ministerial training I attended Barthomley church near Crewe and then moved to the parish of St Mary's Astbury with St John's Smallwood."
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