Deanery Vocations Listeners

The people listed below are available to talk to you about a vocation that you feel you may have.

Before talking to them, please complete the Vocational Conversation - Initial Enquiry Form and then send it to jane.gerrard@chester.anglican.org who will then arrange the initial contact.

Birkenhead Deanery

The Revd Keith Addenbrooke
I’ve been an Ordained Minister in the Diocese since 2007, having previously worked in Industry and the Public Sector.  I transitioned into full-time Ordained Ministry with a young family and trained ecumenically at the Queen’s Foundation in Birmingham.  I have served in Parishes across the traditions from Evangelical to Catholic and Liberal, as well as in different contexts: urban, rural and suburban.  I have also served in small and large Churches (both with and without a Parish Office) and have been Vicar of a United Benefice with two Parishes.  I’ve found God at work in all of them, and in all his people, and I would be happy to have a chat whatever your questions may be.  Do get in touch:
Tel: 0151-652-1016
email: k.addenbrooke32@btinternet.com / stjameswithstbede@gmail.com

Bowdon Deanery

The Revd Aled Seago
My name is Aled, and I’ve recently become Priest-in-Charge for the parishes of Dunham Massey. Before this I served a curacy at St George’s Poynton. My own vocational journey has been with this diocese, beginning back in 2013, and so I’m keen to be of any kind of support and help in any way I can. We all have a calling to serve our great God in all sorts of ways, and I’d love to help you in your exploration. 
Tel:   07952736369
Email:   rev.a.seago@outlook.com


The Revd Catherine Cleghorn
After 12 years as a music teacher in secondary schools I followed a call to ordained ministry that first came in 2013. I have been Priest-in-Charge of St Martin's Ashton upon Mersey since October 2021, before that I was Vicar of Leighton and Warmingham after serving my curacy in the centre of Crewe. I am passionate about encouraging vocations of all sorts and in all places. Training at St Mellitus whilst ministering in a vibrant mixed-economy setting has ensured that I am deeply appreciative of many kinds of worship. My experiences of following God’s call have generally involved acknowledging the 'gulp factor' and the story of Gideon really resonates
Tel: 07813 117385
Email: catherine.cleghorn@hotmail.com

Chadkirk Deanery

The Revd Jane Crook
In July 2022, I became Assistant Curate at All Saints’ in Marple, Stockport, after a vocational journey that began at the age of 14 and took more than 3 decades and 3 attempts to reach the point of ordination training. In the meantime, God showed me that he had placed other callings on my life: to be an adoptive mum and an advocate for our autistic son, amongst other things.

Unsurprisingly, I am passionate about reaching out to the marginalised and supporting those who are called to care. I also have a very broad sense of vocation: I may have ended up in a dog collar, but that is certainly not the only route to serving God wholeheartedly. 

I am married to Andy, who is currently training for ordination and we have 3 young-adult children and an aged westie. In my spare time, I like to walk, read, visit coffee shops with friends, watch films and go to the gym. I also love listening to people and count it a real privilege to hear the stories of others.

The Revd Martin Makin
My name is Martin Makin, I am currently the Assistant Curate of St Mark's Bredbury but soon to become the Priest-in-Charge of St Barnabas, Lower Bredbury. I am married to Naomi and we have three children, Lois, who is 15, Thomas who is 13 and Daniel who is 7. We also have our dearly beloved, cockapoo, Molley. I enjoy reading theology whether it be Christian spirituality, church doctrine or biblical theology, or church history, I love it all. I feel passionate about pastoral care, Christian spirituality, teaching and preaching. I carried a sense of calling to ordained ministry for the best part of 20 years before entering into the discernment process and the journey towards ordination training was both challenging and formational, it is for this reason why I feel strongly about being a vocational listener.

Finally, in my spare time, I love running because it is such a source of refreshment to me.

Wendy Luxon
I always looked on retirement as an opportunity to follow new paths, and God has certainly been with me on my journey.  After retiring from a career in workforce development, I undertook training, and 3 years ago was licensed as a Pastoral Worker to St Mary’s, Disley.  Since then I have been involved in tutoring a module on relationships on the Pastoral Worker training programme and providing mentoring support for students.  I feel one of the most supportive gifts we can offer others is to listen to them, allowing them the opportunity to develop their own thoughts and discern which path God is calling them to.  I am a member of the Diocesan Disability Forum, and committed to raising awareness and encouraging conversations to help create an inclusive church, open to all.  I have two grown up children and enjoy a variety of different interests, always open to the next opportunity God may offer me. 
Telephone:  07767 317718 or 01663 762308
Email:  wendy.luxon@gmail.com

Cheadle Deanery

The Revd Calum Piper
I was ordained at 22 and served my curacy in Wallasey at the Northern edge of the Wirral. Whilst I grew up in the Church of England it was within a Baptist Church I discovered my faith and through University sensed God calling me back to the Church of England. I am currently vicar of St Michael and All Angels Parish Church in Bramhall, which statistically one of the least deprived parishes in the whole country. I am married to Jess who ministers in Stockport in one of the most deprived parishes in the whole country. My passion in ministry is about sharing the hope and love of God in every corner of society, overcoming barriers and divisions, creating unity within communities. Having been a young vocation I am passionate about supporting, equipping and cheering on young people as they grow into positions of leadership within and outside of the church. I enjoy running, gardening and DIY when I can find time.
Tel: 0161 943 5535
Email: calum.piper@bramhall.church

Chester Deanery

The Revd Adam Friend
After knowing a call to ministry at 16 it seemed a long time to reach ordination at 26; a ten year story following the ups and downs of testing a vocation in the C of E.  I am currently Vicar of Tarvin after serving my curacy at St Helen in Northwich, and my first incumbency at St Chad, Winsford. I trained for ministry in Durham after completing my first Degree in Performing Arts at St Martin's in Lancaster. I am married to Helen who is a Head Teacher. I can empathise with the frustrations that can be found in the process to ordination, but am living proof that if God keeps pushing then his way will prevail!
Tel: 01829 740354 
Email: tarvinparish@gmail.com

Jenny Gilbertson
I was licensed as a Reader in 2012 and am part of the parish of St Paul’s with St Luke’s, Chester. I believe very strongly that there is no hierarchy of vocations and that God has a call for all of us. I have a strong commitment to seeing lay ministry of all kinds valued and flourish, but having said that, as someone married to a priest, I have good insight into the demands of ordained ministry as well. Seeing people discover their gifts and calling, and grow in their faith, is very rewarding and it is a privilege to play a part in that process.

I work part time and spend spare time with friends or reading, writing and trying to produce something edible from a rather unyielding vegetable patch.
Tel:  07790 124875
Email: jenny.gilbertson@live.co.uk

Congleton Deanery

The Revd Heather Kemball
Church Army Evangelist (commissioned 1988), married to Alan (not a vicar!) with three children Anna, Sarah and David. Passionate about evangelism. Enjoys drinking red wine, cooking andqualified as a PADI Open Water Diver.
Tel:  01260 278362 
Email: heather@kemball.com

The Revd Rob McLaren
Parish vicar with experience of leading staff teams of young and old, lay and ordained in several different settings: inner urban, suburban, school church plant, council estates, commuter town.  I was ordained aged 25 in 1988 and I am committed to seeking younger vocations as well as older.  Everyone should seek God's unique calling for them and, as you seek the best way forward, I will be glad to pray with you and help clarify issues like your spiritual gifts, enthusiasms and personal style.
Tel:  01477 533124  
Email: vicar@stlukesholmeschapel.uk

Revd Bee Boyde
Email: revbeeboyde@gmail.com

The Revd Dr David Page
Vicar of Elworth and Warmingham since 1999.  Previously Curate at St. John's Knutsford and Toft.  Married with three children. Before Ordination I worked for Unilever as a Research Manager.
Tel:  01270 762415 
Email: page.stpeter@tinyworld.co.uk

Frodsham Deanery

Vacant 

Great Budworth Deanery

The Revd Jane Proudfoot
I’m the Rector of St Wilfrid’s in Grappenhall, Warrington and the Rural Dean of Great Budworth Deanery. The church is central in tradition and a part of the inclusive church network. I was ordained in 2009, and am married with two daughters. I believe that everyone has a calling, but figuring out what it is can be tricky and having people along the way to help you think, pray and reflect on what God is saying to us is essential. I was a homelessness officer and then a secondary school teacher and each of those was an important step towards ordination. No experience is wasted and God’s call on our lives lasts a lifetime and is never fully complete.
Tel: 01925 261546
Email: revdproudfoot@hotmail.co.uk

The Revd Beverley Jameson
I am Rector of St Mary’s Lymm and Chaplain to the Royal British Legion. I am a governor of Lymm High and Chair of Governors of the recently formed Primary School MAT Beam Trust. I am accredited as a tutor by Chester University for Chester Diocese Lay Reader course and teach modules. I have also led sessions for Chester Diocese Foundations for Ministry. God asks us to do wonderful things for him and he always gives us the courage and support to follow his call, however inadequate we may feel. Walking alongside and supporting others as they explore what God may be calling them to be is an honour and privilege. I have been involved in Growing leaders’ course and mentoring those exploring vocations in Worcester Diocese and led Pathways to Ministry Sessions for Lichfield Diocese.
Tel:   01925 757081
Email:   bevjameson@live.co.uk 

Knutsford Deanery

The Revd Canon Prof Roger Yates
Trained in clinical and preclinical pharmacology and medicine - with a neurological/psychiatric bias - experience of practice (hospital and general), teaching and research  in academia before 25 full-time years in pharmaceutical research and development (with continuing clinical assistantship in NHS for the first 20) which included people and project management. Almost 20 years with my collar the wrong way round!  Married with 2 adult "kids". Interests - revealing God where He already is to those who can't/won't see Him, medicine/science debates, caring for the carers.
Tel:  01625 520246 
Email: raycandoc@yahoo.co.uk

Macclesfield Deanery

Anne Stirling
I had worshipped at St Peter’s Prestbury for more than 20 years before eventually working out what God’s call was meaning for me. I was licensed as a Pastoral Worker to that parish in 2016. It is such a varied role, but I particularly love the ministry of listening and encouragement that God often puts in my way in my own church setting, and in the trainee mentoring programme that I help to support.
To me there seems no greater privilege than walking alongside people on their life and faith journeys and exploring with them where God is leading. It is always exciting.
Tel: 07999 862 035
Email: annestirling@hotmail.co.uk

The Revd Ali Marshall
Daughter, friend, wife, mum, doctor, priest, spiritual accompanier: listening to people has been a lifelong occupation. My (s)heroes on my faith journey have included friends no one has heard of, Henri Nouwen, Hildegard of Bingen, Richard Rohr, John Wimber, Julian of Norwich, Sister Ann Julian, Meister Eckhart, George MacLeod. Spiritual Accompanying is about helping each of us pay attention to where God is in our lives and looking at how we want to respond to that, so it has been a delight to walk with people exploring a sense of calling to many different forms of ministry over the last 20 years, mostly in Oxford Diocese. These days my spiritual home is with the Iona Community of which I am a member, alongside involvement with the local church in Macclesfield. My closest spiritual companions have been our dogs, walking in the hills and woods renews my relationship with God. I am very happy to listen to you whilst we walk the hills or sitting in my living room.
Email: ali.m@rshall.org.uk

Malpas Deanery

The Revd Julian Beauchamp
After teaching in secondary education in Cheltenham for four years, I worked for a Christian organisation organising activity holidays for teenagers.  I came from the London Diocese and trained at Oak Hill before doing my curacy in Cheadle.  I am married with three children, am incumbent at Waverton, Aldford and Bruera just south of Chester and I am trying to learn the piano – for fun only; I also enjoy gardening.  I am currently working on a biblical theology of priesthood from a Reformed Evangelical perspective.
Tel: 01244 336668 
Email: jules@stpeterswaverton.org.uk

Middlewich Deanery

The Revd Angela Askwith
Tel: 01606 882184
Email: revangelaaskwith@gmail.com

Sue Hadden
I am Sue Hadden, a Reader at St Johns Sandiway and Cuddington. I was licensed as a Reader 3 ½ years ago and have just finished all my post licensing modules. This has been a steep learning curve and it has been fulfilling, challenging and has broadened my understanding of so many aspects of what we believe. I was fortunate to be brought up in a loving Christian family, where faith was central to our lives. I was in charge of an acute ward for older people with mental health (and physical) problems for nearly 30 years – a job I loved. Since taking early retirement 10 years ago, my husband Stewart and I have had more time to offer to church and our village community. I am part of a wonderful Prayer Group, I lead the Pastoral team and a Home Group, and am involved in many other aspects of church life. I'm a positive person and carry my faith simply ...sharing God's love through service, prayer and conversations. When I felt the “itch” to start the FfM course, I was helped so much by the encouragement of others. Now it feels the right time to offer support and that same encouragement to anyone who feels they need some guidance or an objective listening voice.
Tel:  01606 889448

Mottram Deanery

The Revd Sheila O'Flaherty
I’ve been priest in charge at St Mary’s Newton with Flowery Field, which is a church in the catholic tradition, since 2018. Prior to ordination in 2013 I was a Reader for 10 years. My journey to ordination was a long one so I can empathise with the frustrations faced by many during the process. One of the important things I learned was that everything happens in God’s time not ours. We are each unique and God has a unique call for each one of us in all areas of church and community life, whether lay or ordained. I’ve been active in fostering vocations to a range of ministries, not just the authorised ministries over the years. I’m married to Bernard and we have 2 adult sons who have both flown the nest. We’re now human caregivers to a cat called Sooty who graciously allows us to share her home. I’m a season ticket holder at Everton and actively involved with both Scouting and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Tel: 0780 308 4422
Email:   revsheila@oflaherty.co.uk

Chris Gascoigne
I have spent nearly 40 years working in the I.T. Services and Consultancy industry whilst also ministering in Anglican and other churches. My work took me into Europe, India and the Middle East so I guess I picked up some sensitivity to cultural awareness, something which I find increasingly valuable in ministry. I am keen about mission in all its forms and am particularly interested in how we faithfully represent Christ in the workplace, family, sports clubs, gym and any public service we feel called to fulfil! I firmly believe that a good foundation for the future church lies in the discerning and mentoring of the immense resources and skill sets that God has given to us and so develop a new generation of leaders.
Tel: 07943 064 210
Email: chris.gascoigne58@gmail.com

Nantwich Deanery

The Revd Peter Bennett
Having become a Christian in my mid-20s I wasn’t ordained until my youngest daughter turned 18, I turned 50, and I left my job in software development. I believe that everyone is called to a unique ministry, by our God “who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth” (1 Tim 2:4) Getting a clearer sense of what we are being led to do at any one time can be a bit of a challenge though… I love the way the first disciples followed Jesus without apparent thought, training, or job description (Mk 1:16-20); and you have to smile at a mother’s attempt to have her sons’ vocations ‘upgraded’ (Mat 20:20-21). We can be clear, though, that part of our shared calling is to support each other as we stumble through life. So if I can help you, as we journey with Jesus through the dark valleys and green pastures, then I will gladly do so.
Tel: 07710 533439
Email: revpeterbennett@gmail.com
 

The Revd Suzie Eddleston
A ‘cradle’ Anglican with a lively faith as a teenager, as a young university student I resolutely turned my back on the faith I had once cherished. This was a position I held for over twenty years. I seriously never imagined I would one day be nervously approaching someone to talk about a vocation in the church. God never ceases to surprise and delight us.  
I am still enormously grateful to all those who listened to me then, and to those who still do. Vocational conversations are something that continue throughout our lives and the many and various ways in which God calls us fascinates me. For this reason I am delighted I had the opportunity to be a tutor on the Foundations for Ministry course, and I consider it an enormous privilege to listen to other people’s vocational stories.
I am currently a part time Associate Minister in three busy parishes in Crewe. I also currently have another role in the diocese. Before ordination I was a secondary school teacher in London, Wigan and the Wirral, and I have worked in other roles including accounting.
I have a long-standing interest in garden design (training at Reaseheath college) and so unsurprisingly gardening metaphors in the Bible have a strong resonance with me. Hospitality has also been a cornerstone of much of my ministry.
I have a beautiful rescue greyhound called Seamus, so there are two dog collars in my house. In his own way he supports my ministries - perhaps he has a calling too…
Tel: 07723 157929
Email: revdsuzie@outlook.com

Deborah Rowlands
I am 62 years old and life seems to be opening up rather than coasting down to retirement - God has a habit of doing that I find! I am currently a Reader in the benefice of Baddiley and Wrenbury with Burleydam. I have worked in a variety of parishes in a number of roles over 40+ years and am excited about what God is continually doing in the lives of all his people. I am looking forward to being part of our ongoing journey to discover God's plan for us. I have 2 grown up children who frequently ask themselves what their mother might find herself doing next. I think that is a good way to start a conversation about vocation.
Tel: 01270 781080
Email: rowlandsfam@hotmail.com

Stockport Deanery

The Revd Jessica Piper
After sensing a call to ministry aged 17, I spent the next 7 years exploring that call, through studying theology at the University of Chester, intentionally taking some time out to experience ministry, in both church and chaplaincy settings, and then formally training for ministry at St Mellitus College NW. I served my curacy in Bowdon, followed by a couple of years in part-time ministry, as an associate minister with responsibility for children and families, and in autumn 2022 I became vicar of St Saviour's Church, Stockport. I am passionate about bringing communities of people together to deepen discipleship, as well as thinking about how we might include those who aren't currently associated with church in any way. I am married to Calum, who is also a vicar, and we have a young son, who keeps us busy outside of church!
Tel: 0161 943 5535
Email: jessica.a.piper@outlook.com

Wallasey Deanery

Vacant

Wirral North Deanery

The Reverend Alex Williams
After working as an Early Years Speech and Language Therapist for over 20 years  I finally did some listening myself as I took the first step on discerning where God might be calling me. I benefited hugely from the many people who took the time to listen and enable me to reflect, explore and ask all sorts of questions. My path took some unexpected turns and in 2017 I was ordained. I am now entering my third year as an incumbent after serving a curacy in Coventry Diocese. I always enjoy meeting and  listening to people and would consider it a great privilege to provide a space for someone who wants to explore where and what God might be calling them to.
I have four almost grown-up children, a husband and a dog and am the Rector of St Bridget's West Kirby, part of Inclusive church with a strong sacramental focus to worship.
Tel: 0151 625 1052
email: rectorwestkirby@gmail.com

 

Wirral South Deanery

The Revd Lyndon Bannon
After serving for five years as a Reader in Wirral North, Lyndon was then ordained as a 'Minister in Secular Employment', serving his curacy in Wallasey Deanery. Since then, he has served as Assistant Priest at the parish of Willaston, in Wirral South. Lyndon is involved in ministerial training, being the Course Leader of the Diocesan Foundations for Ministry programme in the Chester Archdeaconry. He is also the Bishop's Officer for Self-Supporting Ordained Ministry. Lyndon currently serves on the Diocesan Board of Education. His 'day-job' is an Assistant Headteacher at a Church of England High School on the Wirral.
Email: lyndon.bannon@chester.anglican.org

 

 

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