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A familiar quote from television's Blind Date which goes as follows "NOW TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU COME FROM" springs to mind as I start this article. As a family. we have moved around quite a bit. (This is our 13' house we have lived in in 20 Years of marriage). So a brief history
I was born in a small village called Que Que in Rhodesia on the 23 September 1959 where I spent the first 14 years of my life, My parents moved back to South Africa where they were born, with my older sister and me in November 1974, and settled in a town called Benoni near Johannesburg. At the same time, Glynn moved to Benom from Johannesburg with her family. Glynn was born in a small town on the East Rand (cast of Johannesburg) called Middleburg on the 25 April 1959.
We attended the same school, church and wore both leaders of the church youth group. Glynn finished school a year before me and went off to The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where she studied to become a Secondary School teacher. When 1 finished school in 1977, I joined the South African Air Force and spent four years working in administration, I then joined the banking world for just over two years. During this time, Glynn, who was teaching back at our old school, and I met up again and we were married in December 1983.
We attended the Johannesburg selection conference and were accepted to study for the ordained ministry at St. Paul's Theological College in Grahamstown from January 1985 to December 1987. Both children were born while we were at college. Garth was born on the 14 November 1985 and Jacqui on the 9 July 1987.
My first curacy was in the Parish of St. Gabriel's and St. Michael and All Angels Weltevreedon Park in Florida, West of Johannesburg were we spent the first three years. I was ordained Deacon on the 29 May 1988 and then Ordained Priest on the 17 December 1988 in Johannesburg Cathedral. During this stay in Florida, we moved house three times! I was then asked to move to the parish of St. Michael's in Bryanston, North of Johannesburg, in February 1991 as Senior Assistant to the Rector. We stayed there for just under four years and moved house twice. I then took up the post as Rector of St. Peter's Church in Brakpan, East of Johannesburg as Rector in November 1994, where we stayed until we moved to England in May 1999. We moved twice in that parish as well, as the first house had a major damp problem.
After much prayer and soul searching, we left South Africa in May 1999 and moved to England after being offered a position in Runcorn by Bishop Michael Langrish. However prior to starting in Runcorn, Bishop Michael asked me to do a three month period at the parish of St James in Latchford in Warrington as their Vicar was going on sabbatical to complete his degree. This also meant that we had two moves in the space of three months when we moved into the Vicarage in Runcorn. Our three month stay at St James was very good as it allowed us to find out how the church worked in the UK, and the parish was very supportive of us as well.
The two
parishes that I was Priest-in-Charge of in Runcom were quite diverse, The one.
Holy trinity was the oldest church building in Runcorn and was almost 175 years
old, whereas St Andrew's was onlv built in 1965. Both were UPA (Urban Priority
Area) parishes, which brought with it some difficult situations. The Vicarage
where we lived was in the middle of one of these estates and was extremely
noisy. (It has been a real pleasure enjoying the quite here at St Stephen's
vicarage).
In our time in Runcorn, I was able to develop my ministry in areas that I had
not experienced before. 1 joined the committee for Urban Mission and Ministry,
where I met with many of the clergy from Birkenhead Deanery as well. Our time in
Runcorn was a good but demanding time.
After almost four and a half years in Runcorn, Bishop David Urquhart asked me to
look at St Stephen's parish. This was on the 11 October at the licensing of
Glynn my wife and Brian McEvoy your new Reader. After various meetings with the
parish reps and the Church Wardens, we moved into the Vicarage on the 30
December and the rest is now history.
As has been made clear to you all. after my licensing and institution, 1 am on a
three month sabbatical until the 18 April by which time I would have almost
completed my degree. This was all planned when I started my degree two years ago
when there was no thought of moving parish. I had everything planned. I had a
curate who together with the wardens of the two parishes in Runcorn would look
after ministry and administration. which would allow me to do my research for my
dissertation.
However God's plans do not always coincide with ours. This was all discussed
with die relevant people and it was decided to move in now instead of waiting
until June to start. I will return renewed and refreshed and ready for whatever
the future holds for us all.
As for the rest of the family, Glynn will continue to teach three days a week
at Bridgewater High in Warrington and Garth and Jacqui will continue at 6th form
college at Bishops High in Chester. Garth is in his final year of A level and is
hoping to go off to University to do a Science degree later this year,
and Jacqui (or Jax as she likes to he called) is in her first year of A level
studies.
We love animals and have two cats, Sandy and Cassie. Cassie went blind last year
for no apparent reason but copes very well with life. and both of them have
settled well. We all enjoy walking. and being out and about in the country.
Glynn and I are keen, but amateur gardeners. Occasionally I play cricket for the
Chester Diocesan team in the Church Time League. We are all looking forward to
getting to know you all in our future years together.
With love in Jesus,
WIGGJ (Wayne, Glynn, Garth & Jax.)