Minister's Letter

Dear friends,

As I continue to empty boxes, and Gerard continues to put up shelves and cupboards to house their contents, it feels good to be finally starting my ministry among you. We join you part way through Lent, a season of waiting and preparation – something which we can probably all identify with, particularly this year. It is nearly eleven months since we first visited the Circuit, with a view to moving six months before my appointment in Hyde and Denton was due to end in the summer of 2013, and it has been a long wait - on both sides. During that time, I have been occupied with my two churches on the other side of Werneth Low, and exciting developments in the circuit there; and for the last six months you have been coping without your own minister but with Will’s guiding hand and sterling work by David Bintliff, supernumeraries and countless lay folk. Now it is time at last for us to begin to get to know one another and how we can together further the work of God’s kingdom here and further afield.

So, to introduce ourselves briefly… Gerard and I will have been married for 35 years in June, and spent 27 of them in Buxton. Gerard is a hospital pharmacist by profession (dividing his time between Stepping Hill and Buxton Hospitals) and an actor/producer by inclination! He has been very involved with Buxton Drama League, Guide Bridge Theatre and the Buxton Fringe over many years. We have two children: Amy (29) who lives in Bath with her partner Nigel, works as a gardener and is expecting a baby imminently as I write; and Tom (26) who lives in London with his girlfriend Alice and is trying to forge a career as a writer. Tom has also been involved with the Buxton Fringe since he was 14, as actor, writer, producer and venue manager. Our two elderly mothers both live between Manchester and Bolton.

Apart from our family, my main interests are walking and the theatre (purely as a spectator – two thespians in the family is quite enough!), but we are hoping to get back to some folk dancing here. I am an Associate of the Iona Community (we have stayed with them many times and taken several groups), and we are both passionate about justice issues, in particular trade justice and Israel/Palestine.

I hope that has given you some idea of who we are. Hopefully I will soon get to know a lot more about Marple folk and what makes you tick. In the meantime, if I can be of help, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.

Yours in Christ,

Margaret