A former teacher has been appointed as the new curate for a group of rural Anglican churches.
St John’s Peasedown, St Julian’s Wellow, St James’ Foxcote and St Julian’s Shoscombe – known collectively at the St J’s Group Benefice – welcomed Rachel Howlett to the team this week.
Rachel worked for a number of years as a secondary school Psychology and Religious Studies teacher before ‘receiving the calling’ to go into the church ministry.
“I’m really looking forward to serving my curacy as part of the St J’s Group”, said Rachel, “I’ve heard so many great things about what the churches in Peasedown, Wellow and Shoscombe are doing in the community.
After university I became a secondary school teacher and then once I had my first child, I took a break from teaching and was a stay-at-home Mum for seven years. During that time, I chaired the local pre-school and set up a toddler church as well as leading the youth at church on a Sunday.
After a struggle with advanced level cancer when my children were little, I took some time to re-assess my calling, leading me to also complete a masters degree in applied theology with children, youth and community work.
I love working with people and being a Vicar is a vacation that I feel very drawn to. It enables me to do so many things that I like doing, and no two days are ever the same in ministry.”
After leaving teaching, Rachel became a children’s, families and youth worker at a church in Bath, and also a chaplain at a school in the city, which offered a range of roles from 1-to-1 support to leading massive services (1,000 strong) in Bath Abbey.
In the Church of England, a ‘curate’ is effectively a Vicar-in-Training. Rachel will work with and shadow Revd Matthew Street across all parishes for 3 years at which point she will be ready to be Vicar in her own right.
Revd Matthew Street, who this year celebrated 20 years as the Vicar in Peasedown St John and Wellow, said:
“I am really looking forward to working with Rachel over the coming three years of her curacy. Recent years and changes in the way society works have challenged us to develop new and exciting ways of serving the community and encouraged us even more to reach out to those in need.
I know that Rachel will play an important role in our Christian mission to love, care and pray for those we work with.”
For details about the St J’s Group, visit the benefice website: www.stjsgroup.church, or contact the Operations Manager Rob Bubyer by emailing office@stjsgroup.church or calling 07973 972018.
