Our new intern

Some of our most faithful church members will rarely take to the stage. Instead, they pour themselves out for others in countless hidden ways. They are the life-giving undercurrent of our church.

Amy Walter is one such person. Over the four years she has attended Grace London, Amy has served on six different teams, all largely out of the spotlight. Even if you haven’t spoken to her directly, she has probably blessed you in some way. 

So, we are delighted she’s joining the staff team in September as an intern. Read below to hear more about Amy and her new role.

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Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up in a coastal village near Plymouth in a family that loves Jesus. During my school years, the faith of those in my family and at church inspired me. The way they reflected Christ in word and deed drew me to Him.

I moved to London in 2020 to study at Imperial College and soon found Grace London. Various lockdowns and online church made it a challenging transition, but even so, I experienced depths of Christian fellowship here that I hadn’t before. I have just finished my degree and am honoured to spend the next year interning full-time for the church.

In my spare time, I love reading, cycling, baking, playing guitar, spending time with kids, going on walks and hanging out with friends and family.


Why did you want to intern at Grace? 

God has been breaking my heart for what breaks His: the lost, broken, sick and poor. I feel called to serve those in need and share the love and hope of Christ. The internship is a valuable opportunity to do this and grow in my giftings as I support the church’s ministries.

My intern role will cover a range of areas, including 1-1 discipleship, children’s work, youth mentoring, Webber Street coordination, and expanding Grace’s mercy ministries. It’ll keep me very busy!

Amy (kneeling, second from right) and her life group at the church weekend away

Why are you passionate about these ministries?

God has used trials in my life to reveal more of His heart. I come from a low-income household on free school meals and benefits, and I am currently walking through long-term grief as I lose my dad to Alzheimer’s. Through these experiences, God has grown my empathy, compassion and desire to care for those in need. I long for others to taste His goodness as I have.

Last month, I had a precious encounter with a man at Webber Street. He arrived openly depressed, grumbling and lacking purpose. But over the meal, something visibly changed as we listened, empathised, and encouraged him. He left feeling dignified in Christ, listened to (like never before), and tangible weight off his shoulders. He even left with a smile. Praise God for this special moment!


How can we pray for you?

Please pray for guidance as we seek to serve new communities and open up opportunities to share the gospel. I long for those in need to experience the riches of Christ, even amidst earthly poverty. Please pray that God would soften many hearts in this city and reveal Himself powerfully.

I would also value prayer for sustainable rhythms of work and rest as I adjust to full-time ministry and that the Lord would bring many volunteers to support the work.


Let’s pray for Amy and a fruitful and joy-filled internship. Please also consider supporting Amy financially. Donations will cover her living costs, enabling her to do this incredible work. Head to her fundraising page here.

Introducing Daniel

2024 has already seen changes to the church staff team with the exciting addition of Daniel Ogbonna. Daniel is our newest Pastor-in-Training, whose role involves hands-on pastoring and training at the Union School of Theology. He is also helping to run The City Fellowship and a course on the foundations of the Christian faith. He tells us more about his story and his role below.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, but have called London home for the last decade. I arrived here as an engineering student, then worked in management consulting, moved into the finance industry, and now I'm transitioning into full-time ministry at Grace. 
 

How did you come to faith in Jesus? 

Although I grew up in a devout Christian home and had always been active in church, it wasn't until the end of 2019 that I truly came to faith. I reached the end of myself and realised that I could not live a righteous life by simply working hard at it. I needed God's grace to forgive and transform me. I exchanged confidence in my efforts for trust in Christ's merit and saw God start to change my character, desires and affections from the inside out.

Daniel, our new Pastor-In-Training (third from the left)

What made you switch from your previous job to the church staff team? 

About six months after coming to faith, I started to sense God putting a desire in my heart for pastoral ministry and growing a gift for teaching his Word. Serving in different ways at Grace allowed me to test this calling within community. So, by the time this role came up, I felt certain that God was calling me to ministry. I had to to go for it.
 

Tell us more. What makes you passionate about pastoral ministry? 

It’s a privilege to be involved in the work God is doing in and through our church, as he calls the lost to himself and believers to lives of greater devotion. Sharing and teaching God's Word is one of the most God-glorifying, life-giving, eternity-shaping activities I get to do. I feel God's delight when I do it, and I can't think of a better way to invest my time and energy in this brief life here on earth.
 

How can we pray for you and the ministry? 

Please pray that I will continue to abide in the Vine and walk closely with Jesus amidst the growing busyness of ministry. I also need wisdom to manage my time well, as I’m working part-time for my old employer until the end of February.

Introducing Andrea

If you have been part of Grace for any length of time, you have probably been greeted at the door by the beaming smile of Andrea Rugasira. Andrea joined the staff team as Events and Hospitality Coordinator this September. She heads up the Welcome team and helps organise our Sunday and mid-week events. Andrea tells us more about her story and her role below.

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Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up with my parents and four siblings in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. In 2014, after spending a year in Kenya, I moved to England to attend a school in Great Malvern, a small picturesque town in the West Midlands. A few years later, I moved to Reading to study for a degree in Geography and graduated in 2022. Shortly after, I accepted a job offer in London as a Graduate Engineer.

My loved ones would say I am a frequent crier, wide smiler and girly giggler. I spend my free time watching cooking shows, hanging out with friends/family, going on walks, and singing along loudly to music, mostly in key.
 

Many may not know, but Andrea came to faith relatively recently. Andrea, could you share your story?

My childhood was marked by insecurity and self-consciousness. I wanted to be carefree and ‘normal’ but instead obsessed over what others thought of me and doubted whether I was truly loved. I had a skewed understanding of God, believing that if I were ‘good’, God would make things work out. I tried my best to follow the rules and respect my elders, and on the surface, I seemed like a mature, well-adjusted child. But I was not the good person I strived to be and felt inwardly torn in two.

During my teenage years, my parents divorced, and my family began to experience emotional and financial hardships. This unsettled my worldview as I didn’t believe I deserved any of it. So, I gave up striving to be good and rejected God entirely. I began to indulge the lusts of the flesh and opened the door to them. Yet, my preoccupation with ‘being good’ still lingered, and I developed a deep sense of shame and crippling anxiety as I wallowed in thoughts of regret. I felt defeated and hopeless.

In 2020, my brother Cezar became a Christian and began sharing the good news of the resurrection. For the first time, I heard I could be made new in Christ and washed of all my sins. The Holy Spirit began to connect this truth with my heart and mind - the sinless perfection I was looking for in myself, I found in Christ Jesus. Finally, I found rest, peace, and joy. Jesus filled my empty heart and dead life with himself. Shortly after my conversion in 2021, my older brother invited me to visit Grace and almost immediately, I decided to settle here.
 

What made you switch from your previous job to the church staff team?

After joining Grace, I developed an overwhelming love for the church. Separately, I felt God was preparing me for a hospitality-centred role, but I didn't know when or where this would be. I began praying into this, and shortly after, Grace started advertising for an Events and Hospitality Coordinator. After careful discussion and prayer, I knew I had to apply for the role.

The role involves planning events, leading church hospitality and everything in between. I am passionate about meeting newcomers and helping them find their place in the church family, which is central to the role.
 

Tell us more. Why is Sunday hospitality important for the health of the church? 

On Sundays, anyone walking through the doors falls into one of two groups: visitors and those who consider Grace their home. It can be overwhelming as a visitor walking into a hall of strangers who look like they all know each other. Meeting newcomers as they arrive, connecting with them, and introducing them to others is a joy and helps them find their place in the family. It's equally a joy welcoming those already part of the church at our Sunday and midweek gatherings. Ultimately, we are a family gathering to enjoy God’s presence and each other.

How can we pray for you and the ministry?

I would appreciate prayer for healthy rhythms of rest and activity. Please also pray that the Lord will bring more volunteers to serve in the Welcome team as the church grows. 

My prayer for the Welcome team is that we have an increasing missional focus and display something of the gospel as we draw near and serve at church gatherings. 

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If you're interested in joining the Welcome team, please get in touch. The team are responsible for greeting newcomers and setting up refreshments for our Sunday services. Volunteers serve usually no more than once a month and play a vital role in the church family.

Introducing George and Becs

Last Sunday, at both services, we were introduced to George & Becs Style. George is our new Pastor-in-Training. We thought many of you would like to get to know them a little better, so we've included an interview with them below. 

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Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

[George] I’m a Londoner, born and bred. I was raised in a non-Christian home and grew up with the classic London cocktail of chasing achievement in work, success in relationships and pursuing a five-year plan. It was in the final year of my degree in primary education, whilst on a semester abroad in the United States, that I encountered Christ for the first time and all my previous pursuits changed. When I came back I was baptised and have been following him ever since. 

And Becs, what about you? Tell us a bit about yourself.  

[Becs] Well, I'm from Hornchurch (Essex) and grew up in a Christian home. I’m one of seven, so life growing up was always action-packed. Something that the Lord really has put on my heart is his love for the vulnerable in society. I’ve mostly worked in the charity sector, working with those who are homeless or struggle with addiction, but in the past couple of years have found myself working in schools alongside teenagers and young adults with learning difficulties. Care for these amazing people really is a passion of mine. At some point in the future, George and I want to adopt or be involved in foster care.

George and I met online nearly three years ago, mid-COVID pandemic lockdown. We started dating — lots and lots of walks before lockdown was lifted — and we were eventually married. We celebrated our one-year anniversary this April. 

Becs, what were the first things that struck you about Grace London when you started attending?

[Becs] I really enjoyed Andrew and Jeremy’s preaching, I always feel like I’ve been fed so well sitting under God’s word brought by them, but for me personally, the thing that stuck with me the most is the intensity and passion of the times of worship in the service. Music has always been important to me and was even a big part of how I came to Christ and so to be in a room surrounded by people who sing so loudly and boldly as we declare beautiful things of God, that’s really powerful to me.

Back to you, George. You're joining us as our church's new Pastor-in-Training; how did you end up deciding on a life in vocational ministry? 

[George] I remember from the moment I began my walk with Christ I felt the sense of the Lord's call over my whole life and that sense was only strengthened by people, encouraging me into deeper aspects of service. I remember my pastor at the time sending me the link to our church's internship programme telling me that he thought I should seriously consider signing up. Then, when busy London life seemed to be put on pause during the pandemic, and I wasn't busying myself looking after kids in the school classroom, I was able to spend time intentionally discerning this call. That led me to leave my job as a primary school teacher and start full-time study at Oak Hill Theological College in North London, whilst working for my church at the same time. 

We’re excited to have you both part of the church! What are you most excited about in this role? And what are your hopes for our church?

[George] Am I allowed to say everything? I think the thing I'm most excited for is getting to know the whole church family and beginning to walk alongside them, encouraging them and supporting them: helping to build them up in their walk with Christ.

My hope for the church, as we continue to seek the Lord, is to be building his kingdom here in London, as it is in heaven; that we grow as a community, as a family, as a body, that loves one another, seeks to build each other up and lives together in fellowship… A church that is the salt and light to a city that is crying out for what can only be offered by God's precious gospel.

George and Becs, how can we be praying for you both and your ministry at Grace London?

[George] Thank you for asking. I guess firstly, that the Lord will help us get settled quickly into the rhythms and patterns of church life. Please also pray for us as we expecting a baby in spring next year! 

[Becs] My pregnancy hasn't been the easiest so far. And has stopped me from involving myself in church life as much as I would like. So, please pray for us and for our unborn baby.

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Welcome to George & Becs! 

Introducing Harrison

Harrison is one of our interns and is about to begin the second year of his internship with us, with a focus on evangelism and discipleship. On any given week, you might find him leading a Bible study with those exploring Christianity, studying for his theology course, or chatting to people on a local estate. Since becoming a Christian just over three years ago, Harrison has continued to grow in his passion for Christ and urgency to share the good news with those around him. We thought we'd ask him a few questions about one of the ministries that he's involved in - street evangelism on the south bank. 

Why do you go out on the streets to do evangelism? 

After becoming a Christian, and joining Grace, I had plenty of opportunities to get involved in different evangelistic opportunities and events, such as the Salt Course, Salt Live, bible studies (for non-Christians) and street outreach. Jeremy and I would sometimes go out to the south bank and chat with people sitting there. For the first few times, I remember pretty much hiding behind Jeremy in conversation, but as time went on I began to feel more and more comfortable talking to strangers about my faith. It wasn’t as frightening as I first thought. I think these small conversations really gave me a love for street outreach. Once I got over that initial fear, I began to see the importance of leaning on God in weakness and seeking God’s Spirit to empower me. Now I think it’s something every Christian should consider getting involved in!

What does street outreach involve?

On some Sundays, we meet at 1:30pm at LNS, and make our way to the south bank. Once we’ve set up the table, a few of us start handing out tracts and gospels, and chat with people who stop to see what we have on display. After just over an hour, we meet back at the table, pack up and share how it went for everyone. This is one of my favourite parts as there are always stories of people having conversations that they wouldn’t have otherwise had, and it’s great to see how encouraged people are who haven’t done this before and how the Lord blessed the work, as they have stepped out in faith. As a result of our street outreach, we’ve had people come to church services and Salt Live events, had great inter-faith exchanges and evangelistic chats, prayed with people and handed out a large number of Christian materials.

What’s a memorable conversation or chat that someone’s shared?

Just over a month ago, I gave a gospel tract to a man on Southbank and just a few minutes later, his teenage son came over asking for more. He said he was a Christian and was really encouraged to see other believers out in the streets telling people about Jesus. He also told me that he’d hand out the tracts that I’d given him on his way home as well as to his friends in his hometown of Cambridge. It was a good reminder to me that we’re not only witnessing to the lost, but encouraging and building up the Church when they see people seeking to be bold for Christ.

If you are interested in getting involved in street outreach, just get in touch with Harrison (07368 817640, harrison@grace.london). He's always keen for more people to get involved. 

Get to know our worship team

There was a time (a beautiful time, mind you) when it would not be uncommon for Grace London's Sunday worship team to be short of a pianist, a guitarist or a cajonist and for Andrew Haslam to spontaneously jump up onstage himself to pick up the slack and play one of the instruments to fill the band out. That time seems to be just a fading memory of the past, since, over the last few years, our worship ministry has become a robust, lively, creative group of rotating worship leaders and musicians helping us to meet with God through praise and song each week.

We have Pete Mills, who heads up the worship team, to thank for a lot of this transformation as Pete has worked hard both behind the stage and in front of it to help shape the Grace London worship vibe that you experience each Sunday. Alongside Pete, we also have Jono Thorne, who is joining our staff team this month. Jono will take over as my maternity cover, helping out with Grace London's communications and digital work for part of the week, and then as worship coordinator for the other part. Jono will also take on some theology studies at Crosslands.

Get to know Pete and Jono a bit more in the interview below:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Pete: I spent the first 24 years of my life in the North East of England, growing up in a small town called Stockton-on-Tees before going to study music in Newcastle. This is where Nats and I met as we were both a part of Cornerstone Church Newcastle, which is also part of the Advance Movement. During our first year of marriage, we felt God call us down to London, thinking that we'd be here for a short time. But here we are six years later with Ezra (our lively 11-month old boy) and a wonderful church family! Outside of church and work, I'm a long-suffering supporter of Middlesbrough FC and I enjoy trying to find my favourite albums on vinyl.

Jono: I grew up in Coventry in the West Midlands with my parents and two older sisters. After finishing school, I decided to take a gap year and moved to Brighton where I worked as a worship intern for a church called Emmanuel. As I was preparing to move to London to start my undergraduate degree, a friend mentioned Grace London to me and so I decided to visit on my first Sunday in the city. I soon decided to settle at Grace and have been here the last four years. In my spare time I enjoy (unsurprisingly!) playing guitar and songwriting, bouldering and reading.

How many instruments do you play? 

Pete: The threshold for 'play' is debatable, but I think I've played six different instruments on stage.

Jono: Four - I learned clarinet from a young age and taught myself guitar as a teen. I also play bass and saxophone.

Pete, Can you share with us a bit more about your role and what you do on a day to day basis/Sunday? 

Pete: I'm responsible for enabling our musicians and technicians to flourish when we gather as a church family. This involves everything from leading sung worship to helping the tech team get everything ready for a gathering. Each Sunday can look quite different depending on what's needed, but it could involve auditioning people for the worship team, deciding new songs with our worship leaders or fixing some technical issues that inevitably occur!

What have you seen change since you first began leading the worship team until now? 

Pete: The most obvious change is the size of the team. When I first started, there were some team members who were serving every Sunday, as we didn't have enough people on certain instruments. There are now over 40 people on the team and I serve alongside five brilliant worship leaders who help to facilitate our times of sung worship.

Many people might not know that the team actually wrote a few original songs which we sing on Sundays. How did this come about and how has that whole process been? 

Pete: Yes, it's been great to see how this has developed over the past year. Nats and I wrote a song about the prodigal son over lockdown and thought it could be a blessing to our church, so we decided to start singing it on Sundays. From there, several people encouraged us to write more, so we put together a small songwriting group to write songs that were engaging, theologically rich and could be easily sung by a church congregation. We now have four original songs that we sing as a church and it's been incredibly rewarding to see how they've encouraged people in their faith.* 

And this is where Jono comes in as for a few days a week, he will help you with worship and song composition.

Pete: Jono in particular is a song ideas machine, and I'm very much looking forward to him being able to give even more time to this as he joins the staff team.

Jono, you’ve been on the worship team for a while now and have just recently re-joined the staff team as worship coordinator and (my!) communications maternity cover. What led you to take on these roles?

Jono: After working at Grace part-time during university, I decided to venture into corporate communications over the last year. However, I've had a passion for worship and composition for some time and had hoped at some point that I'd be able to do it in a professional capacity, though I was unsure when. So, I jumped at the opportunity to rejoin the staff team at Grace and combine my professional experience and passion to support the church in this role. When I'm not working in the office, I'll be studying theology online at Crosslands, exploring the bible with people from across the UK and the further afield.

What are you most excited about doing in this role? What are you hoping it will look like?

Jono: I’m hoping the role will involve lots of collaboration with other church and staff members as well as the opportunity to think creatively and produce engaging content.

Do you find it challenging to worship when you have to do it in an “official” capacity? 

Pete: There can be a challenge around the sincerity of our worship and I'm mindful of ensuring that my worship remains devotional rather than it becoming just 'my job'. I think it's something that every worship leader has to wrestle with and we must regularly examine our hearts to discern what the object of our worship is. But this is also true for everyone - Jesus calls us to be worshippers who worship in spirit and truth, so we must never be content with insincere worship.

What does worship mean to you?

Pete: True worship is the continuous giving of all that we are to God and this affects our whole life, not just the songs we sing on a Sunday. To worship God is to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength - this should affect how we sing on Sundays as well as how we live our lives during the rest of the week. Worship brings feelings of awe, reverence, contentment and joy, which can only be found in their ultimate sense when Christ is the object of our worship.

Jono: I would describe worship as a joyful sacrifice. Like how the Israelites would offer the first-fruits of their harvest on the altar, for us, true worship involves surrendering to God everything in our lives and giving Him the place of highest honour in our hearts. It is a costly act, but one that brings deep joy and rest.

What is important for you in selecting a song to sing on a Sunday? 

Pete: I think it's important for us to start our times of worship by declaring something about God before we sing something about our response. This is why we'll often start our services with something like 'King of Kings' or 'Lion and the Lamb' before singing a song like 'God I look to you'. It's a small thing but I think it helps us to keep Christ at the centre of it all.

Jono: It may sound like a no-brainer but I always try to include mention of Jesus in the first couple of songs. God has revealed himself most abundantly through Jesus - and He is the object of worship! - so I find it helpful to explicitly refer to Jesus early on in the setlist.

How can we pray for you and the ministry? 

Pete: Please pray that God would bring us more skilled musicians and technicians as the church continues to grow. There is a real love for the church family in both teams and this is evident as they pray for the church before band rehearsals every Sunday. Please pray for this to continue and for an even deeper love for the church. 

Jono: Over the last few weeks, I’ve been dwelling on Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples of all nations and so I would appreciate prayer that my work in the team would serve to advance God’s kingdom and bring those outside the church to know Him. My prayer too is that as a worship team, we would have an increasingly missional focus and that through our times of worship we might encourage the church to share the gospel with others.

Can you share with us the link to the Grace London Spotify playlist? 

Pete: Absolutely! Here it is.

*In case you were wondering, the four original Grace London worship songs are:

• Better

• Come to the King

• Crucible

• The Grace of the Father

Introducing Cayleigh

As Andrew preached on the importance of families this past Sunday, we wanted to take this opportunity to get to know Cayleigh Rogers, who is Grace London's deacon of children and part of Grace's staff team as the Children's Ministry & Welcome Coordinator. Cayleigh not only plays an integral role in getting newcomers situated into church life but also in serving the needs of Grace's families.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Where are you from, family background, how you ended up at Grace London, what you enjoy doing during your spare time. 

Sure thing! I'm from Johannesburg, South Africa and have now lived in London for 6 years. I arrived in London on a Thursday and that Sunday, I went to Grace for the first time. The church I attended back in SA is part of the Advance Movement and I knew in moving here I wanted to attend a church that was part of that movement.

I am a trained musical theatre performer and have another job as a singing waitress. In my spare time I love trips to the theatre, exploring new places, heading to a museum or gallery and just generally being out and about with friends! 

You are the deacon of children for Grace London. Can you share with us a bit more about your role and what you do on a day to day basis/Sunday?

In the Autumn of last year I joined the staff team as Children's Ministry & Welcome Coordinator. Before that I had been heading up Tots & Kids for about a year as a volunteer. My role as Children's Ministry Coordinator has a few parts. It involves recruiting and training people to serve the children and families, sourcing and putting together the curriculum and then on Sundays leading in either Kids or Tots (with lots of singing, dancing and crafts). 

What are some changes you have seen since you first began working with the children of Grace until now?

So much has changed! We now have more age groups, more volunteers and, of course, more children. I think as the church has grown we've had to adapt and change many things with regards to the Children's Ministry. For the first time ever, we even put on a small mini-production for Christmas last year!

What are you excited for Grace kids/tots in upcoming years?

I'm most excited to see how the children would grow in their understanding of God and His Truth. I also look forward to seeing many more volunteers join the team - each volunteer brings something so special and unique to the team so I am excited to see who God would bring to the teams and what that would mean for our growing church! 

What's been your favourite thing about leading the children’s ministry? 

Two things. First, I love seeing volunteers who have a passion and gift for teaching and loving the children! It is such a joy to be part of a team of people who genuinely love God and love the families of Grace. The second and probably my most favourite are moments with the children - there is something so beautiful about being able to share the gospel with young children and seeing them respond! It is such a privilege to have time with the children every Sunday - to see their joy, receive hugs and to be reminded that even a two-year-old can be changed and impacted by God and know His love for them.

Can you share any specific stories during your years of serving that have stuck out in your mind?

There have been a few over the years but one that stands out is a story of how one day a parent was praying and their toddler knelt beside them and started praying with them. If I recall correctly, they were praying about what we had learnt that Sunday during our Tots session. Stories like that are just such a beautiful encouragement that even though we may think that at two, a child does not retain loads, they are still listening, observing and taking it all in.

How can we pray for you and the ministry?

I would love prayer for the volunteer teams (Tots, Kids & Juniors) - that God would continue to give us passion, joy and expectancy for what He is doing in the lives of these children. That He would also bring more people our way who are passionate about serving the families at Grace. And then for the children - that they would grow up to love God, to know their value and identity in Him and that He would use them to be powerful instruments for the Gospel in this world. 

We're grateful for the work that Cayleigh and the Tots, Kids & Juniors teams are doing for Grace London's families and we hope that as we continue studying Ephesians 6 these next few weeks, we'll be able to receive more wisdom on how all the various branches of a healthy, thriving church - the preaching, the renewal of hearts, the serving - will all come together to foster an environment where a new generation will be raised up loving, obeying and serving the Lord.

Getting to know Laura

As a church, we all have a part to play in discipling each other and in caring for those in need. However, we also recognise that some in the church are particularly gifted for this sort of thing, so we've established two volunteer teams to help with this work, the pastoral team and the care team. The pastoral team assist the elder couples and life group leaders in providing pastoral care (e.g. helping folk who are struggling in their faith). The care team help with practical support. Both these ministries are led by Laura Twemlow, who serves as a deacon and as our part-time pastoral coordinator. 

Let's get to know Laura and the two teams a bit better with a few questions below!

Hi Laura! Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

I’m originally from Connecticut, USA, but moved to London at age 20 and finished my degree at LSE. I’m an only child of two amazing parents who adopted me when I was six weeks old. They both love Jesus a lot and helped me to know the Lord. I met Pete, my husband, at Westminster Chapel where we were both part of the same Bible study. We now have two boys, Eli and Matthias who are in primary school. In my free time I love cooking and baking… and eating. 

How did you come to joining Grace London's staff team?

Before Grace, I worked for seven years at Westminster Chapel, where I did some pastoral training at CCEF through distance learning and at Oak Hill College. I also had the privilege of shadowing Greg and Ruth Haslam during counselling sessions and learning from them.

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Pastoral Team

The pastoral team is designed to help supplement the amazing pastoral work that life group leaders do to provide care and counsel to folk in their groups. As the church grows, there are more people looking for some discipleship, help in a specific area of struggle, or perhaps need some support during a difficult time. The pastoral team exists so that more people can have one-on-one pastoral support if they need it.  

Did you have any goals or hopes when you first began your role as the pastoral coordinator and how has it worked out so far?

A major hope was to help unburden Jeremy, Andrew and their wives, because it was becoming difficult for them to be able to keep on top of the pastoral needs. Our goal was never to just supplement them myself, but to build a team of volunteers with a passion for helping people in this way. We have been able to grow a team of about 15 volunteers which has been amazing. We meet together to discuss specific pastoral topics and learn together how to apply biblical truth to life's challenges. 

What has been challenging about leading this team? 

It’s always a challenge to understand different mental health struggles e.g. how best to help and support people with clinical depression or debilitating anxiety for example. We are learning how best to support people from a Christian perspective, whilst also signposting them towards professional counselling. 

How do you hope the pastoral team will grow or evolve in future years?

We'd like to keep growing as a team, both numerically, and in our understanding of how to apply biblical truth to life's challenges. 

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Care Team

Not many people might be aware Grace has a care team. Can you share with us a bit of what you guys do?

We try to keep an ear to the ground to help with the more practical aspects of caring for folk, including things like organising meal rotas (e.g. after someone has had a baby), coordinating financial assistance, organising childcare, and arranging care packages for those who are going through difficult times. 

How can the church best pray for you and the teams?

I would definitely value prayers for myself and the teams. For wisdom to know how to respond best to different pastoral situations, for ongoing encouragement for all of us to keep pressing into the Lord as we serve.

Are there any verses or wise advice you keep with you when days get hard serving others?

It’s good to try to think of every situation as an opportunity for us to grow and learn and to develop more Christ-like character. Deuteronomy 31:6 has been an encouragement to me lately: "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Any books you recommend people to read when walking with others?

Winning the War on Worry by Louie Giglio - Speaking from his own personal experience of anxiety and depression, Louie Giglio writes a down-to-earth easy-to-read book on anxiety from a Christian's perspective. There are questions at the end of each chapter for reflection on your own, or as part of a small group.

Side by Side by Ed Welch - A really helpful read for every church member. Ed Welch provides a short, but powerful, guide for the believer about how to do life together and help each other meaningfully through life's peaks and troughs.

We hope you enjoyed getting to know Laura, the pastoral and care teams better.