Just months after appointing its first ever Curate, St John’s Church in Peasedown St John has made history again with two new interns joining its growing congregation.
Twenty-year old Liam Adam and 22 year old Jamie Sims, both studying Mission & Theology at ForMission College, Bath, have decided get first-hand experience of parish life by shadowing Revd Matthew Street and staff at the church.
Local vicar, Revd Matthew Street, said: “We are delighted to have Liam and Jamie with us in Peasedown St John, and hope to encourage and support them in their training and aspirations for church leadership.
“They are both from ForMission College, Birmingham, which is dedicated to training people to becoming fully-equipped and innovative Christian leaders.
“Based at the college’s Bath-campus, we hope that they will find their time here both useful and challenging.”
Liam will be working closely with Children’s Pastor Rob Bubyer and Jamie will be shadowing Community Outreach Pastor Andy Stockinger.
Liam, who previously worked as an IT customer support advisor in Keynsham, said: “My apprenticeship in Keynsham was coming to an end and I was unsure what do next. Someone told about the Mission & Theology course so I thought I’d give it ago.
“Not knowing what to expect, I’m glad I came along. I’ve learned a lot this past year, and as part of my coaching with Matthew Street I’ve started helping with some of the children’s holiday clubs in the church, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
“I’m hoping to find out a lot about children’s activities and running kids clubs while I am here.”
Liam will be helping to organise children’s holiday clubs, run school assemblies, assist at the Sunday afternoon Soul Food kids groups, and support children at the early morning breakfast club run by the church at Peasedown Youth & Children’s Centre.
Jamie, who has spent much of her life moving around as part of a forces family, comes from Weston-super-Mare.
She commented: “I felt God calling me into ordained forces chaplaincy three years ago. I decided to apply for the degree here in Bath because I really wanted to get to grips with God’s word in a setting where people would help me to see the applicability to my life.
“I prayed in my last year of sixth form for a pull to where God wanted me, and as I was looking at ForMission I felt it to be right.
“I hope to learn from St. John’s Church and deepen pastoral skills in order to prepare me for where God calls me.”
Jamie will be attending youth work sessions at Peasedown Youth & Children’s Centre in the evening, helping to assist the youth meetings at Peasedown Methodist Church on Tuesday evenings and will join the new ‘Movement’ planning team.
People living in Peasedown St John will have plenty of opportunities to meet Liam and Jamie at church services and events coming up this Autumn and Christmas time.
