We are very excited about moving to Colyton and getting to know the churches and parishes that make up the Holyford Mission Community. In preparation for our arrival, I have been asked to provide a few lines about myself, so…
I was born ‘at a very early age’, in London, and came to the church through music, as a choirboy at St George’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Southwark. It was there that I encountered some inspiring Christians and began to learn about the faith; it is since then that I have always felt the deep and loving presence of Jesus Christ in my life.
We moved to Sussex when I was about 10 years old, and it is there I began to learn to play the organ. My family and I moved again to Devon, about 22 years ago. Music, especially church music, has always been a passion. I read music at Exeter University, going on to postgraduate study there and finally at the University of Bristol. During my time studying I was organ scholar at the University and at Crediton Parish Church and for three years a choral scholar at Exeter Cathedral. Before ordination, I was a teacher and taught music at The Maynard School in Exeter.
I trained for ordination at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and served my curacy at Tavistock with Gulworthy and Brent Tor. During the past year I have also been looking after the churches at Mary Tavy and Peter Tavy. I am married to Caroline, who works as an historic landscape specialist for Nicholas Pearson Associates. We were married just over eight years ago at Crediton (where I was Director of Music), and have two sons, Henry (aged 3 ½) and John (7 months). You will also see (and hear!) Beryl pottering about. Beryl is our 1969 brown Morris Minor who has been with me for the past 20 years.
It would be good at this point if I could write something gripping or niche about my hobbies and interests (…that I liked windsurfing in tweeds or that I was founding captain of the England Bo-taoshi team…) but the truth is that in my spare time I like to do all the usual things, like listen to music, read (short-ish) books, wander about in the garden and, most of all, doze off in front of the television.
I know that there will be precious little time for dozing off as I endeavour to meet everyone and discern how I can best serve you and the growth of God’s Church on our journey together. Thank you for inviting me to become your next Rector; I hope that we shall meet soon, and pray that God will bless us and all that we do in his holy name and in the service of his love.
Fr. Steven.
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