Hello! I'm James, and I'm delighted to be joining St. Mark's as a curate.
My wife Samantha and I are excited to become part of the St. Mark's church family and the wider community. We live locally between Tattenham Corner and Epsom, and we're looking forward to getting to know you over the coming months and years. We have three children in their twenties and were really pleased to welcome a daughter-in-law into the family recently.
Before training for ministry, I spent many years working in the legal profession. It was rewarding and enjoyable work, but over time I became convinced that God was calling me in a different direction. Two years ago, I stepped away from my legal career and began training for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. It has been a wonderful season of learning, growth and preparation, and I am thrilled to now be beginning this next chapter at St. Mark's.
Throughout that journey, Micah 6:8 has been an important verse for me, with its call to ‘act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God’. It continues to shape both my faith and my understanding of Christian ministry.
I am passionate about helping people encounter Jesus, grow in faith and gain confidence in sharing the good news with others. I love teaching the Bible, encouraging discipleship, and seeing people equipped to serve Christ in their everyday lives.
Outside church life, I enjoy cycling, especially long-distance rides. In 2024 I cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats, which was a wonderful adventure and gave me plenty of time for thinking, praying and enjoying God's creation along the way.
As a curate, I will be continuing to learn and grow over the next three years as I prepare for future ministry as a vicar. During that time, I will be supervised by the Revd Nico Ohlssen, who has become the Priest-in-Charge of St. Mark's. Although Nico will be overseeing my training, I'm likely to be the person you'll see most often.
During July, Samantha and I will be away for a couple of weeks celebrating our thirtieth wedding anniversary, and during August I'll be completing some final academic work before fully settling into parish life from September.
We have already received such a warm welcome from everyone at St. Mark's, for which we are deeply grateful. The licensing service, including a welcome from the Mayor Councillor Harrison, was a particularly special occasion and a wonderful start to our time here. We come with a real sense of excitement about all that God is doing in this parish, and we are looking forward to worshipping, serving and growing alongside you in the years ahead.
Every blessing,
James