We are delighted to be able to announce that, after recommendation from the diocese, and after much prayer, meetings and discussions, that Sheena Williams will be arriving next July as our new Curate.

We very much look forward to welcoming her and her family to the Parish, and greatly look forward to her ministry here among us. So, let her introduce herself…

I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to introduce myself to you before we arrive in Swaythling next summer.

I have just begun my final year at the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme (STETS) which is based in Sarum College in Salisbury and hope to be ordained Deacon in July 2010 – which is fast approaching!

I’m 37 years old, married to Andrew who is an airline pilot based at Heathrow airport, and we have 2 children and a dog. Ewan is 10 and Eilidh is 8 and Holly our golden retriever is a mad “puppy” of 11.

In years gone by I used to be a solicitor in Scotland where we lived until 8 years ago. I gave up work when we had children, and at times I thought I had retired! We moved “down south” from Dunblane and I became involved in the life of St Mark’s church in Kempshott, on the outskirts of Basingstoke.

With encouragement from members of that congregation, I gradually became aware that God might be calling me to serve him in a licensed role in his church. I started off training to be a Lay Reader but didn’t even last a term before I accepted that my call was to the ordained ministry. It has been an amazing vocational journey for me and I hope to share my story with you in person when I come down.

I love music and I play bass guitar in our church’s music group – sometimes 6-string acoustic if our other guitarists are away. We make a loud and joyful sound unto the Lord! In any spare time I have I enjoy playing tennis although I am usually beaten by Ewan.

My training has been a fantastic experience. I have made new friends and discovered new things about myself. I have also learned a bit about theology, but much more about God. Highlights have included a trip to places of worship of other faiths and a Saturday night out with the Southampton City Centre Police Violent Crime Unit. In my second year I spent two months with the Chaplaincy team at HMP Winchester – a return to my legal background.

We are all looking forward to our move to Swaythling, and I hope to be able to come to some events and services in the parish before then, so please do stop me and say hello.

I look forward to meeting you all – and to sharing the next few years of our Christian journeys with you.

Blessings,
Sheena.