The wider leadership team would be classed as “deacons” in biblical language but that sounds a bit old fashioned, (even more so than “elders”). These wonderful people lead in the many areas of church activity that are essential to church life.

Gill Bray (Worship Team, Catering, Ladies Discipleship Group and Early Morning Prayer Meeting)

Gill was born into a Christian home and made the decision to follow Jesus at a Billy Graham meeting in 1984. Having graduated from Newcastle University, she taught Mathematics in secondary and middle schools until taking early retirement in 2017. She now works with three charities: Shilbottle Community Hall, Shilbottle Children and Young People’s Project and Amicale Hery-Shilbottle Association.

Gill is married to Joss and has two sons and three grandsons. She enjoys a variety of arts and crafts, playing badminton and singing. Her passions are worshipping Jesus, facilitating others to be able worship Jesus and seeing women being released to be the women Jesus wants them to be and seeing men released to be the men Jesus wants them to be.

Sarah Fenwick (Projection Team)

Heather Hardwick (Gateway into Life Friendship and Support Group – Volunteer Co-ordinator)

Heather grew up as part of a thriving local church. She accepted Jesus at a young age and is married to Steve with two sons and four grandchildren.

Heather has worked with vulnerable adults for charities serving the homeless, providing adult mental health services, and working in the community.

She is passionate about helping others to improve their circumstances, make sustainable choices and to hold their place as valued members of the communities in which they live.

Heather co-ordinates the activity of the Friendship and Support Group for the charity Gateway into Life which is a church-based project working with adults returning to normal life after serving a prison sentence.

Heather is keen to use her professional experience in support and resettlement roles to benefit the clients with whom she works.

Mark Van Schalkwyk (Technical Team)

Brian Verity (Big Breakfast)

Susan Whitworth (Kids Work, Shilbottle Discipleship Group, ALPHA)

Susan was brought up to attend church regularly but came to a personal relationship with Jesus only in her late teens. When she was at University in Sheffield she met her husband, Graham; they married and went to live (until 2023) in Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, becoming part of what became Open Door Church Sunbury.  She has taught Maths since 1978, at first in a secondary school and more recently as a private tutor.

She has fulfilled many roles in the church over the years including children’s work.

She has also been involved in the Women’s Institute for over 20 years and loves reading and feeding and entertaining guests.

Graham Whitworth (Shilbottle Discipleship Group, ALPHA)

Graham became a Christian at a young people’s camp when he was 13.  He met his wife Susan through the Christian Union at University, and they have a daughter who is a teacher in Newcastle.  He practised as a solicitor in outer London for 38 years until his retirement in 2017, before moving from Middlesex to Northumberland in 2023.  He has served in various local church roles over the years, has lectured on WordPlus (a Newfrontiers training course) and was a trustee of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship from 2011 to 2017.   He loves studying the Bible and is passionate about restoring New Testament Church.   He is a lifelong railway enthusiast and building another model railway is one of his retirement aspirations yet to be fulfilled.

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