Welcome our new Rural Dean, Revd Jeff Wattley, Vicar in Egham, and Assistant Rural Dean, Revd Sandra Faccini, Vicar in Ottershaw:
JEFF: “I have been Vicar of St John's Egham for seven years, having previously been Vicar of St John's Wonersh and St Martin's Blackheath at the other end of Guildford Diocese. I was ordained in 1992. I am married to Sheila and we have four grown up children who are either at University or starting their careers.
This is a second period in Egham for me as I grew up here and attended St John's Egham as a child. This makes me passionate about our children and young people's work as well as our commitment to the wider community. Our strapline at St John's is 'Transforming our Community' and our Big Conversation is focussed on 'how we can be good news in Jesus name'. Our big challenge is completing the fundraising for a new Church Centre.
I am keen to encourage the Churches of the Deanery to work together with other voluntary and statutory bodies to care for the communities we serve so that the people of Runnymede can experience the caring love of Christ.
Runnymede Deanery will be pioneering a more collaborative approach to the work of the Rural Dean by appointing Sandra Faccini as Assistant Rural Dean at the same time. We plan to work closely together, sharing the tasks and in due course the plan is to swap roles so that Sandra will take over as Rural Dean and I will be her assistant.
My usual day off is Wednesday when I often engage in my favourite hobby which is sailing, though I seem to spend more time mending the boat than sailing it!”
SANDRA: “Since 2009 I have been priest-in-charge at Ottershaw, having moved there from Burgh Heath. I was ordained in 2004 after seven years working as Young Families Minister for St Paul’s Howell Hill. I remain very committed to supporting and nurturing families, I love Messy Church and Christ Church Ottershaw is currently in the process of recruiting someone to develop that side of the work. People of all ages of course matter to God and I seek to encourage mission wherever I can. We will also be celebrating our 150th anniversary next year and we are currently planning some events which will hopefully enable us to celebrate God’s faithfulness to us and provide opportunities for the local community to join with us in thanksgiving for the church.
Tim Hillier has done a great job for Runnymede deanery, building it up and strengthening links and I am very grateful to him as I am sure are many others. I have been particularly encouraged by the desire of the churches in our deanery to work together in various ways and also to work with our ecumenical partners as we share the love of God with our neighbours and community. I look forward to working alongside Jeff in this new collaborative approach to the role of Rural Dean, and with the churches in the deanery as we seek to make Christ known and share his love.
I am a mum to two young adults, one still at Uni and the other a recent graduate and I have a mad Springer Spaniel who I enjoy taking for walks. My favourite ways to spend my day off (Fridays) include walking and lunching with friends, swimming, reading and shopping (not all at the same time!). “
Support Jeff and Sandra by attending the Celebration of Community and Commissioning of Rural Dean Service on 1 October (see Events Calendar).