Heart of our journey

“We never expected St Mary’s to become such a huge part of our lives. But back in 1985, something shifted…”

When we moved to Stebbing in 1985, it would be fair to say we were rather reluctant churchgoers. This was largely because the parish priest in our previous diocese on the South Coast had refused to baptise our newborn daughter unless we committed to regular church attendance.

So, having made that commitment—and with encouragement from our new neighbours—we began attending services at St Mary’s. At the time, we had no idea of the pivotal role that St Mary’s, and the people we met there, would come to play in our lives in the years ahead.

It has been at the heart of our family’s milestones: baptisms, confirmations, weddings, anniversaries—and now, second-generation baptisms. Just as importantly, it has been a place of peace and refuge in times of trouble.

The fellowship, love, support, and compassion that flow from this place have meant more than we could have imagined.