Staff and Leadership

Please find below an introduction to our church leaders and staff members.

Revd Natasha Brady, Vicar
Natasha joined us in 2018 from St Mary’s, Rushden, Northants, having been ordained in 2015. She is married to Jamie, and has four (grown-up) children: Sam, Elissa, Megan and Imogen.

After being involved in her local churches, and “running away” from ordination for a while, she was finally told to ‘just get on with it’ by another minister and is very glad that she took that advice.

How did she decide to move to Stoke Poges?
“We couldn’t stop smiling from the moment we got out of the car in Stoke Poges and I just knew that this was where God was calling me.”


Simon McDowell, Churchwarden and Acting Secretary		John Wheatley, Churchwarden and Acting Treasurer
Simon, with his wife Heather, has lived in Stoke Poges for most of the last 20 years, with their two boys, who are growing up fast. Outside the church, Simon has worked as an accountant, a project manager and an advisor to growing companies, occasionally dragging his family to warmer climes for work. Having become Churchwarden in 2016, as a ‘reward’ for helping with the St Giles’ restoration, he has been trying to help maintain our buildings and grow our church family in this village and is always grateful for the advice and help given by other members of the church and PCC.		John is a business manager, married to Alison and has three daughters and four grandchildren who all keep him on his toes. John has attended Stoke Poges Churches for many years and is a reliable, passionate member of the church who takes joy in guiding and helping others in his community through everything he does. He can usually be found helping in various church and community projects in the surrounding area and attending Life groups and Men’s groups. John is a Synod representative and has a passion for growing Churches, often taking on personal challenges to support new ideas.


Debbie Langham, Church Administrator		Richard Beckingsale, PCC Member and Hon Verger & Sacristan
Debbie joined Heather in the office in 2019, but has been playing the organ at evening services at St Giles’ since 2015. When not in Stoke Poges, she can be found teaching piano in High Wycombe or knitting. Whilst Debbie actually lives in High Wycombe, it can feel as though she spends more time in Stoke Poges than at home! She is married to Ian and has two grown-up children, her Mum in a granny annexe, three cats and a small rescue terrier who thinks he’s much bigger and scarier than he is.		Richard moved to Stoke Poges in the late 1970’s with his wife Jackie and two children Jonathan and Kerry. Made redundant in 1981 he strengthened his faith having joined a Life Group, and later led one for many years. Retired in 2002, and moved to Farnham Common in 2008 and was widowed in 2009. Richard is currently Honorary Verger and Sacristan at St Giles, has responsibility for Health & Safety and is a member of the Property Committee.


Nigel Lowe, PCC Member		Jennifer Pickering, PCC Member
Nigel’s stock phrase is “You can trust me, I’m a builder!”. Born ‘up North’ he now lives on the eastern borders of Stoke Poges. Has wife, various children who have all left home, and a multitude of animals who haven’t. Rumoured to be over 70, has yet to learn what retirement means and can often be found on the roof or down the drains at the church buildings. Committed to spreading the Gospel, Nigel is involved in many aspects of the life and work of the Church in Stoke Poges.		A retired schoolteacher, Jennifer’s life revolves around music. She has been a member of St. Giles for a long time and sings in the St. Giles choir as well as the Eton and Windsor Choral Society. Her husband Philip is a music teacher and a trumpet player whose parents also took an active role in the life of the church, worshipping at St. Giles for many years. Jennifer is a member of the band of Flower Ladies which decorates St. Giles, sits on the Property committee, is a member of a Life Group and is the first to volunteer for any extra tasks that have to be done.


Mark Wells, PCC Member		Kate Holliday, PCC Member
Mark has lived in Stoke Poges for 20 years and is a previous Church warden. His proper job is helping Technology Companies grow which he loves. He also likes cars and all things mechanical and electrical and owns almost every variety of Power Tool and can even use some of them. Mark usually has a few projects on the go including some for the Church, previous ones have been the Youth Hall, Flats and additional land at St Andrews and helping secure a Curate. Mark is married to Margriet who fortunately makes up for all his poor social skills.		Kate has has recently embarked on her own gardening business, having worked in the church office for nearly twenty years. Her many other talents include baking and scrapbooking and she loves being a member of the Ladies’ Life Group. Kate has lived in the village for nearly thirty years, is married to Tim and has two grown up children.


Ann Sibley, PCC Member & Lettings Manager		Heather McDowell, Communications Officer
Ann has lived in Stoke Poges for 30 years. She has two grown up daughters and one grandson who are a great support to her. Her career has been spent between being a Carer working for Bucks County Council and a Postal Officer working for The Post Office where she met her late husband who she was married to for 41 years. Ann ‘s interests are in rescuing dogs, the theatre and dining out with no washing up! Ann’s church life started at Sunday School aged 3 at Iver Methodist Church where she was later married, via Uxbridge Salvation Army where she was a Youth Salvationist and a Queen's Guide and now to St Andrew's as our Lettings Manager.		Heather has three part time jobs, two boys, a dog and is married to a Churchwarden. She looks after the church website, weekly email and social media and supports Debbie in the office. Heather's passion is painting (and teaching it) and one day she is going to work out out how to put worship and painting together.

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