- Church Street
- Woodnesborough
- Sandwich
- Kent
- CT13 0NW
Our team
The Reverend Daniel Harrison became Priest-in-Charge here in February 2009 after cutting his ministerial teeth during a curacy in Beckenham. Before that he trained for the priesthood at Westcott House in Cambridge, and before that he was a secondary school teacher for many years. As well as looking after St Mary’s, Woodnesborough, Dan is P-in-C of St James', Staple, and is Minister to the Sandwich Schools. As part of that job, he is a Governor of Sandwich Technology School, takes the Sunday service for boarders at Sir Roger Manwood's School and goes in to the junior schools as well. When he’s not being the Vicar, Dan is a very good amateur cellist.
The Reverend Rob Stevenson has served, part time, in the parish since 2005, indeed he was ordained priest in St Mary’s the following year. His wife Tessa is part of the lay leadership and became an Authorised Lay Minister in 2008 involved in pastoral care. She also helps to run the Mother and Toddler Group and runs parenting courses.
We are blessed in this church with having a very strong lay Ministry. Donald and Hilary Baldwin are both Readers and take many of the funerals in the parish, offering follow-up bereavement counselling at what can be a particularly difficult time. They both take services in this parish and neighbouring parishes in the cluster, and lead the Bible Study in Staple. Hilary is available for home Communion.
Another active duo are Don Martin and his wife Rae. Both are authorised lay ministers. Don has an active role in taking services and preaching in both parishes while Rae is an ALM for wholeness and healing. Together they are responsible for co-ordinating the benefice pastoral care team which offers both practical and spiritual support to anyone in need in the parishes. They are both authorised by the Diocese for the Laying on of Hands in Public Worship, and lead regular services in the local retirements flats, occasional Celtic services throughout the Deanery and are involved in healing services throughout the Diocese.