Barbara

Barbara, who worships at St Oswald’s and St Chad’s, Grove Hill in Middlesbrough, shares her Stepping Up story.

Having attended Sunday school as a child I would call myself a lapsed church member and part timer. Then throughout my adult life I often only went to church for occasions such as Christenings, weddings and funerals.

I genuinely believed that I would only find God in a church. On family holidays with my husband and my three children, finding a church to visit was always on my mind to soak up the peace, tranquillity and beauty.

Fast forwarding to three years ago, having taken early retirement as a teaching assistant, I discovered ‘me time’.

Being able to find myself as free as a bird to do everything my heart desired I became a regular attender of St Chads church and in December 2021, I was confirmed . Being the only family member to have a faith I’m often asked why? The simplest honest answer I can give is truly do not know other than feels like I am being called .

Living in the Grove Hill area most of my life represents exactly who I am and the people who are like me. When Reverend Vanessa and Jonny spoke to me about Stepping Up my first reaction was to step back and ask, what have I got to offer? This is where the joy began. The more I learn in my Stepping Up journey the more I belong .

Having so many WOW moments is incredible and seeing through different eyes is the best way to describe what faith means to me.

I could write a book on how wonderful it feels to be covered in Gods grace and I would call that book - Who would have thought it!