Linda

Linda, who worships at St Thomas’ Church in Brambles Farm, Thorntree and Netherfields shares her story and her journey towards joining Stepping Up.

My name is Linda Whitehead and I started Stepping Up in January 2023.  I became a christian in 1982 and I attend and am a member of a local pentecostal church.  In April 2020 my husband, Ron, sadly passed away.  I had been diagnosed the previous year with a faulty aortic valve (although I had never been ill and suffered few symptoms!).  I was invited to have surgery on the 1st May and I chose to go ahead with it.  It was lockdown and I self-isolated for 16 weeks.  I knew God was with me and that He would see me through.  I started asking God, 'What's next?'  'What's next?'

My own church meets in a public building so we were not able to have meetings due to the restrictions.  One morning, around the end of August/September time, I felt compelled to check out St. Cuthberts, Ormesby (a 5-minute walk from my house) online as I felt they could possibly be having services.  They were holding a communion service – socially distancing – on a Wednesday morning and I knew that I would be made welcome.  I had been going a few weeks when I said good morning to a woman in the lane and it was Reverend Jane.  We chatted on our way in, she was easy to talk to.  If I had been a minute earlier or a minute later we would not have had that encounter; it was a God moment.

In December that year, Janet (the Curate at St Cuthberts at the time) told me that Jane was church planting in Thorntree and Brambles Farm and that she was having a Carols by Candlelight service.  I was born into and raised in Thorntree and felt an immediate 'pull'.  I went to the event – it was great – got Jane's telephone number and promised I would call her in January when things had calmed down, which I did.

We had coffee and got on well and I offered to volunteer.  I started by being early and making tea when people arrived. Jane quickly recruited me onto her team and I helped out at the Sunday service; the after school club, the sausage buttie morning and different events such as Easter, the Coronation, Christmas etc.

Jane invited me to Wydale and Bishopthorpe on Multiply conferences.  It is wonderful to be involved with a different worshipping community and to share and learn.  Also, it is inspiring to worship in a newly founded community both for myself and seeing those just coming to faith.

Jane then invited me to take the Mustard Seed course, Stepping Up.  I began the course January '23 and finished December '23.  We had a wonderful group and we have continued to keep in touch, meet and support each other.  I was commissioned as a Community Minister in Thorntree, Brambles Farm and Netherfields in January and have started my mission today, 18th June by facilitating a discipleship course.  The five attendees were confirmed on Easter Sunday.

It has been, and still is, a great experience.  It has enriched me, created new friendships and widened my sphere of interaction; it has been a real blessing to me.

To find out more about Reverend Jane Emson, Multiply Minister for Thorntree, Brambles Farm and Netherfields in East Middlesbrough, click here.