Church of England in Box, Wiltshire
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A New Vicar!
A warm welcome to Revd Dr Janet Anderson-MacKenzie who was "installed" in a service in St Thomas à Becket on 14 February. Here is a letter from Janet introducing herself and her family... So just who is going to be moving into the vicarage? It has already been a long wait to find out. Who is the Revd Dr Janet Anderson-MacKenzie? Who is coming with her? I will be coming with my husband Ian MacKenzie, and our two daughters Iona MacKenzie (7) and Elspeth MacKenzie (4). So what is my story? I grew up in Ware, Hertfordshire and, in 1989, went to university in Edinburgh. Within weeks I had discovered a real love for Biochemistry and had met Ian at the Christian Union. By Christmas 1994, I was still in Edinburgh, married to Ian and part way through my PhD in Biochemistry. We moved to the South West at the end of 1996 when I was offered a post-doctoral research position at the University of Bristol. I was accepted for training for ordained ministry in 2000 when I was pregnant with Iona. Since I was also running a pharmaceutical company funded research project, supervising a PhD student and lecturing, I didn’t begin training until September 11th 2001. This was a poignant and emotional reminder of the Christian vocation to speak of God’s love into a broken world. Elspeth was born in July 2003, when I finally hung up my lab-coat for good. I concentrated on baby and theology, beginning my MA studies at Trinity College, Bristol as well as training on the West of England Ministerial Training Course. In June 2004 I was ordained deacon and started work in Woolavington near Bridgwater in Somerset. Due to the ill health of my supervising vicar I moved to Wellington in May 2005. I was ordained priest in 2005 and have worked in Wellington and in the surrounding villages since then. My particular tasks have been setting up a series of small study groups in the church and also a monthly weekday children’s service called ‘smile’. I had sole pastoral care for the parish of Wellington for three months earlier this year whilst the Rector was on sabbatical. I enjoy travelling and, in my days as a scientist, managed trips to conferences in many exotic places! We also enjoy visiting nearer to home especially taking the girls to English Heritage or National Trust properties and talking about the ‘olden days’. Before children I used to enjoying hill walking, particularly in Scotland. Iona put me to shame this summer by scampering up 1,500 feet without a pause, then I remembered actually how slow I’d always been. I also used to do craft type things, calligraphy and the like before children… now we have a new camera, and I’m hoping to go on a day course in the new year to learn what all the buttons do. Ian works part-time as an actuary for St. James’s Place, a wealth management firm based in Cirencester. The girls just love being children; making noise, or a mess, or sculptures from junk. Iona is in Brownies at the moment, where I have been helping, and Elspeth loves to come along too. I have a specialist theological interest in worship, I used to sing and play in church in the past and my MA thesis is called ‘The common search for meaning in club culture and alternative worship’. I am especially excited about coming to be the Priest-in-Charge in Box with Hazelbury and Ditteridge because there are lots of exciting things already happening and there are some great people to work alongside. My prayer is that we continue to ask God who we should be, and what we should be doing as a Christian community, and that he gives us the strength and courage to be that community and do those things. I am looking forward to seeing you all soon. Yours in Christ. Janet Availability of our new vicar.Our new vicar is Rev Dr Janet Anderson-MacKenzie and she can be contacted via email janet@anderson-mackenzie.co.uk or telephone 01225 744458. Janet’s full day off will be FRIDAY, if there is an emergency on a Friday please contact the churchwarden Clair Southgate 743970. As Bishop Lee reminded us Janet’s post is half-time, she will usually be working at least part of every day (except Friday). Please do leave Janet a phone message or an e-mail and she will reply when she is next available. Janet can be flexible with dates and times with some notice – so do get in touch with her sooner rather than later! Please continue to pray for Janet and her family as they settle in. . Here she is with Bishop Lee....
Photo - John Nash Wellington Weekly News
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