TWENTY-Five new ministers are set to be ordained by Bishop Guli at Chelmsford Cathedral on Saturday September 11th.

Amongst them is Sophie Weller who is based at St Stephen;s Church on Tawneys Road in Harlow.

We found out more about Sophie and her journey to be a minister.

“MY name is Sophie Weller, I was born in Cambridge in 1974 and grew up mostly living in a large village just north of Cambridge called Bar Hill where I became a Christian aged about seven or eight. I attended the local Primary School and then attended a Church School in Cambridge for my secondary education. I went to College and studied Social Care, once completed I went (originally for a year out) to Romania to work with a humanitarian Aid organization and discipleship project and ended up helping to start a humanitarian project and working in a hospital for children with Tuberculosis.

I came back to England, did a year’s youth work and then went to London Bible College (showing my age) where I got my degree in Theology and majored in Children’s work and music and worship. I then went to North Devon and joined the Lee Abbey Community where I cooked and also led the Youth and Children’s team (amongst other things). For the last 17 years I have headed up the Children’s work at All Saints Church in Woodford where I have eventually felt the call to Ordained Ministry.

Married to Damien (a Countryside Care Assistant) with son William (who is ten years old) who has Autism, I was not thinking I was qualified to be ordained, nor would it be straightforward with my family situation, so imagine my surprise when called God called me! Somewhat reluctantly (understatement), I began to test out that call, and now, after three years of study and far too many essays I am embarking upon my Curacy at St Stephen’s, Tye Green in Harlow. I am looking forward to all that I will learn and continuing to grow into all that God has for me and my family.