We caught up with Cerrie, a newly employed and commissioned Community Minister for Eastfield, Scarborough

Jonny Hedges, Associate Programme Leader was able to ask Cerrie and Rev Sam Taylor, vicar at Holy Nativity, Eastfield questions about Cerrie’s year as part of Stepping Up and how they are excited to be reaching out to children and families across Eastfield.

Jonny: Cerrie, tell us a little about you, where are you from, which church are you part of, tell us about your community?

Cerrie: Hi I’m from Eastfield Scarborough and I’m a member of The Holy Nativity Church in Eastfield. We are a family church and have an active kids club. My community is classed as a deprived area but definitely not where it matters. My community really comes together when we need to. I would even go as far as saying we are a beacon of hope to those around us. My community is amazing, I could not be prouder to say I live here.

Jonny: Cerrie, I know what you have been up to this last year or so with Mustard Seed but could you explain to those reading, how did you end up on the Mustard Seed journey?

Cerrie: Rev Sam asked me if I would be interested in being part of Stepping Up and I immediately felt a pull to say yes. So I did! I was so excited as I really wanted to explore my faith more. It was the best decision I ever made.

Jonny: Sam could you tell us why you suggested that Cerrie joined Stepping Up?

Sam: I felt that Stepping Up would be ideal for Cerrie because she was somebody that was showing signs of wanting to develop her faith and learn more. Cerrie has always been keen and open to gaining new skills so this seemed like the right time and opportunity. Cerrie has been actively involved in church life since coming to faith, particularly her work with children and as a church we wanted to encourage and invest in Cerrie (and others), and Stepping Up felt the perfect programme to do that.

Jonny: How have you seen Cerrie grow through Stepping Up?

Sam: As a church we have seen Cerrie flourish and grow in confidence during her Stepping Up year. Her enthusiasm has impacted others in church who now want to go on Stepping Up. The teams that Cerrie is involved with or leading have benefited from her time on Stepping Up because she has brought fresh ideas, new skills and fresh enthusiasm to the table.

She has ultimately grown in her faith, learned more about the Bible and developed a pattern of prayer that has and continues to influence her everyday life. Cerrie also made new friends that encouraged each other each week; developing trust and going on a special journey together. The cohort were from different Anglican church traditions and became special to one another enabling them to embrace and celebrate the diversity that exists within the Church of England.

Jonny: Cerrie, we’ve heard from Sam about how she has seen you Grow, could you describe how it was for you as part of a Stepping Up learning community for a year?

Cerrie: To be honest I was a little nervous to begin with as I was unsure what to expect. However straight away I was made to feel at ease. The group was small. It was very friendly and in some ways intimate so it enabled me to speak more personally, confidently and with ease. I really enjoyed the process of the programme and the areas we explored. It was so lovely to be able to work together and bounce of each other. We were looking at ourselves, our faith what we can do to take care of ourselves and also our communities. We became family and still speak to each other even now. The Stepping Up programme has helped me in so many ways I am truly thankful that I have been a part of this journey.

Jonny: So you’ve completed your year on Stepping Up, you’ve been commissioned as a Community Minister, how does that feel and what are you looking forward to?

Cerrie: I feel a range of emotions if I’m going to be honest. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be able to serve God in the way I am, I’m so honoured that Rev Sam believes in me and trusts me. I’m proud of myself that I have stepped out of my bubble of comfort by saying yes Lord here I am, use me as you will, and super excited for the future as I know I am now going to be able to give more of myself to serve those around me.

Jonny: You are going to be employed for two days a week as part of a Mustard Seed grant, which is really exciting, could you tell us about the area of mission you are going to be focusing on?

Cerrie: I feel I am being called to work alongside children and families. I’m already working with the children at Kids Club which has grown so much over the last few weeks. Being able to provide fun interactive opportunities for children and families to build relationships not just with other families but also with God, it is such a blessing. I feel I have finally stepped up to do what I am called to do.

Jonny: Sam, it’s so exciting to hear that Cerrie is going to be employed for two days a week, how is this going to help develop mission in Eastfield?

Sam: Thanks to Mustard Seed, Cerrie is going to be employed two days a week as a Children and Family Minister in Eastfield. Cerrie has always been involved in children and family work but to be given this opportunity for her to have paid work to do the job that she feels God is calling her to do is such an amazing gift. We are a parish that homes many vulnerable families that we want to reach with the gospel. Cerrie has a real gift of being that bridge between the church and the community and people know Cerrie as a local lass, they’ve seen her around, she’s a friend to many and has worked on the estate in different contexts. This helps Cerrie connect and people know that she goes to church and it’s safe and it’s a good place. This opportunity will really impact our mission and ministry. Thank you Mustard Seed for gifting Holy Nativity Church, Eastfield with this exciting opportunity to employ Cerrie in order to see the Kingdom of God grow more and more in this special place.

To find out more about what is happening Eastfield, click here.