The Church's Pastor is Frank Elliot-Wright. Frank began his ministry at Tapton on 1st November 2009 and this is his first ministerial position.
Frank was born in London but grew up in Greater Manchester where he spent most of his youth involved with amateur dramatics, reading about politics or listening to The Smiths and playing guitar in various bands. After studying drama at Bretton Hall College he moved to London to try to break into the stand up comedy circuit but one day in 1995 he went to a church service and immediately felt called to ministry. However this there was a long way to go before this could become a reality.
Abandoning all thoughts of being a performer Frank became a care worker for adults with learning disabilities while studying for a Master's Degree in Applied Theology at the University of Kent at Canterbury. After this he did a Post Graduate Certificate in Religious Education at Kings' College, London and for the next seven years he was a secondary school teacher. Thoughts of ministry never left him, though, and during a break from work while recovering from an operation he began studying for a Licence in Theology with the University of Wales at Lampeter.
By this time he had moved to Sheffield with his wife Susan, a writer. He became a member of Hillsborough Tabernacle Congregational Church and it was here that he received encouragement to preach and lead Bible study. From this he decided that he really did want to go into ministry more than anything else and so began the process of ministerial training with the Congregational Federation, studying for the Foundation Degree in Practical Theology.
For many years the church has not had a Pastor, so this an exciting new chapter in our history. Frank's immediate aims are to nourish the spiritual life of the Church and to develop its presence and identity. It is hoped that this will bring to us new faces of all ages but especially younger people. As someone who spent so many years outside the church Frank feels a particular calling to make Christianity credible, clear and comprehensible to those who find the idea of church confusing or unattractive.
Frank leads worship on the 1st and 5th Sunday of each month* and on special occasions, such as Remembrance Day, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day. You can read a summary of sermons from these services on the church blog. On other Sundays worship is led by visiting preachers or members of the Congregation. On these Sundays Frank preaches in other churches around Sheffield, usually United Reformed Churches, as a guest preacher. He is a volunteer in Sheffield Health and Social Care’s Chaplaincy and also writes an occasional blog called Indie Gospel, giving a personal Christian commentary on contemporary events.
Away from church Frank is a Barnsley FC season ticket holder, dog lover, and has a keen interest in politics. He still likes indie music but nowadays also listens to jazz and world music. He recently became vegan and is enjoying learning to cook lots of new recipes.
* This preaching pattern is from January 2011. For services before then please view the church diary. |
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