We are blessed to have three Authorised Local Preachers (ALPs):
Jane Harpur.
Chris Selden.
Geoff Windus.
See below for photos and profiles
Authorised Local Preachers
Jane Harpur
I was brought up in a Christian home and started going to Bible classes run by the Girl Crusaders Union when I was 4.I became a Christian at my first house party in Suffolk when I was 11 and was baptised by immersion when I was 13. At Crusaders each month from the age of about 12 we had a missionary Sunday and we always had a missionary day at Camp which I went to once or twice a year until I was 18.
I started medical
training at the Royal Free Hospital in London and was chairman of the Christian Union for one year and then Missionary secretary of LIFCU for one year where I met my husband Travers. We married and came to live in Chelmsford in 1970. I had always wanted to do General Practice and was so pleased when I was invited to be a trainee at Beauchamp House Christian practice. I was very ill with pre-eclampsia in 1978 and our first baby born at 27weeks pregnancy died after 2 days. Our son Matthew was born in 1979 after I spent 6 weeks in hospital on bed rest.
I worked a few sessions a week at Moulsham Lodge surgery from 1980 until 1990 when I became a partner. In the mean time I was involved in various ways at Family Hour at the Church school and did the 3 year Moore Course to gain the preliminary certificate of theology in 2001. I retired from medical practice in 2006 and worked as an honorary medical advisor for Medical missionary news who were sending out containers to mission Hospitals in Africa. I still head up the Missions team in our Church and so pleased we have this link with Poland, the Bible Society and International Mission to Jewish people amongst other organisations. I had done some occasional preaching over the years but was glad when I was invited to be an ALP in 2012.
contact details: - rotas@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk
Chris Selden
I grew up in the north of England, then studied at Aston University in Birmingham, and lived in Scotland for a few years before moving south with work. Having moved to Galleywood in 2002 the village has now been my home for longer than anywhere else
Along the way I’ve been active in a range of denominations and cross-denominational activity, often linked with music in worship and so I’m one of the musicians supporting services at St Michaels.
It’s hard to believe that I’ve been part of the preaching team since 2012, which means that I’ll have given over 100 sermons. It’s a privilege to be able to reflect on what the Bible says about life and then try to express how those truths are relevant to our lives today. Hopefully that helps us all to build our faith in God and our understanding of His Kingdom.
I work in the financial services industry, and have authored the workbooks for a handful of industry qualifications. I’m married to Fiona, we have two children, and I am also involved in local amateur dramatic groups.
Geoff Windus
I was born in Chelmsford and, apart from student days, I have lived here all my life. Having lost both my parents by the time I was 13, I was then brought up by my older brother and his wife, and subsequently by my grandmother. I became a committed Christian at 16 after attending special Easter services at my grandmother’s church, and was baptised by full immersion shortly afterwards.
I studied engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and thereafter completed a master’s degree at Birmingham University, which led to a 30-year career in telecommunications involving both satellite communications and undersea fibre optic cable systems which now form the backbone of the global internet. Following the closure of the company in 2003, I have spent the last 22 years tutoring hundreds of young people in mathematics and physics at GCSE and A level.
Jane and I met at church and married in 1975. In a short time, both of us became very much part of the church leadership. As an elder, I was particularly involved in occasional preaching and formal teaching.
We joined St Michael’s in 2005, and shortly afterwards became homegroup leaders. I now produce the monthly church programme, What’s On, and have been a member of the preaching team since early 2021.
contact details: - whatson@stmichaelsgalleywood.org.uk