Debra Hill has been recruited as Children and Families Worker for the Worcester Southeast Team and St. Barnabas. A post that is funded for five years through the diocesan Healthier Churches Fund, as we look to ‘Grow as Kingdom People’ and double the number of children and young people worshipping in churches in our diocese by 2030.
Debra is originally from Bridgend in South Wales and came to faith herself as an adult after she felt prompted to ‘go to church’.
Debra has now spent three-quarters of her life working with children and young people. After bringing up her own children she volunteered at a variety of kids clubs at the churches she attended. Debra has also been a foster carer and worked for a time in schools in pastoral roles.
She has recently moved back to Worcester, having lived there previously from 2004-2017 with her second husband Geraint, who has sadly now passed away. During that time, she worked alongside him as Children and Youth Minister, at a church they planted together on a council estate in Dines Green. After a slow start, the church brought scores of families to faith through offering practical support and groups for children and young people, organising social and sporting activities.
Debra is therefore very excited to return to Worcester to take up this new role. She said:
“I’ve been so excited to start this job, it’s great to be paid to do what you enjoy, and I love young people, especially seeing them blossom! I have an eye for potential and hidden talents, particularly the older ones, so will be getting them all involved with the groups and services! Young people I have given little responsibilities to in the past have gone on into leadership roles or had careers as supervisors. It’s been wonderful to see!”
Debra said she actually enjoyed the interview, especially the task with the school children that was a part of it, as it ‘felt completely natural’. Debra has lots of ideas and is very keen to get going and hopes to see children’s ministry flourish at all the churches. She has spent the first few weeks networking, planning and working out the logistics of the groups she is planning to set up and some are now confirmed.
Debra reports there is already a thriving ‘Mainly Music’ group for pre-schoolers at St Martin’s Church, so she is planning to focus her efforts on children in years 1- 6 with a new group just for them. She is also hoping to start an evening youth church at Holy Trinity and St Matthew in Ronkswood, and an After School Club in partnership with iSingPop at nearby Perrywood Primary School.
Debra’s remit also covers St Barnabas. She will soon be starting an After School Club called ‘Blockbusters’ which is based around Lego bricks. This will be for Key Stage 2 children in years 3-5. She's also planning to start a Monday morning open-door cafe at St Barnabas for parents who have just dropped their children off at school. This will be starting off on a monthly basis with scope to change to weekly.
Debra added:
“I really want to see it all flourish! I’m really passionate about that. I want to see children and families at all my churches, and I’m used to having at least 60 on my books, but I also want these children and young people to come to know and love God for themselves and view the church they attend as their church, not their mum’s church or their nan’s church, but theirs. That's absolutely key!”
