The purpose of this page is to explain how the church operates, how decisions are made and who are the key individuals who lead the church.

Leadership

The two pastors, together with the Children and Youth Minister, form the Strategic Leadership Team, responsible for day-to-day operations of the church and leading things forward.

Stephen
Pastor – Team Leader
(Responsible for overall vision implementation, and specifically ‘Restore and Release’ aspects of the Church’s activity)

James Simmons
Community Pastor
(responsible for ‘Reach’ aspects of the church’s activity and the Hub being used as a community facility)

The spiritual leadership of the church falls to the “elders”, a team currently made up of the pastors, and a number of non-staff elders. The eldership is responsible for the spiritual and pastoral oversight of the church, and its longer-term direction.

Joyce Gledhill
Previously our Centre Manager, responsible for the day-to-day running of The Hub

Guy Parkin
Elder overseeing the prayer life of the church

Anto Castle
Elder overseeing Children and Youth Ministry

Marion Lugard
Elder with specific involvement in Pastoral Care

Jenny Oliphant
Elder with specific involvement in Disciple Multiplication

Dave Criddle
Elder and formerly Church Life Pastor

A Church Council comprising various ministry leads from across the church support the strategic leadership of the church and the implementation of its vision.

Gold Hill Baptist Church is a registered charity. Stephen is the chair of trustees and is joined by some current and former non-staff elders (Guy, Anto and Stewart) on the board of trustees of the Church.

Legal structure

There is a separate charity called Gold Hill Church Trust (GCHT), which raises funds for Gold Hill Baptist Church, including arranging Gift Aid, and passes all its income to the church. The trustees of GHCT are Chris Gledhill, Mark Rayner and Richard Barrett

The church is affiliated with the Baptist Union and is a member of the Evangelical Alliance.

There is a constitution that defines the concept of church membership. Most committed members of the church family are also formal members of the church under the constitution. Regular formal meetings of church members are held and the constitution requires certain key decisions to be taken by votes held at such meetings. These include the appointment of pastors and elders and significant financial decisions. The main aim of these meetings is not to ‘do business’ but to collectively discern what Jesus is saying.

The church is also a Company Limited by Guarantee registered with Companies House The directors of the company are the charity trustees, plus Stephen Walker-Williams. Joyce Gledhill is the company secretary.

Maria Bond is Personal Assistant to Stephen Walker-Williams

Liz Thorp is Finance Manager.

Andrew Seymour is caretaker for The Hub.

The Cross Cultural Team

Gold Hill has a long history of supporting missionaries who move into other cultures to share the gospel. We currently support about 13 individuals and families who are working in this way. Details are available to church members. The Cross Cultural Team (CCT) oversees this aspect of Gold Hill’s ministry.

The Cross Cultural Team is chaired by Bob Willatt. You can find out more about this team and the work they enable here.

Anything else?

If you want to find out more about the operation of the church then please ask.