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Rev. Jon Stannard : Senior Minister
Jon is the Senior Minister at Newbury Baptist Church having moved from a church in South East Kent, in October 2001, after leading a church there for 5 years. He grew up in Essex, and lived out his formative years in Southend on Sea, where he became a Christian and was baptised at the age of 15. He’s now 38.
After leaving school he went to college to study Drama and Theatre Arts which led him at the age of 18 to work with the Oasis Trust, initially working in Paddington on a team of 4 in a small church there, and then as Director of Shout Theatre Company, travelling all over the UK performing in Schools, colleges, theatres, and churches. It was whilst he travelled he had the opportunity to speak and to preach, and the passion for being a Minister emerged.
Having met Sarah as a teenager as they glanced across a youth meeting in Southend, Jon officially met Sarah when she moved to Paddington (in the same week as Jon) to train as a nurse. They courted for 3 years and married in May 1991 in Leigh on Sea.
Leaving Oasis Jon worked in various roles, in sales, clerical work, before finally beginning Spurgeon’s college in Sept 1992, whilst being a church based student at the church where he and Sarah married, West Leigh Baptist Church. He completed his degree in Theology and a Diploma in Church planting and Evangelism. In 1996 the family, then Matthew, Hannah, and Naomi, moved to St.Peter’s in Broadstairs for his first full time position. Megan, their fourth and ‘last child’ was born soon after.
Jon is currently studying part time for Master’s degree in Applied Theology and when free time allows, enjoys spending time with the family, playing golf, watching sport, and reading. He’s just taken up looking after tropical fish!
His passions are preaching, leading and seeing people transformed by God. His dislikes, ‘nominal Christianity’ ‘barn dances’ ‘jazz music’ and ‘olives’ (not people called Olive, but the little green and black things!)
