Hello. I’m Mark James and I’m Assistant Curate here at Great Dunmow and Barnston. I’ve been here since July 2005. A curate is basically a vicar in training and I shall be here ‘learning the trade’ for about three years before moving on to my own parish.

How have I come to be here? Well, it’s a long story but in short I am actually an Essex man having been born and bred in Southend-on-Sea. For a number of years I was a teacher in a comprehensive school in Hornchurch near Romford, where I taught Geography and Information Technology. I ended up as Assistant Head Teacher with responsibility for the Curriculum and Assessment. Round about the year 2001 I felt that God was calling me out of teaching into something new, so after a lot of thought and reflection, I gave up my teaching job and went to train for the Church of England ministry in Cambridge.

Some people might suggest that I need my head examined! Giving up a good job, moving house, becoming a student once again, experiencing a complete change of lifestyle and all for what? Becoming a vicar! But to be honest I have never found the Christian faith to be boring or irrelevant and my faith in Jesus Christ gives me tremendous resources for living in the 21st century. I want to try and share something of that faith through my work here.

Info. to hopefully follow soon!

Rosemary

Hello, and may I also extend a warm welcome to you, especially if this is the first time you have visited St. Mary's web site. We hope it won't be the last, and that you will also visit us at the church!

My name is Rosemary Drew, and my official title is Assistant Priest; this simply means that I share duties with David Ainge, the Vicar. I have been Assistant Priest here in Dunmow for 9 years, but have been involved in the ministry for 18 years, first as a Reader before being ordained.

Before that? Well, I was born and bred in County Kerry, Ireland, lived through my teens in County Dublin, and then moved to Oxford at the age of 18 to nurse at The John Radcliffe Infirmary. Whilst there, I met my husband Bruce, and, after qualifying as a Staff Nurse, moved to Middlesbrough to train as a midwife and to be nearer to Bruce who was working there for ICI.

During our time in the North-East, I first joined a House Group to study the Bible and to explore the Christian faith. We had two wonderful experiences of living and worshipping in France, before moving back to Rayne where I became a Reader, a preaching and teaching ministry, before training to become a Priest.

To find out more about our clergy, please click on the relevant link.

Canon David Ainge

Canon Rosemary Drew

Rev Mark James