Simon was born and bred in Leicester which explains his love for the Foxes (Leicester City). He started his working life in retailing with WH Smith and Mercury News until God called him to ministry in 1985.
Shortly after this he met Julia and they attended the Elim Bible College in Nantwich from 1992-1996 where Simon studied for his BA Honours degree in Theology and Christian Ministry. During this period they felt the call of God to plant a church in Crewe (New Life Community Church) in 1995, overseeing the purchase and conversion of a derelict shopping centre into the New Life Centre in 1998. He was ordained as an Elim Pentecostal pastor in 1999. In 2008 Simon became the Senior Pastor at Newcastle Elim church. During this period the church grew and they bought and established the Newcastle Dream Centre where they created many ministries that met the needs of the local people. Simon also led the Elim festival camp and was a member of Elim’s North-East Regional Team.
Following a short period in Birmingham mostly during the pandemic, Simon & Julia took over the leadership of Banbury Community Church in September 2021 and have very much enjoyed rebuilding the church post lockdown. It is now a thriving, growing church that is seeking to reach out and touch people’s lives’ with the love of Jesus.
Simon comments; “I’ve been a Christian for almost my entire life and God has brought me through all the highs and lows….it’s not easy being a Christian and my heart is to encourage people on their spiritual journey by sharing from what I’ve have learned. I also believe that life is a big adventure and that God’s desire is for us to live life to the full by each one of us discovering our purpose and living it out for Him.”
Simon and Julia have five children and six grand-children. His interests include running, football, watching sport and reading. He has written two well received books, “Imagine” (Trusting God like never before) and “Courage for the discouraged.”
Julia has also written “The end of the beginning” which is her story of losing her first husband and finding Christ in the midst of grief and loss.