New Minister for Rye Baptist Church

Fiona was formally welcomed as a fully accredited Baptist Minister at the national Baptist Union Assembly in London earlier this month.

She was appointed as the full time Minister of Rye Baptist Church on March 25 following the retirement of Revd Andrew Flack in JanuaryRevd Flack had faithfully served the church for the previous fifteen years.

Fiona had been the Associate Minister since January 2009 – she trained at Spurgeons’ College, London and received a first class honours degree in Theology following a career teaching dancing and running her own dance school, Bexhill Danceworks for 10 years.

She is married to Ian who, with Fiona’s brother Mark, runs Wisden’s sports shop in Hastings. Ian is also a gifted cellist, playing with a number of orchestras in the south-east as well as with the All Souls Orchestra in London with whom he played at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year.

Ian is also part of the worship team at Rye Baptist Church. Ian and Fiona have grown-up twins, Christopher and Samantha.

Geoff Haynes, a Deacon at the church, said: “The church is now looking forward to an exciting new phase in its ministry which extends right back to 1750.

“The church originally met in a building in Mermaid Street (now part of Jeakes House) and moved to its present building in 1910.”

There is to be a local Induction Service for Fiona at Rye Baptist Church on Sunday July 8 at 3pm.