New Forest Forest Church Team
Although on occasion some of the regular attenders of NFFC lead one of the gatherings, there are a few of us who regularly lead. They are:
Terry & Alistair McNaught.
Alistair and Terry got to know each other running a disabled rambling club in the New Forest. They led the children’s work at Immanuel Church in Winchester for many years where outdoor activities and reflection were integral to the programme. They have five children, three grandchildren and a very talkative dog.
Terry grew up on the edge of the New Forest in a large family where the forest was their playground and the inspiration for her Dad’s work (a professional wood sculptor). She was brought up to love and respect the natural world. She became a Christian in her teens, and church became an important part of her life but she always found the Forest gave a sense of peace and wonder and helped her reflect on the journey she was on. Terry’s work gives her the opportunity to drive round the Forest, visiting the families and volunteers.
Alistair also grew up in the area and most of his teenage years were spent dog walking and cycling in the Forest. He regularly sleeps out in the woods to refresh his sense of wonder. Alistair works in education, advising on technology and inclusion but his creative writing is inspired by the forest and the wider natural world. Follow his '#dogwalk #haikus' on Twitter, or catch his poetry blog here.
Alistair and Terry got to know each other running a disabled rambling club in the New Forest. They led the children’s work at Immanuel Church in Winchester for many years where outdoor activities and reflection were integral to the programme. They have five children, three grandchildren and a very talkative dog.
Terry grew up on the edge of the New Forest in a large family where the forest was their playground and the inspiration for her Dad’s work (a professional wood sculptor). She was brought up to love and respect the natural world. She became a Christian in her teens, and church became an important part of her life but she always found the Forest gave a sense of peace and wonder and helped her reflect on the journey she was on. Terry’s work gives her the opportunity to drive round the Forest, visiting the families and volunteers.
Alistair also grew up in the area and most of his teenage years were spent dog walking and cycling in the Forest. He regularly sleeps out in the woods to refresh his sense of wonder. Alistair works in education, advising on technology and inclusion but his creative writing is inspired by the forest and the wider natural world. Follow his '#dogwalk #haikus' on Twitter, or catch his poetry blog here.
Mike & Julie Oates
Mike’s degree in Environmental Science sparked a lifelong passion for nature and the wild which he continues to weave into his love of poetry, theology, politics and activism. He is a member of the Green Party, and currently works as Co ordinating Chaplain for Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.
Julie is a family therapist in the same Trust, and together they grow their resources annually through the Greenbelt Festival. Taking inspiration from the writings of Richard Rohr, they are on a journey of discovery in which their experience and understanding of the Christian faith, which has been a feature of their lives since they were teenagers, is becoming ever more inclusive. Forest Church is one way in which they explore God in relationship to themselves, others, and the beautiful environment in which we are privileged to live. Mike and Julie are members of the Reconnect Missional Community in Poole, Dorset.
Mike’s degree in Environmental Science sparked a lifelong passion for nature and the wild which he continues to weave into his love of poetry, theology, politics and activism. He is a member of the Green Party, and currently works as Co ordinating Chaplain for Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust.
Julie is a family therapist in the same Trust, and together they grow their resources annually through the Greenbelt Festival. Taking inspiration from the writings of Richard Rohr, they are on a journey of discovery in which their experience and understanding of the Christian faith, which has been a feature of their lives since they were teenagers, is becoming ever more inclusive. Forest Church is one way in which they explore God in relationship to themselves, others, and the beautiful environment in which we are privileged to live. Mike and Julie are members of the Reconnect Missional Community in Poole, Dorset.
Diana Edwin
Diana lives on the edge of the New Forest with her husband, two children, and dozens of half-finished projects. Having trained initially as an engineer and later as a Christian counsellor now she finds herself in a season of homemaking, parenting, mentoring and educating. She loves telling stories to the under 5s at church, running messy science/craft activities for local home ed children, and mentoring and supporting the dedicated (and frequently exhausted) mums of aforementioned children!
As well as being a committed member of Southampton Vineyard Church, Diana’s faith roots are in Celtic Christianity; she follows patterns of daily prayer and values immensely her silent retreat every New Year’s Day to listen to God’s ‘still, small voice’. Her grandmother’s love of Celtic spirituality inspired her to read the books of contemporary Celtic Christians, David Adam and Ray Simpson, back in the 1990s; visits to Iona Abbey, the Society of Our Lady of the Isles on Shetland and Lindisfarne’s Holy Island then followed. She is grateful to have found in her husband a soul-friend to share the journey with - if ever they can’t be found, look for them by a chalk stream, on a seaside cliff top or in the foothills of the nearest mountains.
Diana lives on the edge of the New Forest with her husband, two children, and dozens of half-finished projects. Having trained initially as an engineer and later as a Christian counsellor now she finds herself in a season of homemaking, parenting, mentoring and educating. She loves telling stories to the under 5s at church, running messy science/craft activities for local home ed children, and mentoring and supporting the dedicated (and frequently exhausted) mums of aforementioned children!
As well as being a committed member of Southampton Vineyard Church, Diana’s faith roots are in Celtic Christianity; she follows patterns of daily prayer and values immensely her silent retreat every New Year’s Day to listen to God’s ‘still, small voice’. Her grandmother’s love of Celtic spirituality inspired her to read the books of contemporary Celtic Christians, David Adam and Ray Simpson, back in the 1990s; visits to Iona Abbey, the Society of Our Lady of the Isles on Shetland and Lindisfarne’s Holy Island then followed. She is grateful to have found in her husband a soul-friend to share the journey with - if ever they can’t be found, look for them by a chalk stream, on a seaside cliff top or in the foothills of the nearest mountains.
David Cole
David has long had a fascination of the spiritual and supernatural concept of the natural world. Before he encountered the Cosmic Christ in a vision he spent time as a Pagan and learned to see and encounter the spiritual in the natural world. After his spiritual journey began to be centred on Christ he soon discovered through Celtic Christianity that the wonder of the spiritual in the natural world was not lost in the Christian faith. He began to study and learn more about Celtic Christianity and the Christian Mystic tradition which also saw the wonder of the Divine in nature.
As well as continuing to personally engage with the Divine presence in the natural world, he began to run occasional days and sessions open to the public to facilitate opportunities for others to do the same. He soon discovered that many other Christians were doing the same, and was connected to the founders of the Forest Church movement from the start. He started New Forest Forest Church in the summer of 2014. It was one of the first to join the new national movement.
David often joins the facilitators of the other Forest Church groups from around the UK to help lead sessions at the Greenbelt festival; and has been part of, and led prayers at Extinction Rebellion rallies in London.
David has long had a fascination of the spiritual and supernatural concept of the natural world. Before he encountered the Cosmic Christ in a vision he spent time as a Pagan and learned to see and encounter the spiritual in the natural world. After his spiritual journey began to be centred on Christ he soon discovered through Celtic Christianity that the wonder of the spiritual in the natural world was not lost in the Christian faith. He began to study and learn more about Celtic Christianity and the Christian Mystic tradition which also saw the wonder of the Divine in nature.
As well as continuing to personally engage with the Divine presence in the natural world, he began to run occasional days and sessions open to the public to facilitate opportunities for others to do the same. He soon discovered that many other Christians were doing the same, and was connected to the founders of the Forest Church movement from the start. He started New Forest Forest Church in the summer of 2014. It was one of the first to join the new national movement.
David often joins the facilitators of the other Forest Church groups from around the UK to help lead sessions at the Greenbelt festival; and has been part of, and led prayers at Extinction Rebellion rallies in London.
