Paul Howard
Euxton

Originally from Bury, Paul moved to Chorley in 2013 and has worked in the NHS for many years.

In 2021, Paul became an Authorised Lay Minister (ALM) which opened his heart to explore what ordained ministry might bring. Paul is married to Alex and has three children: Amy aged 24, Olivia aged 20 and Matthew aged 10.

Paul is looking forward to serving his curacy at Euxton Parish Church; learning from the wisdom of the congregation, walking alongside the people of the parish in times of joy and challenge and exploring how the church can share Christ's hope in fresh and faithful ways.

More about Paul here.

Sarah Maxfield-Phillips
Broughton St John Baptist

Sarah was raised in Malvern, as part of a strong church community. She sang in the church choir and was a member of the Girl's Brigade.

Sarah was also was involved nationally in representing young people across the Church of England, including in General Synod. She read a Masters in Geography at Bangor University, becoming involved in the cathedral community there.

She later returned to Malvern to serve as a Ministries Lead in a local parish. After a summer placement in Blackburn Diocese (her mum's home diocese) whilst studying at Ripon College Cuddesdon, Sarah felt called to serve the people and communities of Lancashire.

She is excited to have been given the opportunity to serve God in the Parish of Broughton.

More about Sarah here.

Megan Ramsden
Fleetwood St Nicholas

Megan was born and brought up in Salford and came to faith at the age of three following a school visit from a vicar.

At the time Megan's family didn't attend church but after weeks of asking her dad he eventually took her. From a young age Megan felt God's call on her life and so as she grew up she explored her faith and trusted in his plans for her life.

In high school Megan became a youth chaplain listening to and supporting students. After many placements in different churches and at Whalley Abbey, her journey has led her to this day of ordination where she looks forward to serving her curacy with the people of Fleetwood and in Blackburn Diocese

More about Megan here.

Nathan Kellner
Preston Minster Benefice of St John, St Matthew and St James

After growing up on the Wirral, Nathan spent most of his 20s in Cambridge where he met his wife Sarah and began to sense God's call to ordination. Nathan worked in operations for a charity before moving to Bristol for ordination training.

Nathan has a particular passion for preaching and teaching the Bible, and for growing whole-life disciples of Jesus. Nathan and Sarah share a heart for worship and to see people meet Jesus personally.

Nathan's curacy will be at Preston Minster where he's excited to serve, join with what God is doing in that wonderful church and city and to explore where the Lord may be leading him and Sarah toward future church planting.

More about Nathan here.

Christopher Metcalf
Heapey St Barnabas and Withnell St Paul

Born in North London, Chris has made Chorley his home for 24 years. Seeds for his calling to ministry were sown in his 20s and flourished in 2020.

Current service in Christian education as Executive Head; CEO of a diocesan trust and Chair of Governors of a diocesan high school enables Chris to witness amazing opportunities for Jesus to be shared with our children and young people.

Chris is joyfully married to Deborah and has three adult children: Hannah, Abigail and Peter.

His life enriching experiences include helping on sheep farms, stacking shelves in Boots the Chemist as well as playing the bagpipes! Chris is serving his curacy in the Benefice of Heapey St Barnabas and Withnell St Paul’s.

More about Chris here.

Alistair Barry
Garstang St Thomas

Alistair was born in West Sussex, schooled in a village near to Southampton and studied Mathematics at Exeter University before returning to the same village.

In 2011 he came to faith after meeting with God at a New Wine summer festival. In 2016 he married Elodie and moved to Burpham in Guildford. Together they have a daughter, Ophelia, (six) and a son, Gabriel (one).

Although the call to ordained ministry started young, it was in Burpham, shortly after the first Covid lockdown, that Alistair felt that he could no longer ignore the call and started investigating his vocation with the church. In 2024 the family moved to Cambridge for ordination training and are now looking forward to moving to Garstang.

More about Alistair here.

Theo Irvine
Preston All Saints

Theo is originally from Bournemouth and Dorset. He studied music at King's College London, before working as a ministry apprentice at Christ Church Westbourne and, more recently, at Hampshire County Council in payroll and finance.

The key moment in his life was discovering 'the righteousness of God' that we receive through faith in Christ (Romans 3:22) and it was not too long after that he began to explore ordination.

Over the last three years he has been training for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall and he is really looking forward to serving his curacy at All Saints Preston.

More about Theodore here.

Sarah Woolford
Preston St Stephen

After growing up in Brighton and studying at the University of Newcastle, Sarah trained as an accountant, specialising in public sector financial management, which led to a 35 year-long career in the NHS and Education. She is married to Pete and they have two sons, Sam and Teddy.

After living in London, the North East, Sussex and Suffolk, they have been settled in Preston for many years and cannot imagine living anywhere else now. Sarah's call to ordination as a self-supporting minister is driven by a strong sense of service and a desire to help people know God better. She is delighted to be serving her curacy at her home parish of Preston St Stephen.

More about Sarah here.

Lorraine Innerdale
Leyland St Ambrose

Originally from Blackpool, Lorraine has lived in Leyland for over 30 years. She has worked as a lifeguard, civil servant, support worker, counsellor, and now is a prison chaplain.

Her home church is St Ambrose in Leyland, and she has been an LLM for almost nine years. Lorraine is married to Chris, and they have two children, Daniel 27 and Lauren 25. Lorraine will continue to serve in St Ambrose, and HMP Preston and at a Deaf Church in Preston.

Lorraine is looking forward to the opportunities that lay ahead and continuing to serve ALL the people in her parish. To both who already know the Lord, and those who are not aware of His love for them as yet.

More about Lorraine here.

Joy Rushton
Ribbleton

Having grown up in Preston, Joy moved back to the city in 2020 just before the first lockdown. For 38 years, she lived in the Greater London area. 

She worked as a primary school teacher in Hillingdon and Harrow. For the past six years, she has been the Being Witnesses Manager for Blackburn Diocese and had the joy of seeing the growth of new worshipping communities.

Joy is single and shares her home with her brother, Stephen. Her parents and sisters all live in the North West. Joy is looking forward to serving her parish and estates in Ribbleton, Preston. 

More about Joy here.

John Harding
Leyland St John

Originally from a small Yorkshire mining town, John has lived most of his adult life in Liverpool. For 15 years, he balanced a career in secondary education with his ministry work.

Before pursuing ordination in the Church of England, John was the Senior Pastor of Frontline Church Liverpool, where he focused on developing leaders and planting missional communities. His ministry has taken him across the globe, serving in places such as Israel, Congo, and Bulgaria.

John is married to Kirsten, a teacher, and they have two grown-up sons, Soren and Reuben. A dedicated LFC fan, John loves heading to the pub with his family and their two rescue greyhounds. He is thrilled to begin this new chapter serving his parish.

More about John here.

James Atkinson
Foulridge Laneshawbridge and Trawden

James has worked for the ambulance service as a paramedic for over 25 years.

After an unexpected encounter with the Holy Spirit in 2019 he felt called to the Priesthood. He undertook his theological training at St Hild's College of the Resurrection in Mirfield. 

James is married to Helen, and they have a daughter, Laura. 

More about James here.

Heesoo Warner
Barrowford St Thomas and Newchurch-in-Pendle St Mary

Heesoo was born in Seoul, South Korea. She used to teach English and write children's books on English learning before moving to Essex and then to Colne. 

She is married to Mike, and they have a son, Daniel, aged 17. Heesoo taught ESOL, maths, and Korean for 20 years at colleges and universities in the UK and served as a casual interpreter. 

Spending years in an educational setting, she is interested in learning and teaching. Heesoo is looking forward to starting her new role in the Parish of Barrowford and Newchurch in Pendle. 

More about Heesoo here.

Rev Jono Peatman
Wesham Christ Church

Jono was born in Coventry but has lived in the Lancaster area for most of his life. With both parents ordained in the Church, he has grown up with a strong grounding in the Christian faith, which has deepened as he has explored different expressions of church. 

He married Amy in 2015, and they have two children, Ava and Noah. Together they are excited about all that God is already doing, and all that is still to come at Christ Church. 

More about Jono here.

Rev Matt Lockwood
Blackpool Christ Church with All Saints

Rev Matt Lockwood and his wife, Hannah, lead Beacon Church in Blackpool. They have Ezra (3) and Amos (nearly 1). Originally from Suffolk, Matt responded to the Gospel aged 13.

Soon after, Matt sensed a call to youth ministry, studying at Ridley Hall, then spending a decade as a Youth Worker in Reigate and Blackheath. In Summer 2021, Matt and Hannah moved to Blackpool to be Eden Team Leaders at Beacon.

There, Matt felt a call to ordained ministry, specifically in underserved neighbourhoods. Matt’s heart is for those on the margins to hear and know the hope of Jesus.

More about Matt here.

Rev Mandy Hughes
Hoole St Michael

Mandy comes from the seaside town of Brighton. She has lived in many different places across the UK due to her career as a Nurse and Health Visitor, Local Government Manager; also in Romania for 10 years with her late husband and two children in the 1990's working for a Charity they set up in 1991.

On return to the UK in 2001 we settled in Much Hoole, where my husband was Rector of the Church where I now serve. As I am in my early 60s I like to encourage others to think about ministry and being open to what God is asking at any age.

More about Mandy here.

Rev John Lisle
Blackburn St Luke's

From Boston, UK, John was raised in the faith and sensed a call to ministry in his late teens. After a youth work internship at St Aldates, Oxford, he studied at the University of Liverpool, where he helped start the local branch of ‘Just Love UK’ and was actively involved at St James in the City; later serving in both student and youth ministry.

During ordination training, John was placed at Church Collective, Warrington, where he helped plant microchurches across the town. John is passionate about church planting and reaching the most forgotten places with the Gospel. He is married to Tiria, and they have a son, Reuben. He is delighted to continue to serve his curacy at St Luke’s, Blackburn.

More about John here.

Rev Sara Marriott
Feniscowles Immanuel and Feniscliffe St Francis

After starting out as an environmental chemist, Sara has spent the last 16 years as a teaching assistant in a local secondary school, enjoying lively interfaith conversations with students and staff.

Married to Adam, a Lay Minister and enthusiastic bell‑ringer (a passion she does not share) she embraces her East Lancastrian roots with humour and pride.

What she and Adam lack in biological family, they make up for with a wonderfully eclectic family of friends. Sara’s calling grows from knowing that God met her in her own chaos and still found room to use her.

She longs to help others discover their place in God’s story. She is thrilled to be serving her curacy at Immanuel and St Francis.

More about Sara here.

Rev Mark Yates
Chorley St Laurence and Chorley St Peter

Fr Mark, a lifelong Anglican, was born in Preston and resided in Higher Walton where he began his lay reader ministry in 1997 while pursuing his career as a carpenter.

In 2007, he relocated with his family to Perth, Australia, and continued working in the building industry, serving as a construction, facilities and asset manager for a statewide organisation. He commenced training for the priesthood in 2013. 

After completing his Bachelor of Theology at the Melbourne College of Divinity, Fr Mark was ordained into the diaconate at St George's Cathedral on 2 May 2015.

He subsequently served curacies across both parish and educational settings until returning to our Diocese in November 2025. 

More about Mark here.

Rev Testimony Samuel
Preston Emmanuel

I am originally from Nigeria, where I spent most of my early life. I first trained in accounting before pursuing theological formation. I was ordained in the Church of Nigeria (Ijesa North Diocese) by Bishop Isaac Oluyamo in 2022 and priested in 2023.

I married my wife, Oyeyemi, in April 2023, and later that year we relocated to the United Kingdom. Since moving, I have worked as a support worker with The Priory Group and also with the NHS.

I received PTO in the Diocese of Blackburn and have served at Emmanuel Church Preston, continuing my ministry there. I am looking forward to this next stage of my ministry as I am welcomed into the Church of England.

More about Testimony here.