Anne Biddle
Hi I am Anne
Rich Naylor
I moved to Stroat in 2013 with my wife, Alexia, and my three children, Zach, Joe and Emily. I am an entomologist by trade, but I also have a range of practical skills, so I oversee the maintenance at Stroat. It’s a big job that frequently requires two pairs of hands.
Lex Naylor
Hi I am Lex
Jen Van Loon
I became Christian when I was 7 years old and living in Weston-super-Mare. My first connection with Stroat was in 1963 at the age of 14 when my father became pastor of what was then Stroat Mission (affectionately known as ‘The Mish’).
Armed with a teaching certificate, career opportunities took me to the midlands where I taught in Warwickshire while living and worshipping in Coventry, maintaining a connection with Stroat through my family. For me, Stroat was home!
Family circumstances brought me back to Stroat Church in 2005. Having always had an interest in singing and worship music it seemed natural for me to join the worship group and I became coordinator a few years later.
As a reluctant ‘fill-in’ for our toddlers group I began to find a niche and an outlet for story-telling and simple crafts and began to build relationships, becoming a more permanent part of the team when the leader of this group stepped down.
God has seen fit to move me into a more prominent role in the core team in recent years and I look to him for all that is needed to fulfil that role.
Leona Price
Hello. I’m Leona. I’ve been part of Stroat Church for about 12 years, I am married to David, and have 3 girls. I’m learning to play the cornet with the middle one!
I love being creative and enjoy making things; with sewing, crochet, painting, beading, felting— in fact anything crafty! – I love meeting with others in our once a month ’Create’ group at Stroat. I work using art and crafts too, as a Occupational Therapist at ‘Great Oaks’- Dean Forest Hospice and Support Centre.
Years ago I read a book (Treasures of the snow, by Patricia St. John), where the impact of the story began a life giving hope in me. I read how ‘God’s perfect love casts out all fear’. I was a ‘born worrier’ so this verse stuck with me and I drew strength from believing it. It wasn’t until a later time that I realised we can believe and know lots about God without actually accepting his invitation to know him personally. In the book I’d read about Jesus knocking on the door of our heart:- its up to us whether we open the door and let God into our hearts and lives. Accepting this love and forgiveness gave me hope.
Nothing else matched the true freedom that I experienced through doing this.
So many things in life we don’t have a choice over, but this is one thing we do have choice over! – to continue living in fear, and guilt, or to put ourselves right with God, and other people too. It’s a choice that affects eternity! Realising all this, spurs on my passion to reach out to others, and to help them come to know Jesus, and his love for them too!
Over time I’ve discovered…. ‘It’s amazing what happens when Jesus displaces worry at the centre of your life’ (Phillipipans 4 verse 7, The Bible)
David Price
Stroat Church has played a big part of my life for over 40 years. Its where I became a Christian, I am married to Leona, and have three beautiful girls. I currently work part time as the Centre Manager for the Chepstow & District Christians Against Poverty Debt Centre, adn also as Stroat Church Coordinator. I also organise a weekly parkrun in Lydney.
I see the role of Treasurer as a person who ensures that we are financially able to do what we want to do, rather than just keeper of the accounts.