The Revd Jonathan Kester, Priest-in-Charge

Fr Jonathan Kester has been Parish Priest of Emmanuel since 2008. Raised in Chichester, West Sussex, he graduated in theology from Exeter University, before becoming a pastoral assistant and youth worker at the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban. This was followed by formation for ordination at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, being ordained in St Alban’s Abbey in 1993 to serve as curate of St Mary’s, Cheshunt. In 1996 he moved to the Diocese of London to be Chaplain to the Bishop of Edmonton, also serving as Media Adviser for the Edmonton Episcopal Area and as Honorary Curate of St Mary Magdalene’s, Munster Square.



In 2000 he moved to the Diocese of Chelmsford to serve for eight years as Vicar of St Mary’s, Ilford, a diverse and multi-cultural parish in the East London Borough of Redbridge, before returning to the Diocese of London to serve here at Emmanuel.

Fr Jonathan has had a life-long interest in music of all kinds and is particularly interested in how music and liturgy connect us with eternal present of God’s redeeming love. He is interested in Christian education at all levels and particularly enjoys the close relationship with our church school, seeking to work collaboratively in further developing creative links between church and school in the service of the wider local community. In his spare time he enjoys theatre and cinema, bike riding, a wide range of music and travel. He is also Assistant Director of Ordinands and works as a Spiritual Director.

To e-mail Father Jonathan click here

The Revd Annette Fritze-Shanks, Assistant Priest

Mother Annette Fritze-Shanks serves as Assistant Priest at Emmanuel. Born in Australia where she also completed much of her tertiary education as a teacher and lawyer, Mo. Annette has now lived in England for nineteen years.  It is in England that she trained for ordination at the South East Institute of Theological Education, being made deacon in 2004 and ordained priest in 2005.  Mo Annette’s first curacy was in our neighbouring parishes of St James', West Hampstead and St Mary's Kilburn. Mo Annette is a self-supporting priest and, in addition to being with us at Emmanuel, she works as a solicitor in the City of London.

The Revd Alysoun Whitton, Assistant Curate

Mother Alysoun Whitton was ordained deacon by the Bishop of London at St Paul’s Cathedral on July 3rd 2010 and started at Emmanuel as Assistant Curate the following day. She was ordained priest by Bishop Richard Harries on June 24th 2011 and presided at the Eucharist for the first time on June 26th – the Feast of Corpus Christi. Mo Alysoun received her formation for ordination at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, having spent many years at St Augustine’s, Highgate where she served as Reader.

Mo Alysoun trained initially at the Camberwell School of Art and began work as a potter, working mainly in porcelain.  She ran a workshop until her late husband David became ill and she needed to take care of him full time.  After his death it was the church community at St Augustine’s, Highgate, which cared for her and nurtured her and from which she embarked on her pilgrimage of faith.

After this Mo Alysoun worked for CARIS, a faith based organisation, funded by churches of the Edmonton Area, which supports asylum seekers and homeless families.  Later on she worked at the Institute with colleagues of other faiths,who greatly supported her on her journey.

She studied at the Birkbeck Faculty of Continuing Education and on the Edmonton Area Course in Christian Studies, before embarking on Reader training.  During that time she was aware that God might be asking more of her and with the guidance of her Parish Priest and Spiritual Director she began the process of discernment for the sacred ministry of the Church.  And so it was that, after her formation at St Stephen’s House, she joined the clergy team here at Emmanuel.

To e-mail Mother Alysoun click here

The Revd Claire Wilson, Associate Priest

Mother Claire Wilson serves as Associate Priest at Emmanuel.  After a career in education, and serving for many years as a Reader, Mother Claire trained for the ordained ministry in Salisbury on the South West Ministerial Training Course.  She was among the first women to be ordained deacon in the Church of England in 1987 and among the first to be ordained priest in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1994.

After serving for many years with Fr Donald Barnes at St Peter’s, Belsize Park, Mo Claire moved in 1997 to the Diocese of Chelmsford to serve as Priest with special responsibility for Chingford Old Church in the wider parish of Chingford.

Following her retirement in 2009 Mo Claire moved to Hampstead and has made a home here at Emmanuel, where she serves in an honorary capacity as Associate Priest.

The Churchwardens

are William Davis and Don Shields.  They are responsible for the maintenance of the Church's buildings as well as their pastoral role to the congregation and to the Parish Priest.  Both are members of the PCC.

The Treasurer

is Marco Mongiello, also a member of the PCC. He is responsible for setting up and controlling the church's finances, providing budgets and explaining the financial situation to the PCC and congregation. He explains about giving and deals with gift aid, covenants and any other financial matters. Diana Malzer assists him as Bookkeeper helped by Mary Shepherd.

To contact the Treasurer please click here

The Secretary

The PCC Secretary may be contacted via Emmanuel Vicarage, Lyncroft Gardens, NW6 1JU, 020 7435 1911

The Sacristan & Head Server

is Matthew Shirley.  Please contact him if you would like to become a server and join our rota.  Each Sunday the team of Servers includes the Thurifer, carrying the thurible containing the incense, the Crucifer, carrying the processional cross and the Acolytes, carrying the processional candles.

Servers fulfill the important ministry of ensuring all goes smoothly in our worship and enabling the whole congregation to focus on the mystery of God, eternally present in our midst and in the holy Sacrament of the altar.

Website

The website designer is Sukey Parnell and the webmaster is Enitan Williams.  The photographers are Alastair Hallam and Sukey Parnell

To e-mail Sukey Parnell click here

To e-mail Enitan Williams click here

The Sunday School Co-ordinator

The Sunday School Co-ordinator is Claire Hammett and our team of Sunday School leaders also includes Tess Broderick, Samantha Dumont, Casey Hammett, Carrie Reiners, Lara Sampson, Winnie Fredericks, Wendy Farrimond, Adeola Adedeji, Jane Marshall, Alison Dunatov, Claire Falcon, Sandra Dore, Kathleen Dunlop and Carolyn Liddiard. The clergy of the parish also take their turn in leading a session of Sunday school once a term. We are always looking to recruit new helpers for our growing Sunday School. If you are interested in serving in this way we’d love to hear from you.

The Children's Advocate

The Children’s Advocate is Casey Hammett and the Section X checker is Doreen Nyamweha.  At Emmanuel we take the area of safeguarding our children and vulnerable adults very seriously since this is a key part of our ministry and we are careful to ensure that there is a safe and nurturing environment for all our members, young and old.  A copy of the parish Child Protection Policy is displayed on our internal notice board and may also be obtained from Fr Jonathan or one of the Officers.

The Electoral Roll Officer

The Electoral Roll Officer is Carrie Reiners who may be contacted to join the Church's Electoral Roll. All baptised regular worshippers over 16 who are members of the Church of England or a church in communion with it may join.  The Electoral Roll is the formal list of Church members and entitles you to attend and vote at the annual Church meeting in April and to stand as a member of the Parochial Church Council (PCC).

Representatives to the Deanery Synod

Emmanuel’s representatives on North Camden Deanery Synod are Sukey Parnell and Elizabeth Trott.

www.northcamdendeanery.org.uk

Members of the Parochial Church Council:

The Parish Priest, The Assistant Priest, The Assistant Curate, the Churchwardens, the Deanery Synod representatives, and the following elected members: Marco Mongiello, Joanne Hutchings, Sukey Parnell, Nishi Shirley, Carrie Reiners, Susan Redward, Diana Malzer, Casey Hammett, Elizabeth Trott.

John Ward is a member of the congregation of Emmanuel who is representative to the House of Laity for the Diocese of London to the General Synod of the Church of England.  The General Synod is the elected parliament of the Church of England and is made up the Houses of Bishops, Clergy and Laity who make important decisions in the life of the wider Church.  As a member of General Synod, John is an ex officio member of the PCC and is always happy to talk about current issues in the Church.

The Executive Head is Sheila McCalla Gordon, who is also Executive Head of our sister School in a Federation - Ss Mary & Pancras School, in Somerstown in the southern part of the Borough of Camden, near St Pancras and Euston Stations. The Head of School is Tracy Kilkenny

The Chair of Governors is Fr Jonathan who is an ex officio Foundation Governor. Mother Annette also sits on the Governing Body.

The PCC also elects representative members of the Governors.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Most Reverend Dr Rowan Williams.  The Bishop of London is the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres and our Area Bishop of Edmonton is the Rt Revd Peter Wheatley.