Meet the Team

The Rector

Rev’d Barnaby Huish is Rector of St John’s Church, Neville’s Cross and St. Margaret of Antioch, Crossgate.

REV’D NICKY CHATER

Associate Minister.

Nicky is a self-supporting minister recently retired from the NHS. She was a Reader for a number of years in Liverpool before moving to Durham in 2004. She trained at Cranmer Hall in Durham and was ordained in 2007. She is married to Mike.

Nicky is Chaplain for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community in Durham Diocese and Chair of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Friendly Churches organisation.

MIKE CHATER

ASSOCIATE MINISTER AND SECRETARY TO THE PCC

Mike Chater is a Reader (a lay person trained in theology and ministry.) In his secular life he was a Civil Engineer before retirement. As a Reader, he leads services, preaches regularly, and shares in pastoral duties with the ordained clergy in the church. He is married to Nicky. 

JAN PHILLIPS

A Mancunian by birth, I spent a happy childhood on the shores of Loch Leven, Argyllshire before moving back to Manchester aged 11 and then to London to study Economics and subsequently Personnel Management at UCL and LSE. Having met my husband Roger as a graduate trainee in British Oxygen, we moved for job related reasons to several locations north and south over 40 plus years ending with a post- retirement move in 2017 from Somerset to Durham to be near our daughter’s family.

I first attended St John’s on the day of its Annual Church Meeting and was immediately impressed by the warm and enthusiastic welcome offered together with the spiritual energy, breadth and depth demonstrated, plus a range of community based activities which appealed to me as a newcomer.

I have since become involved in the Community choir, Open Door coffee mornings, Book group, Mothers Union, Partnership for Missional Church programme and, after joining the PCC, took on the role of Parish Safeguarding Officer. I am a volunteer steward at Durham cathedral and support our local hospice.

Having always been drawn to churches which relate closely to their community, I feel enthused that there are still many opportunities for engagement, service and learning within Neville’s Cross and the wider area.

RACHEL LILLYCROP

My parents are American, but I grew up in London and Geneva before reading Natural Sciences at Cambridge. From there, I had a slightly wild ride, working in the oil industry, financial services and taught maths, while moving between the UK, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Poland. Since then, I’ve felt called to theological studies, and I’m currently doing a PhD in Durham looking at how characters in the Old Testament dealt with risk and uncertainty. I love that it applies biblical scholarship to an issue that feels relevant to almost everyone. We have been worshipping at St. John’s for about a year and a half. I’m passionate about hospitality, inviting people both into community and into a deeper relationship with God. Outside of church and studies, I’m a keen runner, and that is finally rubbing off on my husband. We both enjoy skiing, cycling and playing bridge (the card game), so we can entertain ourselves in most weather conditions.

Michael Bullock

TREASURER

I have been worshipping at St John’s since 2021. I’m originally from Cheshire and studied Geography at Lancaster University.
1996 marked some big changes in my life: I became a Christian in August and in September I moved to Durham to start work in housing research. I have a particular interest in the housing needs of Travelling communities. In my spare time I’m a keen family historian, enjoy hiking and travel.

I’ve served on the PCC at St John’s for over 3 years and as Treasurer I want use the financial and analytical stills acquired through running a business to support the church in this important area of work and serving the Lord in a practical way.

If you’d like to know more about our music, click  here.