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.
MINISTERS
Alongside our Rector
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.
A number of other clergy and lay people have permission to officiate.
CHURCH WARDENS – JAN PHILLIPS and RACHEL LILLYCROP
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.
JO CUNDY
My background is as a lawyer, a clergy wife, and a writer. The Cundy family was part of St John’s in the 1980/90’s when my husband Ian was Warden of Cranmer Hall and I came back to Durham and St John’s in 2009 when Ian died. I have enjoyed reconnecting with the church family here, and exploring ways of deepening and sharing our discipleship, and growing in our spiritual awareness. Now I am excited by the way that the Covid pandemic is opening up new ways of being church in our community.
KATH SHANKS
I am a retired Modern Languages teacher with a passion for community engagement and cultural exchange. Throughout my career, I had the pleasure of teaching French and German, fostering a love for languages and promoting cross-cultural understanding.
In my retirement, I remain committed to active involvement in various outreach activities at St. John’s. As a member of the editorial team of the Cross Quarterly Community newsletter, I enjoy sharing valuable insights, stories and updates to keep our community informed and connected.
I am also proud to be a part of the Open Door Café, a warm and inclusive space where individuals from all walks of life can come together, enjoy a cup of coffee, and conversation. This initiative aims to promote a sense of belonging and nurture a supportive community environment.
Additionally, I am thrilled to be a founder member of the Neville’s Cross Community Choir. Music has a unique power to unite people and uplift spirits, and, through our choir, we aim to spread joy and inspire others to join in the celebration of music.
I see the future of St. John’s as fostering strong connections within our community and collaborating with neighbouring churches. By actively engaging with the diverse needs and aspirations of today’s society, we can ensure that our church remains relevant and continues to make a positive impact. Together, we can create a welcoming space for all, promoting inclusivity, spirituality and a sense of purpose.
We should embrace the power of language, community and shared experiences, working towards a brighter and more connected future for St. John’s and the wider community.
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.
DAVID ATKINSON
SECRETARY TO THE PCC
I am server at the 10:30 a.m. service, and occasionally read the lesson, lead the intercessions and administer the chalice.
I am secretary to the PCC. My chief claim to fame is taking part in a sleepout at Durham Cathedral in support of a homeless charity.
Amy Ward
MISSIONER AND DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
I came to Durham in 2015 to study theology, mission and ministry at Cranmer Hall, following a two-year stint overseas with ‘Latin Link.’ I joined St John’s during this time, having taught music in a previous life. As my degree came to a close, the feeling that God might be calling both me and St John’s to a more formal missional role became increasingly strong.
Consequently, since January 2019 I have been working part-time as the church missioner primarily in Bearpark, an ex-mining village in a neighbouring parish. Music forms an integral part of my work, and has been a particularly helpful way to build bridges between the church and wider community. It has been great working in partnership with Christians and other members of the community there.
If you’d like to know more about our music, click here.
THE PCC
The Parochial Church Council is elected to share with the Rector in giving direction to the Church. It performs functions of governance and strategic planning.
DURHAM DEANERY REPRESENTATIVES
Three members of the PCC represent St John’s at Durham Deanery Meetings.
RECTOR’S SECRETARY
The Rector’s Secretary is Mrs Jane Holmes. She works on a part time, flexible basis and can be contacted during office hours via email using the contact form, phone (07423 797290); or via post to Antioch House, 66 Crossgate, Durham DH1 4PR.