We welcome Joe Mottram as our new priest-in-charge, following his licensing service at St Philip and St James on 5th September. Joe is married to Kirsty, and they have two children Arthur (9) and Dougie (4). He is already busy settling into his new role, but hopefully he will still have time to pursue his hobbies such as cooking family meals and supporting the England cricket team!
Joe was born in Boston Lincolnshire; his dad was serving as an engineer in the RAF and this meant that his family moved home quite a lot. In his early years Joe lived in Scotland, Hong Kong and South Wales. When he was a teenager, his mum resumed her career in primary school teaching and the family settled in Fife. He went on to study Physics and Astronomy at Leeds University and completed a PhD. He continued his travels over the next ten years, as a researcher in Exeter, Leiden and Heidelberg.
Joe has always been involved in church life and his grandfather was a Church of England vicar. Whilst in the Netherlands Joe joined a worship group, which expanded into leading worship and joining the PCC and Standing Committee. This is where his journey to ordination began following an inspirational visit from the Suffragan Bishop of the Diocese in Europe; his chaplain helped him to explore this calling, and he received further encouragement from a lay reader and vocation adviser whilst living in Germany.
Having trained for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham, he then spent two and a half years as assistant curate in the Parish of Cirencester. Starting his curacy during Covid, Joe reflects positively on how this provided him with the opportunity to walk alongside people during this difficult time and to open the door to doing things differently. An advent calendar, designed by children, was displayed in the windows of a local church. A window was revealed daily and shared online, engaging people in the advent story at a time when they could not go into church.
Joe spent his third-year placement with the Stroud Ministry Team. He recalls a very positive experience where he was involved in the first year of the Festival of Wonder at St Laurence Church. This included spectacular circus acts based on bible stories and brought churches and the community together in a buzzing environment to inspire hope and wonder. He was then seconded to the Thameshead Benefice in 2023, where he encouraged lay leaders and helped them to find and release their calling.
Joe is looking forward to helping our church to find their identity in Christ and explore what we are now being called to do. A bible passage that particularly resonates with him is John Chapter 9: after only a brief encounter with Jesus a blind man is physically and spiritually healed and becomes a role model of discipleship and stands up in faith. This encouraging passage reminds us that although we may not be able to see Jesus physically, he is with us in spirit to guide us.
We extend a very warm welcome to Joe and his family, and pray for them and our church family as we serve our local community and look forward to the plans that God has in store for us as we journey together.