Parish of Leatherhead - Parish Team
within the United Benefice of Leatherhead & Mickleham
updated 9 Feb 2008
please click links on the left for more information, those on the right to send an email

Vicar Canon David Eaton B.Th., L.Th.
Parish Priest, Mickleham Revd David Ireland
Non Stipendiary Assistant Curate Revd Mike Stewart
Reader Gail Partridge
Licenced Lay Worker Revd Mary Cruddas
Solitary Sister Maureen Henderson
Lay Worship Leaders Ginny Eaton, Roger Lynch, Chris Stagg
Churchwardens John Hampton, Peter Leith
Assistant Churchwardens Sheila Sutherland, Stephanie Segatta, Navin Mehta
Pastoral Team Sheila Reynolds, Sophia Bessant, Linda Hauxwell
Parish Visitor Edith Wright
Director of Music & Organist David Oliver
Parish Hall hire Sheila Sutherland
Parish Magazine Editor Malcolm Clark OBE
Parish Secretary Jane Andrews

 

 

 

Rev David  Eaton
VICAR
David Eaton
David served his curacy at All Saints, Headley near Bordon 1974 to 1977.  An Industrial Chaplain in the West Midlands until 1982, he was then appointed Vicar of Rowledge near Farnham. 

In September 1989 he was installed here as Vicar - although the Dean & Chapter of Rochester are patrons of the living, David was our first Vicar appointed from the Diocese of Guildford.  He was Rural Dean 1993 to 1998. He became the first Incumbent of the United Benefice of Leatherhead and Mickleham in 2001.

He is interested in contemplative spirituality, including Julian of Norwich.  He is a member of the Leatherhead Town Centre Forum.

On 6th October 2002 David was installed as an Honorary Canon of Guildford Cathedral.

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Mike Stewart
Non-stipendiary Assistant Curate
Mike took early retirement seven years ago from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm where he had become a partner since leaving university.

Feeling the first stirrings of a vocation in the priesthood, he tried to get theology 'out of his system' by taking a BA and MA in theology and Biblical studies at King's College, London.

However, the calling did not go away, so he bowed to the inevitable and submitted himself to the process of selection for training for ministry. Mike studied at Ripon College, Cuddesdon (just outside Oxford) for a one-year postgraduate Diploma in Ministry, living in college during the week, and spending the weekends at home in Dorking with his wife, Carol.

He now serves as a non-stipendiary assistant curate at St Mary and St Nicholas with All Saints, Leatherhead, and will combine this with part-time work as an accountant (in order to fund his obsession for books!). Mike hopes that this professional work will also assist in the development of a ministry to the business community in Leatherhead. Mike's interests include reading, classical music (singing and playing piano) and walking.
from: The Wey, October 2007

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Mary Cruddas
Ordinand in Training
The Diocesan Director of Ordinands asked David Eaton if our parish would be happy to receive an ordinand who is being trained under a 'mixed mode course', a relatively new approach.

Her name is Mary Cruddas and she has been a member of the parish of Christ Church, Epsom. Under the scheme, Mary is attached to our parish for at least four years. Much of her training will arise out of the way she is able to contribute to the life of the church here, as any curate would who has already been ordained. Mary will not be able to do this fully until after her ordination, which takes place after her first two years. She will then be ordained deacon and priested a year later.

Each year Mary will go to college at St John's in Nottingham for two five-week study periods when she will undertake her theological training. The rest of the time she will be parish-based in Leatherhead. Mary began with us in September 2005.

more - now Licenced Lay Worker

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Gail Partridge
Reader

Gail writes: After a year as an au pair in Paris I trained as a physiotherapist. Roger and I married in 1962, when we were both 22, and subsequently had three sons. Tragically we lost our middle son to a Sail Board accident shortly before his 18th birthday.

Although being a life long Christian and very involved in our local church in Little Bookham, I began to feel the ‘call’ to ministry and with enormous support from the PCCs of Effingham with Little Bookham went forward to train for the office of Reader. I was licensed in October 1993.

As well my parish based ministry I became Lay Chaplain at Princess Alice Hospice for 9 years. Being invited to take many services for the United Reformed Church I sought official recognition as a Lay Preacher in the URC and I currently hold accreditation in their Wimbledon and Guildford Circuits.

In 2006 the Diocesan Readers’ board informed me that David Eaton was interested in me joining the ministry team at Leatherhead. It has felt a little like a ‘home coming’ as I served my parish placement in Leatherhead during my Reader training. I feel greatly humbled by the warm welcome I have received.

I feel passionately about social issues being a long time volunteer with Save the Children, a member of the Guildford Refugee Action Group and support aid agencies in Afghanistan and Yemen. I espouse a central churchmanship and a liberal theology. I am a member of the Modern Churchpeoples Union.

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