Revd. Mike Coe - Rector

Mike is married to Lisa with 4 children aged from 8 to 24. He comes from Romford, Essex, and became a Christian aged 14. He has worked as a satellite dish salesman, a marketing executive, a Christian youth worker, an evangelist and a part-time college lecturer. He trained to be a minister in Oxford, followed by a three-year ‘apprenticeship’ in Northampton before coming to St. Matthews in the autumn of 2003. He is an avid supporter of West Ham United.

Alan Freeman

Alan is a member of the PCC and is on the Preachers and Teachers team.  He also leads one of our Home Groups.  He is married to Anne and they have three children. He enjoys nothing more than listening to The Beatles and reading Ian Rankin books.

Steve Watters

Steve is a Churchwarden and a member of the PCC, is on the Preachers and Teachers team and contributes to Parade Services. Married to Maggie, they have three daughters. Steve is a teacher of History at Academy 6. His hobbies include reading books, acting as undergardener and walking on the South Downs.

Pauline Blythe

Pauline is our Church Administrator.  She keeps us all organised and manages the bookings for the St Matthew’s Church Centre.

Nigel Brett

Nigel is in his second term on the PCC and on the Property  sub committee.  He is married to Evelyn and they have two grown up children, Laura and Stephan.  His hobbies include model making, electric vehicles and reading.

Shirley Coulthard

Shirley is one of our deputy Churchwardens, a Deanery Synod representative, on the PCC and a homegroup leader.  She grew up, went to school and church in Tunbridge Wells, moving to St Matthews when getting married to David. After being widowed she continued at St Matthews and in the NHS, escaping in 2006 after 40 years service in Microbiology.  She is enjoying retirement and catching up on holidays and travel.

Jim Cox

Jim was elected to the PCC in 2009.  He is a member of the property sub-committee, a relief sidesman and a home group member.  Jim is a voluntary driver for the Hospice Day Therapy Centre and Association of Carers.  His hobbies include photography, embroidery and stamp collecting.  Jim disappears for 3 months each November to visit his daughter and family  in Tasmania.

Paul Humphrey

Paul has been a member of St Matthew’s since 2006 when he moved to St Leonards from Tunbridge Wells with his wife Emily and their five children.  He is currently a member of the crèche rota and was voted onto the PCC in June 2009.

Sheila Shepheard

Sheila was born quite a long time ago in St. Leonards, and returned here in 1992 after her husband died.  She has three married children and four grandchildren, enjoys playing tennis, and tries unsuccessfully to show her computer who’s boss.  St Matthews is her spiritual home; she’s a deputy Churchwarden and on the PCC and preaching team, and belongs to a home-group.

Ed Towner

Ed is on the Preachers and Teachers team, a PCC member, Deanery Synod representative and a Home Group leader. He also looks after our church website. Why am I writing this in the third person? Anyway, I support Harlequins Rugby Club, enjoy sailing and play the classical guitar really, really badly. My wonderful family are either really supportive or completely tone deaf.

Rachel Woods

Elected to the PCC in 2009, Rachel is one of the leaders of Mini-Zone (our sunday school for 3-6 year olds), a member of the children’s work sub-committe and handles the finances for Smarties (our mother and toddler group). Rachel is married and currently stays at home to look after her 22 month old little boy.