Readers are trained and licenced in the Diocese to preach and to lead services. At Christ Church we have 5 licenced Readers.
John Hougham
John has been a member of Christ Church, together with his late wife Peggy, since moving into the Parish in 1965 and has held office as Church Warden and PCC Secretary before becoming a late entry to Readership in 1998. For some years he has chaired the Social Responsibility Committee and has been an enthusiastic member of the dramatic society (CCADS) for over forty years.
Now retired, his working career was in the field of Personnel Management, most of it with Ford with whom he spent thirty years, the last eight of which were as Director of Personnel for Ford UK. In 1993 he left Ford to become Chairman of ACAS, a post which he held until finally retiring from full-time work in 2000. He was then appointed to the new Disability Rights Commission (DRC) as Deputy Chairman, leaving in 2007 when the DRC was incorporated into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission. In 2007 he also retired from the Employment Appeal Tribunal, having sat as a member since 2000.
Fearing the onset of boredom he joined St John Ambulance and was appointed Commander for Kent in June 2007.
He has a married son and daughter and has the usual grandpa’s pride in his four grandchildren.
Now retired, his working career was in the field of Personnel Management, most of it with Ford with whom he spent thirty years, the last eight of which were as Director of Personnel for Ford UK. In 1993 he left Ford to become Chairman of ACAS, a post which he held until finally retiring from full-time work in 2000. He was then appointed to the new Disability Rights Commission (DRC) as Deputy Chairman, leaving in 2007 when the DRC was incorporated into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission. In 2007 he also retired from the Employment Appeal Tribunal, having sat as a member since 2000.
Fearing the onset of boredom he joined St John Ambulance and was appointed Commander for Kent in June 2007.
He has a married son and daughter and has the usual grandpa’s pride in his four grandchildren.
Martin Sewell
Martin has worshipped at Christchurch continuously since 1977 and became a Reader in 1985. He is married to Church Warden Christine and has two adult sons Edward and Jonathan. His proudest achievement to is to be grandad to Freya Elizabeth! A solicitor by training, Martin has worked in both criminal and family law for over 30 years, and is a specialist in child protection cases, acting for children and adults alike, during which he has daily contact with the problems and anxieties of ordinary people caught up in the most difficult of circumstances. He has broadcast on legal matters for Radio Kent and was an early campaigner in the Green movement. To “get away from it all” he loves rural France and heartland America.
Sheila Brown
Sheila has worshipped at ChristChurch since moving to Gravesend in 1978. She went to Whitelands College and then taught in Primary schools in Surrey, with the British Forces Education service in Germany where she met and married Ian, then in Berkshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and then Kent. She trained with Rosemary Austin, was admitted as a Reader in Rochester Cathedral and licensed to ChristChurch in 1999.
Sheila and Ian have two children and are the proud grandparents of two new baby girls and a grandson aged 7. Sheila retired from teaching as Assistant Head in August 2007: perfect timing for grandparenting duties!
As a member of the PCC, Sheila helps with the Social committee, the complementary music group and the children on a Sunday morning. She is a member of The Mothers' union, loves gardening (though her garden might not make this immediately obvious!), visiting especially RHS gardens, enjoys all kinds of music, especially choral, and when she makes time, sewing.
Rosemary Austin
My name is Rosemary Austin and I am 59 years old. I have been a Reader in Christ Church for 8 years though I have been part of the congregation for 39 years. My father, Claude Fox was a Reader before me so I am carrying on a fine family tradition! I have been married for 36 years and my husband's name is Bob. We have 3 grown up children, Stuart, Suzanne and Edward, and three granddaughters Lizzie, Anna and Kate. I have worked in Christ Church Pre-school for nearly 20 years and have seen a great many children and a great many changes in that time, as you might imagine. I also help to run our First Steps service for pre-school children and their families. I hope that I am a familiar face at our children's services such as our Hot Cross Bun service on Good Friday, our Christingle service and our Crib service on Christmas Eve. It is a real joy to me to see children at these services, many that have come through our Pre-school; to see them growing, developing and maturing as the years go by. We hope that in the fulness of time they too will be caught up in the love of God here in Christ Church and become our congregation of the future.
Betty Martin
Betty has been a reader at Christ Church since 1976. She is a member of the Social Responsibility Committee with a special interest in and concern for the elderly. She is a member of, and speaker for, the Mother's Union and a founder member of the Thames Gateway Multifaith Forum. Betty has been a member at Christ Church since 1935 - she was baptised in the 'original' Christ Church building, and also confirmed and married at Christ Church. She has two children, Philip and Angela, and 6 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.