This month we’re finishing with something special — a series sharing the faith journeys of our St Mary’s family. These are the lives, the prayers and the quiet faithfulness woven through our congregation, and we feel blessed to share them.
We hear from Vera, whose story spans a whole life lived close to God.
Vera first came to church as a baby, born into a Christian home, and joined the choir at just seven years old. Her childhood unfolded across wartime Buckinghamshire, a TB rehabilitation estate in Cheshire, and finally Hampshire, where she trained as a Nursery Nurse. She married Jack, an ambulance driver who believed in God but had not yet come to faith — and for ten years she prayed for him.
Those prayers were answered. Through a living, vibrant church community, Jack came to faith, and in time felt called to ministry. He was ordained, eventually serving full-time, and his path brought the family here — to St Mary’s, Bideford, as Curate. Vera still remembers the overwhelming welcome of the church family.
Through parish life, retirement, Jack’s illness with Parkinson’s, and his passing at home surrounded by family, Vera’s faith never wavered. She has served this church in so many ways — taking Home Communion to the housebound, leading the Mothers’ Union, reading Scripture, assisting with the Chalice — and to this day she prays daily for family, friends, and all on our prayer list.
In her own words: “My life has been varied, and I have known the Good Lord has been with me always. Praise His Name.” 🙏
We’re so grateful Vera has shared her story with us. 💛
My story
I had always been to church, even as a baby. My parents were Christian, so it was part of my life from the start. I joined the choir when. I was seven and felt proud to be taking a more active part in the service. We lived in a village in Buckinghamshire where my father was the Head Gardener in an old Manor. We were there throughout the Second World War, but. I did not remember life before that, as I was only 2 when it began. We had evacuees living with us for most of the time, also Land Girls that my Dad had to teach the various jobs on farms. Although I was an only child, I was never lonely. After the war, we moved to Wrenbury Hall in Cheshire as Dad had been appointed as head gardener to a large TB rehabilitation centre for men recovering from that disease.
Apart from the market garden, there was a big chicken farm, various workshops enabling the men to become fit again. Some were still very ill and were nursed in the Hall, some lived in small chalets in the grounds with large windows that were always open to help the recovery continue. There were some who lived in houses on the estate with their families and also worked. Most of the men lived in a hostel and worked when fit enough to do so. I went to the village school, and after a short time of teasing me due to my accent, which was not like the Cheshire one, I made friends. Dad and. I joined the church choir, and Mum belonged to the Mothers’ Union. Our next move was to Hampshire, and we remained there until I left school. I trained to be a Nursery Nurse in the Church of England Children’s Society. It was a good training but very strict. We did one year in a toddler nursery, a term at college, then a final year in a baby nursery. We had Prayers each morning before starting the day, and were expected to attend church on Sundays. Sadly, the Vicarious was elderly and of a very High Church background, so was not what we had all been used to. On completing my training, I had a post in the Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital, in the Maternity Unit. I learnt a lot there and really enjoyed the experience. I met a very pleasant ambulance driver there and eventually married him. He did not go to church, but believed that there was a God.
We started our life together in a caravan that Jack,s father built for us. It was on a site in Whipsnade near the Zoo !. I was expecting our first baby then, and did not work. We saved hard to, but our first house and Andrew was 16 months old when we moved to a terraced home in Dunstable, Beds. I started to go to a new church that was being built just over the border into Luton. It was interesting as it was in the middle of a large London Overspill estate. Then we had our second son, Ian, and he was baptised there. I became a member of the newly formed branch of MU and made many friends. We welcomed a new Vicar whose name was Rev Colin Urquhart. When I first saw him, I just knew that he was going to help Jack to a living faith in the Lord Jesus. We were encouraged to start small home groups called Know Jesus and be filled with His LIFE.
Thus began a very exciting time. Prayer became alive, and we began to expect miracles. People with long-term illness were healed, and the best one of all was to see my dear husband Jack become a Christian. Life became so different; both our sons were also ‘ Baptised in the Holy Spirit’, so I was thrilled that my ten long years of praying for Jack had come to fruition. Not all the church members were being changed, but we went on treating them with love and understanding. During that time, we were blessed to have some well-known speakers to spend weekends with us, and Colin wrote a book about our experiences. It was called, ‘ When the Spirit Comes’. Gradually, we were visited by people from all over the country as the book became a bestseller. Jack and I had many visitors who were keen to see what was happening. We began to know almost immediately whether they were coming to share our lives, or a few who were just curious and would criticise our lives.
During that extraordinary time, Jack felt that he should offer himself to the Ministry. He dismissed it some time as being preposterous, as he had not had a University education. he eventually shared it with me, and I was so relieved that he had told me at last! I had felt that he should do that for some time. We went through a long series of interviews, not always very encouraging, but at last he was accepted for training as a Non Stipendiary Priest for our deanery. This meant that he would continue working in his secular job and use his gifts on weekends and evenings. The day he was ordained a deacon and then a priest was so wonderful. Thus began a different time in our lives, as he was visiting people instead of going to college every evening for three long years.
Once again, we felt that he should try to be a full-time priest, as we were so busy that life was getting difficult. I had always felt that Jack should become full-time, so we once again went through some searching interviews. The day came when he was accepted! I had seen an advert in the Church Times for a Curate wanted in St. Mary’s Church, Bideford. We did know a little about the Rector as he had gone there from our Diocese in St Albans. Jack rang to ensure and was encouraged to apply. We were supported in prayer by a lot of our friends and family. The interview weekend was a very special time.
We met the church wardens, others from the congregation and really liked what we saw. I am so glad that we came away knowing that there was another priest to be interviewed the following week. I knew that if we were accepted, it was meant to be. Several days later, we had the phone call from Rev Paul Smith offering Jack the post. What joyful news!. Three months later, we moved here to Bideford to a smaller house than we had been used to. We also had Jack’s elderly mother living with us. This made it difficult for our family to stay ( we then had both sons married and with grandchildren.
Those three years were filled with many experiences, meeting the parishioners and doing Baptism visits. There were weddings which Jack always enjoyed. The time came to move on to a parish as the Rector, and we went to Nortlhlew in the West of Devon. There were three parishes, and I was able to help in the village play group, using my experiences from other children’s groups. It was good to be in a village situation as we were both country people. Jack retired just after his 65 th birthday, and we returned to our home in Bideford. I was overwhelmed by the welcome we received from the church family. Our years of retirement were not all easy. Jack developed Parkinson’s disease and found it difficult to manage stairs. He also fell over many times, so we decided to seek a ground-floor flat, which was just ideal. We had been there for 3 years when Jack died. He was at home, and our oldest son, Andrew, and his wife were with us. I have continued with life, going on with all the things I had needed to stop whilst nursing Jack.
I did church cleaning with a cheerful band of ladies. Took Home Communion to house-bound church family, intercessions on Sundays, assisting with the Chalice, which was very special. I became Branch Leader of the Mothers ‘ Union. I also took my turn in doing the Bible readings. This continued until my own health began to fail. I have been really blessed by all the activities done in the Name of the Lord. I spend time each day praying for family, friends and many on the confidential prayer list. My life has been varied, and I have known the Good Lord has been with me always.
Praise His Name
