St Luke’s is Getting a Curate: Meet Ingrid

Hi everyone, my name is Ingrid. I’m so excited to be doing my curacy with you all; thank you very much for having me!

Hopefully this little intro will help you get a sense of who I am, but I am already looking forward to the time we will all share together to learn about one another properly.

The first thing to know, is that I have a heart for adventure. I adore God’s creation, and am happiest when I’m out walking in it. The Lake District is my happy place; the joy of sleeping out in the fells, with good food, deep talks with friends and epic view are some the richest things this world can give. Before I embarked on the adventure of ordained ministry, I was a secondary school history teacher. I spent 8 years navigating the challenges, joys and utter hilarity of teenagers; and during this time I learned a huge amount about what relation actually means. Although I made many mistakes, I really loved and cared deeply about all the students and staff, so hopefully, together as St Luke’s Church I can learn from you all, how we can best really care for those around us, and be the good neighbour in our parish.

One of the benefits of teaching is the long Summer holidays, and for the last 5 years or so, I spent those summers walking the Camino Santiago. The combination of physical challenge, simple living, deep community, and shared experience, is a real gift. To me, life is a pilgrimage, and journeying with others through it is something that brings me so much joy.

If there was one word that sums up why I feel called into church ministry, it would be the word “belonging.” I know what it is like to live life a little on the “outside” and to not quite fit into the norm of what this world expects; but life with Jesus in community transformed me. So, I seek daily to help others to encounter the radical welcome of Christ. Hopefully, through talking, laughing, walking, crying, sharing and being silent together, we can all find a deep belonging with one another, and open the doors to the whole parish to feel the same way!

I very much look forward to getting to know you all, hearing your perspectives, sharing time together, and journeying together through this life we have been gifted with.

God bless and see you very soon,

Ingrid