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Hi, my name is Mike Redshaw and I am a Methodist Minister living in Derbyshire, UK.
I have been in full time presbyteral Ministry for 28 years now, responding to a call upon my life, when I was 30 years old. At that time I was worshipping in my home Church in Consett, Co. Durham, playing my part in the Boys Brigade, Junior Church, drama group, circuit and a whole host of other activities. I thought that life was made, but first of all God challenged me to become a preacher and then later to become a Minister. 
In the time since I entered full time Ministry I can honestly say that God has never let me down and has always been there for me.
My first appointment was to serve 5 years in Oldham. This was a blessed time, with excellent colleagues who taught me so much,
and three Churches full of loving people. Oldham will always have a special place in my heart;
it was here where I began to learn and understand the privilege of Ministry, alongside others.
In recent years I have returned to lead a weekend with Honeywell Lane Church on the subject of "Journeying with the Celtic Saints".
This was a very special weekend of renewing acquaintances and friendships.
My second appointment, in 1996, was to the Erewash Valley Methodist Circuit, which straddles the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border. Here I had five churches and latterly the role of Circuit Evangelism Enabler. My largest Church was a joint Anglican/Methodist Church, two congregations worshipping together in one building. St. Andrew's, Langley Mill has been a successful blending of two congregations to the extent that it is now hard to know who is Methodist and who is Anglican. Much of my enjoyment of that appointment was down to the wonderful relationship I had with the Vicar, Rev. Lindsay Hughes who has remained a great friend. It was also a special place for me as it was here that my wife, Alison, heard the call to preach in the Anglican Ministry of Reader. I encourage you to look up the church on my links page. 
September 2004 saw the family on the move again; this time to take on the role of Superintendent Minister of the Ripley Methodist Circuit.
This was a circuit of 11 churches and many demands, but we feel strongly that God sent us to Ripley.
There were many challenges but we feel that God carried out some wonderful things in this area.
One of the great joys for me was to take up the Chaplaincy to Maple Leaf House, a Methodist Home for the Aged which specialises in dementia care.
I found a great deal of love and support from this home, and the circuit surrounding it.
In September 2010 I became the joint Superintendent Minister of the newly created Borders Mission Circuit,
covering part of the old Ripley Circuit and amalgamating with three other circuits in the area again straddling the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border.
We encouraged the folk in mission and evangelism to spread the Gospel message throughout this area.
In September of 2013 I moved on again, this time to the launch of another Circuit amalgamation, the Trent and Dove Methodist Circuit, bringing together two circuits into one covering the area from Uttoxeter to Burton-on-Trent. It is a big change and a fresh challenge, but one I`m enjoying. In 2007 I completed a year long "Mission Shaped Ministry" course looking at Fresh Expressions of Church, as my heart will always be in evangelism, mission and in making faith in Jesus more accessible to people in this modern age. In 2009 I joined the planning team and became a joint co-ordinator for rolling out the course in the Notts and Derby District of the Methodist Church and two Anglican Dioceses in September of that year. 
September 2017 will see my tenth visit to Romania to work alongside a church in Poiana, Constanta in an area of extreme poverty.
We are hoping to run a children's club, enhance the play area, and visit some families and I usually preach.
Photographs of this can be found on the St Andrew's website.
My family are very important to me, and over the years they have supported me wonderfully. Alison and I have celebrated 37 years of marriage. She used to work part time (!) as a charity shop co-ordinator for a local Christian charity called Valley CiDS which aims to put Christian workers into local schools. During this time Alison co-ordinated four charity shops and loved it. It was hard work and very tiring but she believes in the need to put Christians into our schools. She then moved to be the deputy manager of the Scope charity shop in Ripley. Following this she pursued her calling to the Anglican Priesthood, and was Ordained as a Deacon on July 4th 2010, and priested on July 2nd 2011. She has sered as a Curate in the Benefices of St. Marys Crich and also in South Wingfield. As well as this she took over, from me, the Chaplaincy post at Maple Leaf House and is did a splendid work there. Alison has now taken a role of Associate Minister to the Parish of Emmanuel, Swadlincote, where she is much loved. Our eldest daughter is Rebecca. Rebecca (or Becca) now lives with her partner, Michelle in Nottingham. 
Victoria (Vikki) attended Nottingham Trent University, where she gained 2.1 degree in psychology.
Vikki is now married to Mark and has a daughter, Piper.
They too live in Nottingham.Michelle and Mark are two wonderful people and we're so proud to have them as part of the family. In addition to Rebecca and Vikki we have also been involved with various other youngsters over the years, some of whom have visited and wanted to live with us; others have been youngsters of family friends and we have followed their progress with pride also. So we often remember and pray for Gareth and Charlotte, Kate and Lloyd, Nathan, Chris, Julia and Joe, Eleanor and Andy, Bryony, Daniel, David, Jamie, Michelle, Tom, and many others who over the years have been part of our lives. Especially we are delighted and honoured to be getting know the grandchildren of our good friends, Alison and Stuart. Caitlyn and Noah are going to brings much joy in the years to come. Well, this is my family and combined with my father, brother, Alison's mum and brother and his family we are kept very busy, but always praising God for his goodness and his blessing upon us. Please enjoy browsing around this website and if you have any ideas for its development why not let me know by sending an email to me or through Eric. Oh, and one more thing…You may be wondering about the logo on my home page? Well, I have a love of wearing loud, gaudy waistcoats and the more bad taste they are the better!! I have become known around the area not by name, but by the description "the minister who wears waistcoats" Worryingly I am now developing a similar reputation for colourful "crocs". |
© 2019 Reverend Michael Redshaw |
