Fr. Matthew – An Introduction

Dear friends,

I am thrilled to be joining you in Clacton and Jaywick in September and wanted to write to introduce myself and my family.

I grew up in Sudbury and Ipswich, the son of a vicar and a nurse. At a young age I developed a deep love of music, which I studied at Colchester Institute and then at Oriel College, Oxford where I was a choral scholar.

Shortly after leaving college I married the incredible, Siân – an Essex woman who had grown-up in Thorpe-le-Soken.

After a while working for music magazines in London, we returned to Colchester where I became Head of Publicity at the Mercury Theatre, and then Lecturer in Music at the Institute as I settled into life as a freelance composer, performing and recording musician, and as a writer for various newspapers and magazines. 

Siân had much more interesting and important jobs, working at the Cabinet Office and Ministry of Justice before taking a career-break when our kids Martha, and later, Jim were born. She continued to do voluntary work for charities in Oxford, Basildon and Colchester, with a particular interest in debt advice, and then became PA to the Archdeacon of Colchester.

When called to ministry in 2012, I trained at Cuddesdon College outside Oxford. My curacy was served in Wickford and Runwell, I was Chaplain to the Bishop of Chelmsford and, most recently, Priest-in-Charge of Lexden in Colchester.

During much of my time in Lexden I have lived with cancer, but after a short period of very serious illness my scans cleared. All this has given me a passion to work with people who know unpredictability and change in their lives, and to share with them (and to encourage them to share) the gentle love, peace and faithfulness of God.

I still record albums and perform music in my spare time, as well as writing occasional newspaper articles. I am a bad footballer, and a very average sailor (I bought a plywood dinghy in the lockdown). I love Ipswich Town, walking the coast and rivers, and swimming in the sea.  Sian and the kids love music too – they play in various wind bands and brass bands.

I really can’t wait for the 1^st September to arrive! Until then, I am praying for all in the Parish. Please pray for us, as we prepare to say farewell to Lexden and to follow God’s call to Clacton and Jaywick with joy and great hopefulness.

Yours in Christ,

Fr Matt