Groomsport Parish welcomes Revd Elliot Swattridge
It was a joyful evening in Groomsport as the parish welcomed Revd Elliot Swattridge as Priest–in–charge.
Bishop David conducted the service of introduction on Monday 21 August and the Archdeacon of Kilmore, The Ven Ian Horner, gave the address. Ian spoke on John 15: 1–8 and the need for us to remain connected to God, the source of all life. Ian is a friend of the family, hailing from Greystones where Elliot’s wife Nomi grew up.
Elliot and Nomi come to the diocese from the large parish of Emmanuel, Croydon, prior to which Elliot served a curacy in the Diocese of Hereford. He says that what attracted them to Groomsport was the parish’s commitment to prayer, something about which he is particularly passionate.
“I believe that God’s Spirit longs to bear so much fruit in this land, for so many people to come to know Him. I know from experience that He is so much better than we could ever dream! While our own self–made plans lead to bitter disappointment, His plans lead to endless life. So I don’t want to follow my own agenda here – instead, I am inspired to see what He is doing in all the wonderful people of Groomsport and beyond, and then join in! I know this is a deeply prayerful church and I know what God can do through ‘people who pray’ is so much infinitely beyond anything we could create in our own strength.”
Welcome, Elliot and Nomi, to Down and Dromore and blessings in your ministry in Groomsport Parish Church.
Elliot’s faith story
I was raised in Herefordshire, England, and, not coming from a Christian home, Jesus gradually came to find me out of the blue through reading a Gideon’s Bible I was given at school aged 11, which I ended up looking at over the next few years. I barely understood anything, and had no church connection, but longed for acceptance by God. At this point, I hadn’t really heard of the Gospel and so thought I needed to basically make my life perfect and do loads of good deeds in order to be accepted by God. This was a horrible struggle because I could never do this, and felt like God would never accept me!
Yet I saw lots of references to baptism as I read the Bible for the first time, and so thought if I was going to really follow Jesus I should take that as a next step, which being very shy, I plucked up the courage to ask about aged 16. I went to the only church I really knew, a little village church in Bridstow, and this was my first connection with ‘going to church’ on a Sunday. Again, I didn’t understand much but God used experiences here and at CU at school to introduce the wonderful idea of being accepted by faith, through trusting Jesus, not because of good deeds or anything I have done, but because of what Jesus had done to rescue me. We are used to hearing this if we have spent any time in church, but at aged 16–17 this was an absolutely wonderous revelation, and the freedom that came for me was so amazing! I struggled with assurance for many years after this but Jesus has so kindly and gently been teaching me more and more about His wonderful love, a love that is so deep and so utterly secure.
From being little, I originally wanted to be a doctor – but had suddenly become interested in theology instead after Jesus found me, and so went to study this at Cliff College, Derbyshire. Later, some people suggested considering ministry in the Anglican church. I was initially very reluctant because I didn’t consider myself very ‘Anglican’ – I prefer to think of myself as just ‘Christian’ (that is amazing enough!) But more and more it seemed right and began to feel a strong sense of being called to this myself too.
So as part of training, I went to Trinity College in Bristol and then curacy in Hereford – where a big part of my passion there was working for church unity in prayer, and with local primary schools – two of my greatest joys! Then I had a time as Associate Minister for Children, Youth & Families in Emmanuel Church, Croydon, London, working primarily with children and teenagers, where I found the way our Lord answered prayer in so many young lives absolutely breathtaking. Here I saw prayer really coming to life!
My longing above anything is to see people come to know and love Jesus for themselves, particularly those who, like me, had no previous church connection. I am living proof that Jesus can come to find lost sheep like me completely out of the blue! And I absolutely love the Word of God, which God used to bring me to Himself all that time ago in the little red Gideon’s Bible. After doubting it for many years when I was younger, I have found such security and freedom in really believing and trusting it completely, and so I love to open it and share the beautiful treasure in it with anyone who wants to listen!
