Team
Please do get in touch or come and say ‘hello’. Our wonderful team of staff and volunteers would be delighted to help and welcome you to St Luke’s.
If you would like to play your part and serve in our church family please contact any member of the team.
If you think God may be calling you to join our team, please take a look at our jobs page to see if we have any vacancies.
Core Team
Our core team comprising paid staff and committed volunteers support the Senior Leadership in the day to day running of the Church, meeting weekly for prayer and planning.
Hiya! I’m Abs, and I have the privilege of being St Luke’s Church Administrator. I moved to Maidstone with my husband Ryan and toddler Samuel in 2020. We joined St Luke’s in 2021 and I joined the core team here later that year. It’s been non-stop ever since and I love it! It’s so exciting to be part of a growing, spirit led church where God is on the move and at work in people’s lives.
Favourite Food: Lasagne, cake or milk chocolate
Favourite Tipple: Hot chocolate
Favourite Sport: Spinning or swimming
Favourite Space: The beach!
Abs Oxley
Church Administrator
I’m Brad and I’m a Lay Minister at St Luke’s. I am excited to be part of all that God is doing here and it is a privilege to join in with His mission in Maidstone and beyond. I am passionate about seeing people equipped to live their ordinary everyday lives in the power of the Holy Spirit so that others can come to know the transforming love of God. For my day job, I head up HR Services for the C of E. I’m married to Esther with two human daughters and a Labrador fur-baby.
Favourite food: Indian
Favourite tipple: A glass of Malbec or a real ale
Favourite sport: Does dog-walking count!?
Favourite space: The Algarve
Brad Cook
Licensed Lay Minister
Hello, I am Clare and I have the privilege of serving St Luke’s, coordinating Pastoral care. Dave and I arrived in St Luke’s in July 1988 with our young family and have seen many changes over the 30 odd years that St Luke’s has been our spiritual home. When our children did not need me so much I went to train at Canterbury as an ALM studying Ministry and Theology for two years and have been involved with pastoral care ever since. We love getting our extended family together, it’s such fun!
Favourite Food: Paella cooked by our middle son
Favourite Tipple: Gin and tonic with ice and lemon
Favourite sport: Rugby and athletics
Favourite space: Lindisfarne or Holy Island in Northumberland
Clare Torrens
Assistant Pastor
Hi there! My name’s Gareth and I have the joy of leading the church family at St. Luke’s.
I moved to Maidstone with my family during lockdown in Aug 20. We love the church family at St. Luke’s and look forward to you joining us on God’s kingdom adventure.
Favourite Food: Indian Curry
Favourite Tipple: Red Wine or Craft beer.
Favourite Sport: Football
Favourite Space: Polzeath Beach, Cornwall
Gareth Dickinson
Vicar
Hi! I'm Gemma, and I have the pleasure of serving St Luke's, coordinating events we do. I joined St Luke's in 2011 when my now husband invited me to join him after me saying I was looking for a new church. St Luke's has been my spiritual home since, and I co-ordinated youth work for a number of years. I love planning and organising events that are fun, exciting and bring us together as a church family and draw in the wide community. Its lovely seeing people connect with each and have fun and for some experience God for the first time.
Favourite Food: Cake
Favourite Tipple: Raspberry Lemonade
Favourite Sport: Rugby
Favourite Space: York or at my desk doing craft projects
Gemma Levett
Events
Hello! I love to be creative and active, enjoying life in all its fullness! I joined St.Luke's July 2023 as the Curate (Ordained but continuing in training). I am loving it! We are new to Maidstone, my South African husband, our two boys and the dog, who is also a boy! I am out numbered! It's ok, I grew up in a Judo club 🙂 I am passionate about sharing my faith in Jesus, and listening and learning from others and their experience of 'the spiritual life.'
Favourite food: Indian & South African Braai!
Favourite tipple: Savana Cider with a slice of lemon
Favourite sport: Running and Judo wrestling on the trampoline with my boys!
Favourite space: With the family, outside ideally!
Hollie Butler
Curate
Hi, I'm Immy. I joined the staff team at St Luke's as Youth Pastor in September 2023. I love a silly, competitive game and a peaceful walk in the countryside.
I'm married to the wonderful Peter and am proud cat mum to our crazy kitten, Suki!
Favourite Food: chocolate
Favourite Tipple: Rum and cola
Favourite Sport: Competitive Dobble competitions
Favourite Space: Any walk or hike with a good view
Immy Sharp
Youth Pastor
Hi, I’m Josh, production manager for St Luke’s. I am married to the wonderful Kathryn and have two amazing boys Noah and Leo. We joined St Luke’s in 2022 and started to be involved in a mix of teams; sound and youth for me! Since then, I have been helping with the production at St Luke’s, to help all get closer to God in worship and praise!
Favourite food: Sunday roast
Favourite Tipple: Tea
Favourite Sport: To play, Badminton. To watch, Cricket
Favourite Space: Anywhere there is a steam train
Josh Graham
Production Manager (P/T)
Hello! I'm the Children and Families Pastor here at St. Luke's. It's great to be part of such a thriving Church and I'm really excited for what's to come. When I'm not at church, I chase around after my two lively sons with my husband and we spend a lot of time surrounded by trees or Lego. In my spare (!) time I'm exploring Ordination and contemplating whether I'll ever have the motivation or musical skill to learn the ukulele (unlikely.)
Favourite Food: Anything with potatoes
Favourite Tipple: Hot chocolate or bitter lemon (depending on the external temperature!)
Favourite Sport: Scooting, chasing children and long walks
Favourite Space: Being beside the sea...Sheppey or the Seychelles!
Laura Evans
Children and Families Pastor
Hi! My name is Mandy. I have the privilege of being the finance and bookings manager. I love crunching numbers. I have been coming to St. Luke's for donkeys years! I am married to Spencer and we have two children who have both flown the nest.
Favourite Food: Vegetables
Favourite Tipple: Craft IPA
Favourite Sport: Tour de France
Favourite Space: Isle of Wight
Mandy Parris
Finance and Bookings Manager
Hi! I’m Melanie and I have been at St Luke’s since 1987 when I joined with Clive and our young children. It’s great to be part of a growing church family and exciting to see what happens next!
Favourite food: Lasagne
Favourite tipple: White wine
Favourite sport: Tennis
Favourite space: Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
Melanie Williams
Church Warden
Hello! I'm Phil. I am studying as an Ordinand at St Mellitus College with St Luke's as my placement church. I help to oversee Life Groups & Mens Ministry amongst other things. I am married to Robyn, the Worship & Creative Pastor and together we have two children and a dog to look after!
Favourite food: Curry
Favourite tipple: Corona
Favourite sport: Surfing (in my dreams!)
Favourite space: Beach
Phil Trainer
Ordinand
I’ve loved being part of the St Luke’s family most of my life, firstly with my parents as a child (it helped that we lived next door to the then Vicarage!) and then with my own family. After a Career in Local Government I had the joy of being ordained in 2002.
Favourite Food: Lasagne
Favourite Tipple: Sherry, or the Houston’s Apple Juice
Favourite Sport: Eating chocolate
Favourite Space: Lyme Regis, Dorset
Robin Williamson
Clergy
Hey everyone! I'm Robyn. I joined the staff team here as Worship & Creative Pastor in summer 2022. I love being a part of the St Luke's family, encouraging us all in worship of our amazing God. I am one half of a pair of Trainers with my husband Phil. We have two incredible children and a scruffy dog called Rufus.
Favourite food: Curry
Favourite tipple: G&T
Favourite sport: Outdoor adventuring
Favourite space: Camping in the UK
Robyn Trainer
Worship & Creative Pastor
My name's Susan Ghinn. After many years of serving St Luke's as Treasurer I now have the privilege of serving as Team Chaplain. We moved to Maidstone and St Luke's in 1988. 10 years later we moved, first to Rio de Janeiro for 3 years, then various other places. We returned to Maidstone, where we have family and St Luke's in 2012 when Edward retired.
Favourite Food: Apple pie and chocolate. Maybe not together, but I'll have the chocolate after the pie!!
Favourite Tipple: Red wine
Favourite Sport: Pilates (I don't do sport)
Favourite Space: Norfolk
Susan Ghinn
Team Chaplain
Hi, I’m Tony, and I have been at St Luke's since 1979 and a churchwarden since 2012. In real life I am a Town Planner. It is exciting to see St Luke's growing and expanding as it develops its mission to the community and build up the fellowship.
Favourite Food: Chocolate
Favourite Tipple: Real ale
Favourite Sport: Skiing
Favourite Space: Rochester Forest
Tony Chadwick
Church Warden
PCC
The PCC has the responsibility together with the Vicar to promote in the parish the whole mission of the Church, sharing leadership of the parish so that we all play our part in God’s mission and ministry. Each member of the PCC is a trustee of St Luke’s Maidstone charity. Membership includes clergy licensed to the parish, churchwardens, elected representatives on diocesan and deanery synods, and 9 parish representatives.