Meet the team

Associate Vicar : Andrew Vaughan

Andrew is the Associate Vicar of Pip & Jims and he has day to day responsibility for the Church, working with the leaders and Church family to seek God's calling on our lives. He is passionate about seeing God transform people to reach their full potential. Andrew arrived as Associate Vicar in early 2021 after 9 years as vicar in Istead Rise and prior to ordination training he was involved in construction and housing.
Andrew is married to Catherine who plays a number of instruments and teaches music and leads sung worship. In his spare time Andrew likes to fiddle with his Red Rover, listen to all forms of music, especially Bruce Springsteen and U2, take photos and he is learning to cook curries! Andrew and Catherine have two school age boys living with them. Contact Andrew.

Curate: Luke Bacon

The Bacon family moved to Chatham in the early part of 2021 to join the St John’s Mission Project team as well as also being part of St Philip and St James’ (Pip & Jim’s). Luke is married to Becci and they have two daughters (one at primary school and one at secondary school).

Luke and Becci are passionate about seeing lives and communities transformed by the Good News and love of Jesus. Luke particularly enjoys music (mostly singing and playing the guitar) and is happy to try his hand (or foot) at most sports.

Before serving a curacy in Beckenham and training for ordination in Cambridge they lived in Tunbridge Wells where Luke worked for a local church and youth charity.

Contact Luke

Vicar: Martyn Saunders

Martyn Saunders

Martyn is the vicar of Pip & Jim's which means that he has the amazing privilege of being set aside full time to lead the church and serve all those who live in our local community. He is passionate to see the Kingdom of God come on (this bit of the) earth as it is in heaven, and his prayer and action is focussed on encouraging the Church to grow deeper in their relationship with God, and helping people to know about and respond to the amazing message of the good news of God's love for us.
In 2020 he became also the leader of St John's Chatham, and in 2021 day-to-day responsibility for Pip and Jims moves to Andrew.

Martyn moved to Pip & Jim's in 2010, having previously led a Church near Kings Cross in London. He is married to Janette and they have three sons who are all still at school.

Contact Martyn

Church Operations Officer: Ruth Shelsher

Ruth Shelsher thumb Ruth joined the team in 2018 and is the part-time Church Operations Officer which means she organises lots of the activities that come with running a Church. So banns for weddings, booking enquiries, printing weekly notices, database, DBS checks, purchases of everything from electricity to more toilet rolls, and organising many of the rotas all go via Ruth. Without her we'd be lost! Ruth's married to Mike and has a lifetime of experience in organising things and people.

Contact Ruth

Retired Assistant Minister: Steve Spencer

Steve Steve has been part of the church since 1987 and ordained in 1998. He was the Senior Chaplain at Medway Maritme Hospital for many years, and now occasionally preaches, leads services and still offers pastoral care. Steve is married to Fiona. They have two grown up daughters. In his spare time, Steve enjoys woodturning, DIY, music, and reading.

Lay Minister: Jean James

Jean During lockdown Jean has produced a weekly talk for our phone line (01634 540 650) and brought together a team to pray for the sick each week (via Zoom). Jean has been at Pip n Jims since 1968, and has been involved in many aspects of church life since then. Jean developed an interest in healing prayer, and began training people for Prayer Ministry. She was also the author of a book on Quiet Times.
Jean was licensed as a Reader in 2000, and over the years her role has expanded to taking funerals, speaking at ladies groups, taking Communion to the Wisdom Hospice, and praying and supporting others. She has four children, and after being widowed in 1997 she remarried in 2002, and she and her husband Peter lead a home group, look after grandchildren, and continue to support those around. She is passionate for people to grow in the Lord through the Scriptures and Prayer.

Lay Minister: Harry Parsons

Harry Harry was licensed as a Lay Minister in 1989 and upon reaching the age of 70 he was issued a licence by the Bishop of Rochester to continue his ministry as a PTO Reader (Permission to Officiate). He continues to Occasionally preach at Pip & Jim's and speak at Breakaway, and he takes Communion to the Wisdom Hospice. Harry enjoys 'unpacking' the Gospel message to show relevance to today's lifestyle and life's problems. Although retired from business, he has not retired from sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Harry is married to Ann. They have 3 married children and 8 grandchildren.

Lay Minister: Rose Robinson

Rose Robinson Rose’s passions are worshipping God, prayer, preaching and living the Bible especially the Good News that Jesus died and rose again for us, caring for people of all ages in their many needs and promoting their growth in Christ. She was licensed as a Reader in 2008 in the neighbouring Parish of Holy Trinity South Chatham moving across to Pip & Jim’s for a new challenge in October 2016. She is also licensed by the Diocese to take funerals and has an interest in Chaplaincy.

Rose is married to Alan having met at NRI, Chatham. They then did a four-year posting with Tearfund to Honduras and Alan now works for Mission Aviation Fellowship although is due to retire in 2021. They have one son, Mark who began an Economics degree at university in September 2020.

Lay Evangelist : Joe Franqueira

Joe Franqeuira Joe Thomas Angel Franqueira, yes really that is his name! has recently joined the congregation at Pip n Jims after finding the friendship and worship there enhanced his understanding of God. Joe was commissioned by the diocese as an Evangelist in 2010.

Joe is married with two teenagers, hence the grey hairs! He likes all kinds of sport, reading, cinema, red wine and top of his bucket list is to walk the "El Camino". He is also on a quest to find the perfect "Full English breakfast " and believes that this could take a lifetime.