This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 20 August 2013. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE Revd Pat Jones works with the ministry team from St Mary and St Barnabas Church, to serve families in Thatcham, a town with more than 25,000 people. Pat, the Team Vicar, worked with children and young families as well as with people with learning disabilities, before she was ordained and wanted to use that experience in her ordained ministry.
"There are two established children's centres in Thatcham and I went along, introduced myself and now I go in on a regular basis to work alongside parents and staff," says Pat who works with groups that aim to help build the confidence of young parents.
She invites people she meets to the church mother and toddler group.
"They then bring their children to our 'Sunday on Saturday' event, which is like Messy Church, with craft activities, an act of worship and a meal afterwards," says Pat, who also takes assemblies at Thatcham Park School. "You have got to go where the people are and that is the school and the children's centres, and I'm starting to work with people with learning disabilities. "