Our Leadership

Our Leadership

Our Leadership

Our Leadership

Within the Church, the issue of hierarchy and who does what can appear complex and mysterious — even to its members.

At Grace Church Caversham, we employ a simple and biblical system of leadership and oversight by elders and deacons.

See below for more on who's who, and how we operate.

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What is an elder, a deacon — or a pastor for that matter?


In a nutshell, the position of the pastor or elder in a church is as an overseer of people, a shepherd of the congregation. A pastor is typically the lead elder amongst elders, though set-ups can vary. Jesus, and the Bible in general, frequently makes allusion to the idea of our Lord as a shepherd, and us his followers as sheep.


However it's important to note that the person chosen for this role cannot just be anyone with leadership qualities. Not only must that person be a capable and responsible individual, but they must be genuinely spirit-filled, and also have a track record of serving, honesty and righteous-living (see 1 Timothy 3).


In this way, God is trying to convey the idea that his relationship with us is not one of remote mechanistic disinterest, but rather as a loving father — intimately involved and concerned with the welfare of his children. Such is the importance of this concept that the Bible declares that Jesus himself is our only true leader, and any nominated elder or pastor is simply a gifted and faithful servant amongst equals.


The role of a deacon is related to that of the elder or pastor but in a more specific capacity. Whereas an elder oversees an entire church, a deacon might oversee a specific ministry, such as worship.

What is an elder, a deacon — or a pastor for that matter?


In a nutshell, the position of the pastor or elder in a church is as an overseer of people, a shepherd of the congregation. A pastor is typically the lead elder amongst elders, though set-ups can vary. Jesus, and the Bible in general, frequently makes allusion to the idea of our Lord as a shepherd, and us his followers as sheep.


However it's important to note that the person chosen for this role cannot just be anyone with leadership qualities. Not only must that person be a capable and responsible individual, but they must be genuinely spirit-filled, and also have a track record of serving, honesty and righteous-living (see 1 Timothy 3).


In this way, God is trying to convey the idea that his relationship with us is not one of remote mechanistic disinterest, but rather as a loving father — intimately involved and concerned with the welfare of his children. Such is the importance of this concept that the Bible declares that Jesus himself is our only true leader, and any nominated elder or pastor is simply a gifted and faithful servant amongst equals.


The role of a deacon is related to that of the elder or pastor but in a more specific capacity. Whereas an elder oversees an entire church, a deacon might oversee a specific ministry, such as worship.

What is an elder, a deacon — or a pastor for that matter?


In a nutshell, the position of the pastor or elder in a church is as an overseer of people, a shepherd of the congregation. A pastor is typically the lead elder amongst elders, though set-ups can vary. Jesus, and the Bible in general, frequently makes allusion to the idea of our Lord as a shepherd, and us his followers as sheep.


However it's important to note that the person chosen for this role cannot just be anyone with leadership qualities. Not only must that person be a capable and responsible individual, but they must be genuinely spirit-filled, and also have a track record of serving, honesty and righteous-living (see 1 Timothy 3).


In this way, God is trying to convey the idea that his relationship with us is not one of remote mechanistic disinterest, but rather as a loving father — intimately involved and concerned with the welfare of his children. Such is the importance of this concept that the Bible declares that Jesus himself is our only true leader, and any nominated elder or pastor is simply a gifted and faithful servant amongst equals.


The role of a deacon is related to that of the elder or pastor but in a more specific capacity. Whereas an elder oversees an entire church, a deacon might oversee a specific ministry, such as worship.

Who's Who?

Elders

Nick King

Nick is married to Rosemarie and has two daughters, Rebecca and Elizabeth. His interests include kayaking, watching sport and End Times theology – and he is passionate for people to know about Jesus.

David Steed

David is a former civil servant and part of the teaching and preaching team here at Grace Church Caversham. Chairing a number of groups within the church, he is married to Carolyn, a former teacher, who also pastors and leads worship in our Sunday services.

Deacons

John Crozier
Treasurer

John is married to Alice and has three children, Joel, Nathan and Bethany. As well as keeping the books in order, John loves to take his children to watch football and play sport.

Staff

Cathy Lamsdale
Secretary & Toddlers

Cathy is married to Rolf and has two children. She has been church secretary for 23 years and has run Toddlers for 27 years. She loves exploring local coffee shops and finding good places to eat.