PADIHAM PARISH - Key Persons
Mark has been Vicar of Padiham and Hapton since 2001; this means that he has overall responsibility for leading the parish. In addition Mark was made Area Dean of Burnley in 2010; this role involves ensuring that there is good co-operation and partnership between Blackburn Diocese and the local parishes.
Mark is married to Isabel, who's a driving instructor, and they have four grown-up children. He originally comes from Middlesex. At school he loved science and after graduating with a degree in Chemistry he had a short career as a science teacher before realising he'd much rather teach the Bible. He trained for ordination at Oak Hill College in London and served in parishes in Wolverhampton and Northern Ireland before coming to Lancashire.
He likes to keep fit by riding his bike when it's not raining.
Lynne has attended St Margaret's since 2001, when she and husband Grahame, who runs a domestic appliance repair business with their younger son, moved to Hapton from neighbouring Pendle. At about 10 years old, she and her sister decided to attend the morning service and the beginnings of her adult faith began when instead of Sunday School stories, she heard the word of God preached.
Lynne is our Lay Reader, and her main concerns are people, in caring and encouraging, and in developing their faith, either one-to-one or in small groups. She believes that body, mind and spirit must all be nurtured so they intertwine to enable us to live life fully and be the people God created us to be.
Lynne is also on the governing bodies of the church, in Padiham Parish and also at Deanery and Diocesan level.