Revd Canon Richard Hibbert - Vicar

Revd John Bell - Curate

I come from Northwood (NW London) and began working life as a shipbroker in the City of London, at the bottom as office boy and then moved into the chartering department, being responsible for negotiating with ship owners on behalf of overseas clients.

In my late 20s, I felt God calling me to the ordained ministry, and after 2 years of saying no to God (how foolish is that?), I finally agreed. I trained at Trinity College, Bristol, and served my curacy at St. Mary's, Luton. I've been Vicar of Christ Church since July, 2000, Assistant Rural Dean of Bedford since 2005, Rural Dean since 2010. I served on General Synod for 10 years till 2015, when I stepped down to concentrate on the parish and deanery.

I'm married to Sarah and we have one lovely daughter, Emily, and a great cat, called Julian.

You can contact me directly on 01234 359342

Originally from Durham, I moved south for university where I studied Aerospace Engineering before spending 20 years in engineering in Hampshire (briefly) then Hertfordshire, where I spent 18 years with the same company.
 
I felt God calling me to ministry a long time before I actually got to a place where I could do something about it but God was patient and he got me eventually.  I began exploring a call to ordained ministry in 2013, and started training through the Eastern Region Ministry Course in 2016, while continuing to work full time.  In 2019, I was ordained, and began my curacy here at Christ Church.
 
I am married to Rebecca and we have two wonderful children, Sophie and Daniel.  

Ruth Hulme - Children's Minister

Pauline Grimley - Parish Administrator / Office Manager

I spent the first ten years of my life in West Lothian, Scotland and I was later brought up in Lancashire. In a primary competition I won an award for poetry recitation and ever since primary I have most enjoyed story writing, drama and dance.
I chose to study at Cliff College and completed my BA Theology in 2018. I was proud to have achieved a 2:1 and a 1st in my dissertation on the persecuted church. I am keen to do my part in fulfilling God's great commission, and be a practical theologian in the 21st century using my vision for a creative church, with the emphasis on reaching children.
I have used my passion for performing arts in children's ministry since volunteering working for St Stephen's Society, NISCU and The Methodist Church as well as specialising in Mission Placement during my degree.
Through Cliff College I met my husband Benjamin who is also passionate about mission. We are both happy to be settling in Christ Church Bedford.
 

Born in Henley on Thames, educated in Guildford, Surrey and Aberystwyth, I came to Bedford for work over twenty years ago. I taught History and other humanities subjects at Harlington Upper School from 1989 to 2011, when I decided to leave to do other things and to escape the increasingly frequent changes in education.

I joined the staff team as part-time office manager in spring 2013 and have come to understand what the job entails. As far as I can gather I am expected to know everything and everyone at Christ Church, but people are very understanding when I don’t know the answer or can’t give them what they want, immediately.

I am married to Vandon, who is often to be found up a ladder at church and the newest resident of our household is Harpurr (born June 2013) the one real feline in our cat and book filled home.
 

Dawn Hire - Bookings Administrator

Jess Walker - Youth Minister

Kay Berrington - Church Warden

Andrew Turpie - Church Warden