The Bishop of Rochester is delighted to announce that Mrs Amanda Willmont is to be appointed as an Assistant Curate to the parish of St Luke’s in Tunbridge Wells, subject only to the completion of her Phase 1 training as an Ordinand and a satisfactory final report from her training institution. Amanda is scheduled to be ordained Deacon on the 28th of June 2025 and will begin her ministry at St Luke’s thereafter with the Rev David Green as her Training Incumbent.
Amanda is married to Jeremy and they have four adult children. They live in north Tonbridge with two hairless cats and a very fluffy and disobedient dog! Amanda worshipped for many years at St John’s, Hildenborough prior to her calling to the ordained ministry. She is currently based at St. Mark’s, Tunbridge Wells, her sending church, whilst studying for the ministry at St Augustine’s College of Theology. She has also completed short placements at St Peter & St Paul, Seal, and St Mary’s, Hadlow as part of her training. Amanda will continue to live in Tonbridge in her family home as a Self-Supporting Minister throughout her Curacy.
Amanda grew up in Essex, studied history at university and then worked as an accountant. Once qualified, she spent most of her working life teaching and training others, including a spell in Eastern Europe in the early nineties. Amanda found faith as an adult having been drawn in to the life of the church by the love and friendship of St John’s Parent and Toddler Group.
Thereafter, and having given up paid work, Amanda became increasingly involved in the life of the church. Over the years, she has been a Sunday school leader, Gift-Aid secretary, PCC Secretary, administrator, prayer diary writer, home group leader and on just about every rota apart from flower-arranging!
Her calling to the ministry came during lockdown and very much as a surprise! Amanda writes:
“I am very happy to start serving as your curate in the parish of St. Luke’s and working with you as you develop your vision for the Church and community, and for your own callings. I am grateful to David and your PCC for offering me the post and I hope to serve you with love and integrity over the next few years. I was very much struck by the sense of life and vibrancy in the church when I visited a recent service of worship, and I am excited to see where God might be directing that energy into the future.
I love to watch films and curl up with a good book, but also love to be out in nature. I am a very amateur but enthusiastic gardener. We also have a small house in the north west of Scotland where I love to escape for a retreat amongst the mountains and lochs which I find very restorative. I am passionate about people falling back in love with the created world and to encourage us all to work to care for it as service to God, our neighbours across the globe, and for future generations.”
Please pray for Amanda and Jeremy, as they prepare for this new chapter in life and ministry in Tunbridge Wells.
26 January 2025