Hi All. Rev. John Boyers here in Manchester England. For the sake of my USA contacts, England is one of 3 nations (others being Scotland and Wales) found in Great Britain, the largest of the British Isles, islands off the coast of NW Europe. The second largest Island is Ireland. That is divided into two political entities - The Republic of Eire (Ireland) and Northern Ireland, which is the 4th nation that makes up the United Kingdom. I've been involved in sports chaplaincy since 1977, when God opened up an opportunity to serve Watford FC, an English professional Football Club, at a time when I was a student assistant pastor in a Baptist Church in Watford, while studying for my theology degree. The church took me into it's leadership after graduation and ordination, WFC asked me to stay on as chaplain, the church gave me 1.5 days per week to serve WFC, even when in 1993 I was asked to be lead minister. in 1990 I was asked by the Baptist Union of Great Britain to consider leaving local church ministry to develop chaplaincy in sport across the UK and beyond. That was done under the auspices of a registered charity ( = not for profit body) SCORE which in 2013 became Sports Chaplaincy UK. We moved to Manchester from Watford in 1992, as MUFC asked for a second time for me to serve them as their chaplain. Though I retired as a paid Baptist Minister in 2014 aged 65, MUFC wanted me to stay on as chaplain. I agreed to continue for a year or two, but didn't retire till the very end of 2018. I try to use the experience I have had in elite sports chaplaincy and at 15+ Major Sports Events to help current and prospective chaplains and those whose networks nurture such ministries. My wife Anne and I married in 1972, and she has been wonderfully supportive when in 1976 I left secondary (high school) teaching to train for ministry, and throughout our days in ministry in Watford and when we set up SCORE in 1990, and when we felt God had called us to move to Manchester in 1992. We have 2 sons, Andrew is a sports photographer with Reuters is married with 2 sons and Jonathan, a Baptist Pastor also in Greater Manchester (Peoples Church Partington) That's us and I'm pleased to join the crew, and to be of any help to who ever, when ever, so long as The Lord wants it to happen and gives me the health and strength to serve! God's best to you all, from John & Anne (Rev J K & Mrs A Boyers)

Posted by John Boyers at 2021-02-01 16:57:08 UTC