 Revd Andrew Ashdown - Team Rector of Knights Enham and
Smannell with Enham Alamein
I was brought up in Zimbabwe of Missionary parents during the Rhodesian
war. After completing my education in England, I spent a while working in
banking in the City of London, before going to spend 2 years as a volunteer
Teacher at a Christian school in a remote part of Central India. This was a
very formative experience of further encounter with other cultures and other
faiths. On returning to England
I studied Theology at King’s College London before training for ordination.
Since being
ordained in 1990, I have served in parishes in Yorkshire, Surrey and Hampshire,
and also worked for a time as the Regional Desk Officer for South
Asia, for the Anglican Mission Agency USPG. (United Society for the
Propagation of the Gospel). Over the years, I have travelled widely
throughout Asia,
Africa, the Middle East and Europe, and for a while, held
responsibility for Diocesan links with West Africa.
But throughout the past 20 years, I have had a particular passion for the Middle East and its people, regularly
leading groups to the region, and visiting privately. Some of those experiences
are illustrated in my book published in 2007 by Christians Aware: ‘The Stones Cry Out: Reflections from Israel and Palestine.’ I continue to lead visits to
various parts of the world through the organisation that my wife and I run:
‘Wider Horizons; Pilgrim Journeys of Encounter’. www.wider-horizons.org
In my
ministry, I have a strong sense of God’s presence amongst and love for all
people. I believe that we are called,
by everything we are and do, to witness to Christ’s presence and love, and
the hope and light that he invites us to receive, particularly where it is
hard to see or is unknown, knowing that he has always got there before
us! At the heart of being strengthened
for this ministry that belongs to all Christians, is the sustaining worship
and prayer of the community of faith, the Church, and it always a privilege
to be a part of that worldwide community of faith, wherever it is.
I am married
to Victoria, who shares my ministry and my passions, and who is herself
involved in both local and international organisations, and we have four
children.
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 Revd Thomas Wharton -
Team Vicar with special responsibility for Smannell and Enham Alamein and
Chaplain to Enham
I have lived
most of my life ‘up north’ in Cheshire and Yorkshire. Before entering into ordained ministry I
worked as a cellist and instrumental teacher. Part of that time was spent in
a chamber orchestra in Mafikeng,
South Africa
where I met Vessi my wife who is a violist. We have 2 boys, Anthony born in
1997 and Michael born in 2001. I enjoy walking up mountains and playing
tennis and cricket if I ever get the chance. I am delighted to have moved in
early 2009 from Yorkshire into the new Team
in Knight’s Enham, Smannell and Enham Alamein and I’m excited by the many
different opportunities such a varied team presents. As Team Vicar I work
firstly in the parish of Smannell and Enham Alamein and as Chaplain to Enham.
I also work closely with the Team Rector and other colleagues supporting the
ministry in Knights Enham. You will find pretty much the breadth of the
Church of England within our team: urban, rural and chaplaincy, a fascinating
and rewarding place for ministry and to discover where God is calling us to be.
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Revd Ed Dines – Curate to the benefice of Knights Enham and Smannell
with Enham Alamein
Hi! I’m Ed Dines and I
was born at a very early age in Glasgow, but
brought up in Lowestoft in Suffolk.
I have a wonderful family with a wife and 3 boys. I was a primary school
teacher for 12 years in various places (mostly Maidstone and then
Fallingbostel in Germany)
before God called me into being ordained. As my Dad had been a Vicar I
decided long ago that I wouldn’t be - but God had other plans and a sense of
humour! I enjoy doing Tae Kwon Do and like juggling, walking and have
supposedly started learning the saxophone. As a Curate I am officially here
as part of my training for four years (starting from when I was ordained in
July 2011).
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 Revd Margaret Rittman –
Curate to the Team Ministry of Knights Enham and Smannell with Enham Alamein
I was born in Hyde, a
northern industrial town about 7 miles from Manchester, and grew up in a large family
with 3 brothers and 3 sisters. My working
life has involved teaching, church pastoral work and administration and all
this has been brought together through my call to Ordination. Malc and I will
celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary in December 2011 and have been blessed
with twin sons and two wonderful grandchildren, Aidan and Sophie. We own a
wooden boat which is great for relaxing weekends and getting away from it
all. We also love walking and are
proud to have completed both Wainwright’s Coast to Coast across England
and over 200 miles of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella. We now live in the parish but have a bolt
hole in Suffolk
which we are developing to reduce our carbon footprint, in preparation for
our retirement! My passion is for
people to come to know God and I love to get alongside people in their
journey of faith, teaching by encouragement and example. I am excited by the mission and ministry
opportunities through the Enham Team Ministry and look forward to working
within and alongside the worshipping community here.
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 Mrs. Violet
Porter. Reader
My
husband Gerald and I were both raised in Dorset but on becoming full
time Officers in the Salvation Army, we lived and worked in the UK and abroad before settling in Andover in 1980. I was licensed as a Reader in 1989 at St
Mary's, Andover,
and joined St Michael's in 1994, where we were welcomed by this warm and
friendly church family. We have a grown up son and daughter.
I work
locally as a Farm Secretary and enjoy music, literature and holidays!
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 Mr. Malcolm Rittman. Reader
I was
brought up in a small village in the Chilterns and led to faith through the
local church and by a number of special devoted people.
My
working life has been supporting young people and this has continued through
my running my own business, training and supporting others in statutory and
voluntary organisations, to develop a passion for the needs of young people.
Apart
from sailing and walking, I am a member of the IGKT (International Guild of
Knot Tyers!) and have kept bees for over 30 years.
I have
been able to use my training skills in the church environment and for a
number of years worked in the Scripture Union Training Unit. More recently I
have also been involved in supporting churches and parishes to work together
and manage change in a positive and creative way. One of my current roles is
as the Further Education Adviser with the Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Board of
Education.
I have
been involved in different aspects of church life in a number of parishes and
became a Licenced Reader in 2009. I
have a had great support from my family who have encouraged my work and
ministry and I look forward to taking a active role in the Enham Ministry
Team.
My
passion is to see people released into their ministry in the service of
God. However small or unimportant we
may think, each one of us has a gift from God which is there to grow his
Church in this community.
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 Captain Chris Lawton.
Church Army
Hi, my
name is Chris Lawton and I am 41
years old I am married to Ruth and we have two Children: Rhiannon at 13 and
Rhys at 11. I have been a Church Army officer for 15 years and during that
time I have worked in Bath, Plymouth,
Runcorn in Cheshire and recently at Carmarthen
in South Wales. I have a passion (sadly not
shared by the family) with anything to do with trains, Meccano and
motorcycles (though I don’t own one at the present).
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