My name is Keith Johnson, I am 42 years old, married to Rachel, and we have two lively sons – Luke (14) and Samuel (11). We are moving from Redditch, in North Worcestershire, where I have been a Curate in the Ipsley Parish for the past four years. As a family we are very much looking forward to returning to Kent, as we met at St James Church, Tunbridge Wells, and were subsequently married there sixteen years ago! I feel enormously privileged and humbled that God is calling me to lead this Church, and we cannot wait to move to Chatham, and become part of this Church family.
We also have three cats: Gerry (black), Harry (black + white) and Angel (ginger), who think that they are in charge!
My work background is in banking and advertising sales within the Christian Publishing industry. Rachel is a senior care worker in a residential home, for residents suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
I tried to run away from a possible call to ordination for quite a few years, but God caught up with my eventually (or to put it another way, I stopped running away from him!) We moved from Tunbridge Wells to Hastings in 1998, and become members of St Helen’s Ore, which became our sending Church, when I was finally sponsored for training for ordination in 2004. I trained at St John’s Nottingham for 2 years, and have since experienced four memorable years in Redditch, which have been an excellent grounding for my future ministry.
I will miss the Church family at St Peter’s a great deal after my last day on 30 May, but the pain of saying goodbye is already being softened by the welcome we have received from those members of the Church family in Chatham whom we have already met.
I am so excited about this new door which has opened, and I look forward very much to getting to know members of the Church and local community personally very soon. My family and I would really value your continued prayers as we prepare to move house, our lads move schools, and we begin this new chapter of our lives amongst you.
