Helen Babin
Having dabbled in writing poetry since I can remember and always being a keen jotter in a travel diary, my desire to write grew exponentially when flung into an unfamiliar territory called motherhood. Advancing towards the idea of story writing, I partook in a creative writing course at the ‘Folk House’ in Bristol. Through this experience hatched the idea of Pura Vida.
My debut novel has led me along my first steps on the journey of novel writing, and I’m hoping to find space, skills and courage to finish writing other stories I’ve been plotting and chipping away at whilst finishing Pura Vida.
I have had a bash at short story writing and was selected by a local writer’s group to read a short story of mine at their stand-up shorts reading evening.

Rev Trevor Dearing (1933-2023)

Obituary written by Rev Chris Oldroyd:

Following his death on 24^th February, 2023, Trevor Dearing brings to a close a Christian dynasty of pioneers of the charismatic renewal.

Born in Hull in 1933 into a non-religious home, as a frail child he suffered inexplicably from life restricting anxiety from early youth until the age of nineteen when he made a commitment to Christ in a Methodist church. At that moment he was immediately healed emotionally and physically. The following year he studied theology at Cliff College, graduated with honours and joined the Methodist Circuit with responsibility for ten rural churches in Norfolk before gaining a BD at Leeds Methodist College. It was at this time that he met and married Anne, his joy, partner in ministry and mother of their four children Ruth, Rebecca, Rachel and Philip. Obtaining a Master’s degree at Birmingham Theological College he entered the Church of England and was ordained in 1961, serving in Yorkshire parishes until he and his family moved to Harlow. There he took the post of head of religious education at a local comprehensive school and as curate at St Paul’s, Harlow.

However, he felt an incompleteness and lack of efficacy in his devotional life and ministry. This was to change radically when he and Anne attended a Pentecostal church service at which the church elders prayed for him to receive an overflowing fulness of the Holy Spirit. Thus started a life of extraordinary Spirit-led ministry that would take him across the globe. It also began a period of revival at an unassuming church in the middle of a sprawling housing estate on the eastern edge of London where in 1970 Trevor Dearing became vicar of St Paul’s, Hainault. Tuesday evening prayer meetings of a dozen people became revival meetings attended by up to four hundred as news spread each week of the deaf hearing, lame walking, immoveable limbs freed, crutches abandoned, addictions and phobias eradicated, countless set free, converted to Christ and empowered for effective spiritual living. Coaches lined the half mile road from Hainault tube station to St Paul’s.

During his long ministry he was often interviewed on television. He was once invited to an interview at which without notice, at the end of the interview three women were brought onto the set who were suffering from different ailments. He was asked to pray for them “to see if it worked.” No sooner had he lightly laid hands on the first than she fell to the floor. The same was the experience of the second and the third. The studio’s telephone lines became jammed with requests for his contact details asking for prayer, so much so that a message had to be displayed saying that no more calls could be taken. In the following week he received 2,000 letters asking for prayer. The women were invited back to the studio a week later to ascertain whether they had been healed. All three reported that they had been verifiably healed. This resulted in a further 5,000 letters.

In 1975 Trevor Dearing left St Paul’s to start an itinerant ministry of evangelism and healing in the UK and internationally which took him to many countries. When once in the USA he was offered the position of rector of St Luke’s, Seattle, a large and well known charismatic church from which Dennis Bennett, author of the Christian classic Nine O’clock in the Morning had recently retired. After an intense period of discernment he and eventually most of his family moved to Seattle. He was welcomed with open arms. The church continued to grow during the two years that he was rector but his health, both physical and emotional began to fail significantly. Consultants diagnosed his condition as a “result of massive overwork” and a year’s complete rest was advised.  

Retiring from St Luke’s he and Anne returned to the UK. It meant a difficult parting from the three children who lived with them but who were by then young adults preferring to remain in America and whom they visited annually. They settled in Lincolnshire where after a period of rest Trevor undertook writing and a wide ministry amongst several denominations. He was the author of seventeen books. His beloved Anne, co-worker and source of wisdom for fifty-seven years left him for heaven in 2014. His health deteriorated significantly thereafter but he continued in ministry to the very end to the many individuals and churches who sought him.

Sadly, he found consistently more episcopal exclusion than support which caused him deep and continual pain. But the common people heard him gladly (Mk 12.37 AV); it was those whose lives were open to God’s leading. He would quote Wesley’s, “I will live and die a member of the Church of England.” However, he did find warm support amongst a few. One said of him, “I am all for Trevor Dearing’s ministry… I wish I had a few more Trevor Dearings.” For all his evangelical modus, Trevor regarded himself as firmly Anglo catholic. The sacraments were an important part of his life both personally and liturgically. He would spend three hours early every morning in prayer. Throughout his ministry he followed St Paul’s dictum that the kingdom of God is not in words but in power, and not its easy inversion. Through his ministry across the world thousands came to know Christ, thousands were healed, thousands were empowered by the Holy Spirit. His loss is felt deeply and beyond words. We wish we had a few more Trevor Dearings.

Andrew Hill

Andrew grew up in the Elim Pentecostal Church.

He became lay pastor of Brandhall Baptist Church and is now an ordained Presbyter in the Episcopal Church as a member of the Order of St. Leonard.  He has extensive experience in preaching and teaching, both at home and abroad, church-based counselling and for many years was part of an apostolic team inputting other churches and ministries.  He lives in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire with his wife, Chris.

Richard Tiller

Richard lives in Worcestershire with his wife and mischievous dog named Rocky. Inspired by experiences gained whilst teaching in primary schools, he decided to put his creative energies into writing and illustrating children’s books. With qualifications and experience in fitness and education, Richard felt there were some important lifestyle messages that he could share with children, through the medium of entertaining and informative books.

Having had a lifetime love of art, you will often find Richard sketching or painting, whilst listening to his favourite sports radio station. When he has not got a pencil or brush in his hand, he enjoys spending time with his family, exercising and trying to teach his dog how to behave on the sofa!

Ann Goddard

Ann lives in Worcestershire and is passionate about wildlife and the environment. She has a degree in Zoology and started her working life in the natural history section of a museum, later training as a secondary school teacher of Lower School Science and ‘A’ Level Biology. After having her own children, she worked for many years at an Environmental Centre teaching sections of the National Curriculum in an innovative way in the outdoors mainly to primary-aged children. It was here that she became involved in the tradition of oral storytelling.

Ann has been a Christian for over 30 years and aims to write stories that raise the awareness of wildlife, inspire self-confidence, and affirm God’s love for us.

When at home, she enjoys walking in the countryside with her dog, being in her garden, reading, and stories, stories, stories!

Tim Allyn

Tim was born in the USA and moved to Scotland to marry his wife, Bev. He works as a psychotherapist for Dundee Counselling and is the Events Manager for Solas Centre for Public Christianity.

The idea to write Christian books for children came from having three sons of his own and wanting the next generation to have access to more stories about Jesus. It’s difficult for parents today (especially in a Covid / post-Covid world) to compete with YouTube, videogames, social media, etc. but we have to try! Books are a great way for parents to connect with their kids and at the same time give their children an appreciation of the most important truth they could ever know.

Sean Hinton

Sean has led a fascinating life., serving as a Royal Marine, a fireman, chasing pirates, and is of course a member of the MG owners club.

Eileen Mohr (1931-2022)

Eileen, who originally trained as a languages teacher and later worked as a proof reader for a large well-established publishing house, founded Mohr Books in 1994. In 1997, Mohr Book became Crossbridge Books. Eileen's deep Christian faith and conviction remained with her throughout her life and led her to establish a Christian publishing house. She has authored books for children and edited many of the books we have published.

Dr Colin Price

Dr Colin Price is Principal Lecturer at Worcester University where he currently teaches Computing. He has worked in education for his entire life starting off teaching Nuffield A-Level Physics. His recent research interests include Primary Computing, and he has recently taught all primary year groups in local schools.

Dr Ruth Price-Mohr

Ruth trained as a primary school teacher at Westminster College, Oxford in the 1980s. She has taught all ages from preschool to undergraduate. Her academic work has been published in international journals and is referenced in books and guidance for schools. You can read her writing autobiography below.