Hi there!
If you’re new to Soul Survivor Watford and are checking out who we are and what we’re about, we’re really glad you’re here! We’d love to get to know you, and would be happy to answer any questions you have about us as a church or chat about any elements of life or faith. We’d also love to support you in practical ways.
You can find out more about our team below. Please do get in touch with any of of us - our email address are below or you can email info@soulsurvivorwatford.co.uk or call us on 01923 204200. Do have a browse around our website to find out more about us and join us for an online service any Sunday morning at 11.30am or in person at 9.15am, 11.30am or 6.30pm. You’ll soon find out we’re a relaxed bunch who aim to be family to one another as we seek to follow Jesus and live out our faith by loving others. We’d love to have you join us!
Rev Jon Stevens
Lead Pastor
Jon has been part of the church family for many years and working for us since 2015. He was part of the senior management team at Starbucks and then Heathrow before joining the staff team. Jon was ordained in 2019. He’s married to Clare, with three kids, and makes an amazing Waga's katsu curry!
Ali Matin
Assistant Pastor & Ordinand
Ali has been part of Soul Survivor Watford since 1998 and has been on staff as an assistant pastor since 2006. She is involved in all kinds of areas of church life and in particular loves to preach and train leaders in communication. She is currently an ordinand, training to be a priest in the church of England. When she isn’t reading a large theological tome she is probably walking her crazy dog, Bennie, with husband Joel and kids, William and Esther, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, watching a great disaster movie or recording a really long voice note to some poor recipient.
Andy Symonds
Assistant Pastor
Andy is one of our assistant pastors who looks after our Young Adults, Newcomers and 6.30pm service. He’s married to Hannah and together they have a cat called Toto. Andy loves Formula 1 and Star Wars, and you can win his heart over with a good Flat White.
Nicola Rolfe
Assistant Pastor
Nicola has been part of the church family since 1996 and she joined the staff team in 2015. She keeps herself busy making our warehouses more homely and running all sorts of events. She's married to Steve and they have three children, one grandson and one granddaughter that they dote on. When Nicola has a day off she can usually be found with a paint brush in hand, Radio 4 in the background and coffee nearby!
Juliet Johnson
Assistant Pastor
Juliet has been part of the church since 2003, when she moved back from Australia, joining the staff team as an assistant pastor in 2005. She is married to Keith and together they look after the work we do around supporting marriages. Juliet & Keith have four sons and two grandchildren. She has a love of Aussie wine and has recently started to grow her own vegetables!
(Please note that Juliet works part-time)
Rev James Barlow
Curate
James joined us from Stafford in 2011 and he’s been part of the team here and at Soul Survivor on and off ever since! He trained in theology and youth ministry and has just been ordained. As well as being part of the team here, James is Curate in Charge at St Andrew’s Watford. His busy life is fuelled by his love of coffee. James is married to Be (who looks after our children’s work) and they have a gorgeous little girl.
Nisha Manoharan
Children and Families Pastor
Nisha grew up in Australia, worked as a Registered General Nurse, and has been a part of Soul Survivor since 2012. She is married to Dilip and their two sons have grown up in Soul Kids. Nisha is passionate about children getting to know Jesus in a safe and fun environment, and is partial to mint choc chip ice cream and brownies!
Nisha is providing maternity cover for Be Barlow.
Tom Smith
Worship Pastor
Tom looks after all our musical worship and is a song-writer. He’s married to Susi and they have three small children, Sonny, Marlowe & Rudy. He’s a big Spurs fan (which we try not to hold against him) and has a very sweet tooth.
Kathryn Maynard
Operations Manager
Kathryn has been part of the church family for over 20 years and has been part of the staff team since 2015. Her role involves juggling lots of different things to help make sure our buildings are safe and a welcoming place for our various events. She spends most of her free time in lycra, either swimming, cycling or running with friends! This is usually followed by eating a lot of good food!
Ben De Garis
Youth Pastor & Ordinand
Ben grew up on the coast in Dorset and went to University in Durham. He and his twin (Sam) have been heading up our youth work for a number of years and are now both training as ordinands. Ben says his main loves are eating Lebanese food, reading and chewing the cud of life.
(Please note that Ben now works part-time while studying)
Sam De Garis
Youth Pastor & Ordinand
Sam grew up in Dorset and studied Theology in Canterbury before becoming our Youth Pastor alongside his twin, Ben. They are both now training for ordination. Sam loves to poetically meander along the cobbled streets of cathedral cities, and is a big fan of Mexican food.
(Please note that Sam now works part-time while studying)
Leah Bucko
Assistant Youth Pastor
After four years of volunteering with our young people, Leah has joined our staff team to work with them! Leah has previously been a hairdresser, and worked for the St Albans Diocese advocating for young people. She is studying at St Mellitus college.
Rosie Del Grosso
Assistant Children and Families Pastor
Rosie assists Be in running our Soul Kids work on a Sunday (which takes a lot of prep during the week!) and all our other activities for little ones in the family. She's originally from Salisbury and was on our Soul61 course until we nabbed her to be on the staff team! She loves walking in the countryside, drinking tea, listening to music and getting creative with interior design.
Liza Hoeksma
Head of Communications
Liza has been part of our church since 1994 and joined the staff team in 2020 to look after our communications having previously worked for our associated charity Soul Survivor. She also writes/edits books and works as a life coach helping people achieve their potential. Liza has an addiction to peppermint & liquorice tea and loves reading in the sunshine.
(Please note that Liza works part-time)
Bethlynn Wilson
Church Co-ordinator
Bethlynn joined us as a young person and came to work for us after studying Theology, Music & Worship at the London School of Theology. She joined the staff team in 2017 and does all sorts of things from picking up the phone in the office, to designing some of our graphics, to organising events, to taking pictures and loads more! She loves food, art, people, philosophy and music.
Dan Stickland
Finance Manager
Dan has been part of our family for seven years and working for us since 2019, keeping all our finances in shape and making sure the coffee machine is switched on. He is married to Emma and they have four boys. Dan has a love of Dairy Milk, is left-handed and can wiggle his ears independently.
Heather Davis
Building Caretaker
Heather looks after both of our warehouses, keeping everything clean, tidy and in working order. She gets involved in everything from changing light bulbs to managing the stock for our cafe. Heather has been part of our church family for eight years and on staff for two. She’s a dab hand with a sewing machine and a big fan of dogs.
(Please note that Heather works part-time)
Rev Tim Lomax
Senior Leadership Support (Bishop’s Visitor)
Tim is the of Mission and Ministry in the Diocese of St Albans and the Bishop’s Visitor for Soul Survivor. He is currently providing leadership support to the church and staff team. He has been involved in church leadership in various roles and contexts since the mid 1990s and was ordained priest in 2008. Tim is married to Kate and they have three young adult children.
Rev Kate Lomax
Leadership Support
Kate works in the Flourishing Churches Team for the Diocese of St Albans and is currently providing leadership support to the church and staff team. She was ordained priest in 2003 and has been a church leader in a variety of contexts including Luton, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury as well as a chaplain at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. Kate is married to Tim and they have three young adult children and a Golden Labrador Retriever called Lexie.
Trustees
Our trustees support the leadership team with advice and counsel and have legal responsibilities for the assets and activities of Soul Survivor Watford. Most are members of our church family but we have recently appointed two external trustees – Lindsay Nash and Des Scott – to provide additional and independent support during the ongoing safeguarding investigation. You can find out more about each trustee, including their contact details, below.
David Mitchell
Chair of Trustees
David was one of the original 11 people who planted Soul Survivor Watford and he is married to Emma who did the second discipleship course run by the church (which became Soul61). They moved to the Midlands in the late 1990s where David practised as a Barrister specialising in Property and contentious Probate claims, and they stayed there till the middle of lockdown when they – and their five children - moved back to be part of Soul Survivor Watford.
Emily Carillo
Trustee Treasurer
Ally Maffey
Trustee
Ally first joined our church in 2000 and she works as a business manager in the NHS. She likes to get up to mischief with her two grandchildren; loves walking, architecture, and art, and considers herself something of a professional hermit.
Contact Ally
Des Scott
Trustee
Des has been working for charities and churches in senior leadership roles for over 30 years. He is married to Sue, and enjoys travelling and visiting the gym when he can find the time.
Emmanuel Akpata
Trustee
Emmanuel and his wife, Angela, joined the church family 16 years ago after moving to the local area. They have two boys, and Emmanuel works as a Computer Software Developer.
Kevin Downton
Trustee
Kevin and his wife, Sheila, have been part of SSW since 1997. Kevin is retired from working in IT management and now spends his time working as a powerboat instructor and supporting two other charities in addition to ours. He has two children and three grandchildren.
Contact Kevin
Lindsay Nash
Trustee
Lindsay is a retired Head Teacher who was Head of Education for a diocesan multi-academy trust where she was Head of Safeguarding for 19 schools. She lives in Coventry where she leads worship at her church, looks after her grandchildren and enjoys swimming and reading.
Liz Potter
Trustee
Liz is originally a Devon lass but has lived in Watford since 1985. She joined the church about 20 years ago and was on the staff team for 13 years. She’s now retired and being a trustee is a new role for her. Liz has three children and six grandchildren and loves getting to know others in her local community on The Meriden.
Rev Jon Stevens
Staff Trustee
Jon is our Lead Pastor which means he does all sorts of things! More info at the top of the page.
Liza Hoeksma
Staff Trustee
Liza looks after our Comms and has been a trustee since 2015. More info above.