All Saints Church 95 Mudeford, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 3NT
Helen Griffiss was born in North Wales and attended the Queen’s School Chester.
She undertook teacher training at St Mary’s College Bangor. Her specialist subject was Religious Education.
In 1988 Helen became a Reader licensed to the Diocese of Winchester.
She gained a Masters Degree in Spirituality from the University of Southampton in 1998: trained for Ordination at Sarum College Salisbury.
Helen was ordained Deacon in 2000 and Priest in 2001.
Helen is Chaplain to the Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Winchester and Warden of Readers in the Deanery.
Helen is a Trustee of Wells for India, a small charity concerned with water harvesting and irrigation in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.
In May 2005 she did tsunami relief work in Sri Lanka.
Helen was licensed and installed as Priest-in-Charge at All Saints Churh on 4th May 2006. by The Right Reverered Paul Butler, Bishop of Southampton.
In February 2007 Helen spent time in Rajasthan with Wells for India.
On 13th December 2009 Helen was appointed first Vicar of The Parish of Mudeford. She was Insituted by the Bishop of Winchester by The Rt Revd Michael Scott-Joynt, Bishop of Winchester.
Left to Right Helen, Joe, Bishop of Winchester, Jasmin, Joshua, Helen Griffiss
Captain Joe Farnand Joe was appointed Church Community Evangelist for the churches of All Saints and High Cross. He was commissioned by the Bishop of Winchester on 24th September 2009. Joe was leading outreach at St Birinus and St John's church in High Wycombe before coming to Mudeford.
He is married to Helen and has two children Joshua and Jasmin.
Captain Joe Farnand was born in Gujarat in India. He moved to England in the late 1960s and went to school in Bolton.
This was followed by University in Nottingham where Joe studied Chemistry and was awarded a Bsc Hons.
Following briefs spells as a laboratory technician and as a science teacher Joe joined the Civil Service. His specialism was personnel work and he worked for both the United Kingdom Passport Agency and HM Prison Service in that area. Towards the end of his time in the Civil Service Joe worked on Holocaust Remembrance and Religious Discrimination.
He was identified as a potential evangelist by a Church Army Officer who saw him talking to somebody about God. Joe joined the Church Army in 2001 as an evangelist in training and was commissioned and admitted to the office of evangelist in 2004.
In his last post amongst his many roles, he was chaplain to YMCA High Wycombe, leader of the Alpha and Freedom in Christ courses. Joe also led C2 a café style congregation.
In July 2009 he joined us as our Church Community Evangelist. Joe has a passion for helping people to connect with God and for enabling church members to communicate the gospel message more effectively. We look forward to the development of his ministry amongst us.