St Aidan’s, Hull
Alex Baxter
alex@staidans.org.uk
Tell us a bit about yourself and What attracted you to this role and Multiply?
Hi, I’m Alex, a 42 year old wife, mother to three young children, and midwife. I’m new to faith, after I encountered Jesus for the first time in July 2022. For me, life really does begin at 40!
It seemed like Jesus had an accelerated plan for my life, and I very quickly felt called to serve him, and expressed this desire to lead a life committed to sharing Jesus with whoever would listen. Coincidently, the vicar at my church St Aidan’s told me about an opportunity to fill a newly vacant Multiply Role at St Aidan’s. God’s timing was perfect, and I jumped at the chance! It was exactly what I was praying for. I couldn’t wait to spend my time seeking out ways to tell people about Jesus and how he’d transformed my life and could transform theirs too.
How have you experienced your first few months?
My first few months have been amazing. It was a bit of a culture shock to go from working as a midwife to working as a Multiply lay lead. In this new role, I was being encouraged to brainstorm, think outside the box, be creative and prayerful, and mostly to listen to God. This has been such a breath of fresh air. Although it’s practically very different, I suppose I’ve gone from dealing with physical birth to spiritual rebirth!
What’s also been so wonderful and refreshing is working with the incredible volunteer team at St Aidan’s. There are an incredible amount of willing helpers who couldn’t wait to sacrifice their time and skills to our offering, with such enthusiasm and love. Our team is made up of a real mix of people of different ages and backgrounds and abilities. Our Church has been truly blessed with a congregation that has generous hearts to serve, and we sometimes have 12 people wanting to help each Thursday! And what’s been amazing is not only seeing some of the local residents go on a journey towards Jesus but also our volunteers being drawn closer to Jesus, seeing them working together so beautifully and getting to know one another more. Seeing them grow in confidence to pray out loud in front of others, and lead in group prayer has been beautiful.
In October 2023, we started “The Family Meal”, a weekly after-school gathering aimed at families with primary-aged school children. We aimed to pour out love and connection, hospitality and compassion on everyone who comes into the building, with bible teachings, prayer and conversations about Jesus. We offer snacks, a hot meal and dessert, after we share a bible story, and then crafts and activities linked to the story for the children. Meanwhile, our team nurtures the relationships with the parents and carers of the children, as well as with the children themselves. We offer practical support where there is a need, seeking opportunity to share the gospel, pray and listen.
The first few months have been wonderful. We had some heart-warming moments of prayer and worship, with a real deepening of the relationships with a core group of 4-5 families who come regularly to the event. It's very clear that the families really feel welcomed and cherished and we have been able to have some exciting conversations about Jesus. As a result, a couple of the regular Mums have started attending a new event we started to run alongside the Family Meal, called “Chosen Tuesdays” where we do a “Discovery” Bible study, eat some pizza and watch an episode of the Chosen. We are a few weeks into this and it's been really well received, and has led to some wonderful moments of vulnerability, deepening of connections between the women, and a fantastic way to bring scripture to life for those who struggle with reading the Word.
What are your hopes for the future with this role?
I feel like things are just getting started and it’s a really exciting time. I’ve recently increased my hours in this Multiply lay lead role, and finished working as a midwife. It’s a little bit nerve-wracking but I know it’s the right decision.
There seems to be a real buzz happening in the life of St Aidan’s and we are experiencing new growth. I’m excited about the Chosen Tuesday event and I’m keen to open it up to more people who haven’t already encountered Jesus. There are plenty of people right on our doorstep who don’t know Jesus. In the summer months I’m hopeful that we will encounter more people on the streets to be able to share the gospel and our wonderful Church. I’ve got a few more ideas about what we could do to reach more people. There’s plenty to be praying about, and with a wonderful team with a heart for Jesus, and with God on our side, all things are possible!