R everend Neil Jones took up his post as lead minister at Barrow Baptist Church on 1st September, in very different times.
Normally, a new minister would be getting to know his congregation, with handshakes and smiles all round. But, with Covid
restrictions, few people are in the church, handshakes are not permitted - and smiles are covered by masks. “It’s difficult getting
to know people when half their faces are covered,” says Neil. “I had planned to spend a few months getting to know the church, but
Covid rules have changed everything and we just have to work within them.”
Normally, besides two services on a Sunday,
the church would be bustling with weekday
activities - toddler and baby groups, seniors
and fellowship groups, community lunches
and sports activities - an estimated 400
people would come through the doors in
any given week. Since the beginning of
lockdown, services have been transmitted
online and when I spoke to Neil in October,
they were starting Covid-secure services,
with limited numbers and a booking system
in place, live streaming services over
Facebook and on the church website.
Neil, his wife Helen and their children Eliza,
10, and Joel, 6, have settled in happily,
exploring the village and beyond, and Neil
has been out with the Barrow Runners and
the Barrow Baptist Cycling Group. This is a
completely new chapter for the family.
Neil and Helen are both pharmacists, and,
prior to becoming a minister, Neil had
worked for LloydsPharmacy and Boots
and, most recently, was manager of the
outpatient pharmacy at Southampton
General Hospital. They lived in New Milton,
in the New Forest.
So, what prompted the move from pills to
pulpits? Neil, originally from London, grew up
in a Church of England school setting. At the
time he went to the University of Brighton to
study pharmacy, he had no beliefs. Then he
met fellow pharmacy student, Helen. “Helen
was a Christian and I fancied her - so I went
along to her church.”
He questioned and challenged a lot, but
slowly, faith started to make a lot of sense
and in 2006 he became a Christian and
was baptised. He and Helen married the
following year and moved to New Milton,
both working as pharmacists. Gradually,
Neil felt he was being called to the ministry
and, in 2017, he enrolled for a Bachelor of
Theology degree at Regent’s Park College,
part of Oxford University. He studied
part-time, while working for a church in
Hampshire and occasionally practising as
a pharmacist. He has almost completed his
degree and is on track for a 2:1. “I am very
pleased with that, considering a got a D for
RE in my GCSEs,” he laughs.
Neil and Helen originally wanted to be no
more than two hours from New Milton, and
Barrow was over three hours. Then Neil
was invited to preach at Barrow Baptist a
couple of times, they liked him, he liked the
church and the move to Barrow happened
several months later. Helen now has a job
as a Medicines Safety Pharmacist at Queens
Medical Centre and the children are at Hall
Orchard. In New Milton, they were a mile
from the sea, now they’re a stone’s throw
from the canal. They enjoy family bike rides
and are also musicians - Neil plays drums
and guitar and Helen sings and plays flute
and keyboard.
Neil wears a navy fleece with “Neil
Jones, Minister, Barrow Baptist Church”
monogrammed in white. And if you see him
in the High Street, he’ll be happy to chat –
whether it is through a mask or not.
Lindsay Ord
Since March, Barrow Baptist Church has been running a food bank alongside other support for the village. Now it has joined forces with the Soar Valley Community Food Project in Rothley, which has bases in a number of the surrounding villages. People in need, usually through a sudden change of circumstances, can contact the helpline and arrange to pick up a food parcel at the church. Volunteers will also try and help signpost people to where they may be able to receive longer term support if required. Donations of long-life food can be left on the table at the rear of the church. Contact the helpline on 07395902961.