New pastor at Woodside Church of the Nazarene in Watford, United Kingdom, plans to build on community work

Erica Tuxworth has been formally appointed minister of the Woodside Church of the Nazarene in North Watford, a congregation on The Brow. Before her appointment on Sunday, she had spent about a decade in voluntary community work and showed no sign of confining her support to the church building.

Tuxworth, a former healthcare worker, spent years as chaplain for the youth charities Girlabout and Connections. She said she will continue that work in her new role, listening to and advising girls and young women of all faiths in drop-in sessions in Watford and at Bushey Hall School. She described the ministry’s approach in these terms: “There’s always this myth that ministers only work on a Sunday, which is not quite true. Officially, I should work five days a week but it’s quite often seven.”

She said that the charities she works with help girls facing issues including teenage pregnancy, post-abortion counselling and relationship problems. She noted that Girlabout is a Christian charity but said that “of course you don’t preach to them, you just offer them help.” Offering practical care in this way reflects the call to generous service to others (Hebrews 13:16).

The Woodside church sits close to two schools and a housing estate, and its congregation includes many young people and families. Tuxworth said that some members now drive in, but most were originally from the estate. “This church is very keen on community and I really believe in building relationships, just showing people care and support,” she said.

The church already runs several groups, including a youth group and a coffee stop for older people. The youth group meets on Sunday evenings and plays volleyball, basketball and football, and it draws mostly teenagers from the estate. Tuxworth said she hopes to expand and improve these groups.

Tuxworth, 46, previously worked as a practice manager for a GP clinic in Bolton and as a business manager for the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority in St Albans. She also served as a minister and assistant minister elsewhere. For around eight years before joining Woodside, she was a guest speaker there while she was involved with the North Watford Church of the Nazarene on Balmoral Road. She lives in Rosecroft Drive with her husband, David, and they have four children. She is currently studying to become an ordained minister.

Asked whether she looked forward to being addressed as “Rev,” she said: “I’m just Erica. I don’t mind about anything like that.”

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