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A message from the vicar, Revd David Cattle

Welcome to St Michael’s Galleywood!

  St Michael’s is a great Church – full of friendly people, and very welcoming to people of all ages. My family and I have felt very welcome here since I became the vicar in October 2018. I’m married to Kirsty, who is a surgeon, and we have a 3-year old daughter called Sophia. We also have a golden retriever called Bracken, and you can often meet me walking the dog on Galleywood Common.

  I am brand new to the beautiful county of Essex. I’m originally from the Isle of Man (I’m a real Manxman, born and bred!). I left the Island in 2003 after I felt that God was calling me to train to be a priest in the Church of England. (I used to be an accountant, and years ago I thought it was a crazy idea that God might call me to ordained ministry; but God, as they say, has a sense of humour, and here I am!)

  I trained for 4 years at Trinity College in Bristol, and then I served for 3 years in the Parish of Firswood and Gorse Hill in Manchester as a curate (trainee vicar). I then served as a vicar in the Parish of Digswell in Welwyn Garden City for just over 5 years, before taking 2 years out of parish ministry in Kings Lynn (where Kirsty was working at the time) in order to do some child-care for Sophia, and to try to complete a book-writing project. The book is still not finished, but please do ask me about it sometime. It is about the relationship between science and faith.

  In my spare time, I like to run, cycle, read, eat out, watch films, and listen to loud rock music (but not necessarily all at once). And when I was younger, I played loads of badminton, and I did magic tricks on stage. I have performed magic at all kinds of events – from children’s parties, to magic at tables at weddings, to big illusions on the big stage; and from traditional silent magic set to music, to ridiculous fast-talking comedy magic. I rarely do magic nowadays, although it does make an appearance sometimes in school assemblies or on special occasions. So you might see it sometime…

  I have pretty much always been a Christian, and my passion in life is to know God and to help other people to know him. My faith in Jesus Christ assures me that I am loved, and that every single person is special to God. All God’s works are “wonderful”, Psalm 139:14 tells us. My faith helps me to make sense of life, to feel a sense of meaning and purpose, to have a hope for the future, and to live a better life. Not that I can ever do this perfectly, but thankfully Jesus teaches us that God is eager to forgive and help us to do better.

  It is my mission to show God’s love to the Church, and to the whole Parish of Galleywood, so I will be praying for the whole Parish. And if you need me please do get in touch via the details on this webpage. Or you can meet me on Sunday mornings at 10am.

  May God bless you, and make you a blessing to others,

  David.