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I qualified as a social worker in 2000 and since then I have worked for both Social Services and the NHS. In 2004 I was at the New Wine conference and went to a seminar at which Keith Tondeur was speaking about debt and money management from a biblical perspective. That's what did it for me. I knew I wanted to do something to help so I joined the volunteer network in 2005 and have been involved ever since. I know that many of the Stewardship volunteers operate on their own in their local church. Tony, our volunteer manager, is very good at providing personal support. It was a bit different for me. I worship at an Anglican Church in south west London and others in our church were making the same journey as I was. The church ran a community focussed Stop Look Listen project in 2006 to see how our ministry could develop and that's when we took the first steps to a money guidance ministry. Soon after that we contacted Stewardship and decided to partner with them. Early in 2007 a small group of about eight people met for a biblical introduction to money and budgeting and then a full day's training in Personal Budget Coaching. They were two excellent training sessions. A realistic and honest budget is the key to controlling money and finding financial freedom. But we are not debt advisors so if we are with people who have a debt problem we refer them to the local Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) or the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) for professional help. In fact part of the volunteer role is to find out the local sources of help and publicise them because often people in debt just do not know where to go to find help. As a Personal Budget Coach we offer ongoing personal, practical and prayer support. Some volunteers will also act as local speakers visiting churches and sometimes community groups, but that's not for me, at least not for now! Our new church money guidance ministry was properly launched in May
2007 and I love being a part of it. In fact at the end of 2006 I joined
an advice agency as a trainee debt adviser and I have recently completed
my training. At the agency I do offer specialist debt advice but I don't
offer that as part of the church money guidance team. God has given me a passion for money issues and the desire to help those who may be in financial need. I really enjoy working with figures and problem solving and believe this is a gift from God which I should use to serve him. I think becoming a volunteer has challenged me to pray and believe that nothing is too big for God to deal with.
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