Most of us were expecting to hear a pious sermon when Reverend Garry Ward – the vicar of Claverley – came to talk to us this evening.
Whilst we did hear about Revd Garry’s road to Christianity it was not the road that we might have imagined as Garry took us through his life – from challenging school days to a succession of jobs which has seen Garry qualify as a nurse and as the Midlands first male mid wife before joining the prison service and coming into contact with some of the nations more notorious criminals such as Bronson and Fred West.
For Garry as he moved between jobs there was always the feeling that something was missing and this eventually led him to the understanding of his calling to the ministry.
Garry filled the room with laughter and we’re sure that his experiences to date will enrich his vocation and we wish him well in his ministry – especially considering the added burden which he bears of ministering to our own Club member Ken Swash – it may be enough to make Revd Garry come to wish he’d stayed with the Prison Service.