Earl Soham Baptist Church - who are we?
Julia Rose
At this time of year you may have met Julia Rose at one of her many Tearcraft sales (www.tearcraft.org) and bought handcrafted home, gift and jewellery products from other parts of the world. This year she went to Kolkata, India with Tear Fund’s “Transform Team” to work with children.
Julia came from Birkenhead but her father’s job moved often, so she went to eight different schools! While in North London she attended confirmation classes and became a Christian after the leader asked her the pointed question, “If you died tonight, do you believe you would go to heaven?” From aged 16 she stayed put in Ipswich and went to a CYFA (Christian Youth Fellowship Association) group in Whitton.
As a child she was told she was bossy and would make a good teacher! During her Maths degree at Reading University she decided teaching was after all right for her, so she completed a PGCE course and started teaching Maths at Stowmarket High School.
For over 25 years she has been at Debenham High School, now teaching ICT and Business Studies.
Being married to Bernard Rose (featured in February), she inevitably ended up at Earl Soham Baptist Church, where she taught in Sunday School and was part of the committee that founded the Connect 4 Club in about 1981, after a joint church mission in Framlingham. She was also on the Playgroup Committee in Earl Soham for some years.
She likes the informality at the church and the fact that “people are concerned with what matters rather than trivia – concern for the poor, right government and faith affecting everything in your life”.