Earl Soham Baptist Church - who are we?
Mark Jenkins
Mark (left) about to be baptised
at Sizewell beach in 2004 by
Michael Van Horn (behind)
In characteristic barbecue pose
at Sizewell Beach, obviously
looking at some-thing more
interesting!
Though born in London, an authentic Cockney, Mark Jenkins embarked on the country life in Redgrave in 1958 where his parents moved to run a butcher’s shop and do hairdressing. Shipped off with his siblings to Redgrave Methodist Chapel every Sunday, and then to Rickinghall Gospel Hall when older, he also went to Gospel Camps at Cromer and became a Christian at one of these when 14 or 15.
Mark has worked mainly with pigs but sometimes with chickens, in Redgrave, Bressingham, Elmswell and eventually in Framlingham, but after redundancy eight years ago he entered the vending industry, which takes him all over East Anglia.
He met his wife Elske through his keen interest in Judo, which he started at age eight, and by 22 was playing five nights a week. Now the younger three of their six children are starting Judo, which is important to him for physical and mental exercise and training.
As for spiritual exercise, he and Elske ran the youth club at the Methodist Church in Framlingham (now United Free Church) for 15 years before finding a larger youth group at Earl Soham.
Baptised at Sizewell (see picture, left), a defining moment for him was hearing the Bob Dylan song Knocking on Heaven’s Door sung at ESBC (www.bobdylan.com/songs/knockin.html). He says “the church have a creative, balanced outlook on life.”
Join us at Sizewell Hall from 4-7 May 2007, where you can sample his excellent barbecues (his loud shirts are creative but certainly not balanced!) and join him in windsurfing and canoeing (which require a lot more balance!). Our guest speaker will be Graham Cray, Bishop of Maidstone.