MINISTERS-STAFF TEAM

Rev. Andrew Dart - Superintendent Minister

I feel very privileged to be serving the Methodist Church in Lambeth at the time when all the churches finally come together in one circuit.  It has been a dream shared by so many people and having served the Brixton and Streatham Circuit, the North Lambeth Circuit and the previous Lambeth Circuit it is a great honour to be the Superintendent Minister of the new and united Lambeth Circuit.  The vitality and diversity of this amazing borough make it a great place to live and undertake ministry.

I have recently celebrated the 25th Anniversary of my Ordination and have spent my whole ministry working in London – serving in the Romford, Croydon and New River Circuits before moving to Streatham in 2012.  I have always been interested in how local churches work alongside their communities and have at various times found great inspiration from church community projects. I am also fascinated with how the church can help people to deepen their inner life and have led many retreats and quiet days.  As a full member of the Iona Community I am committed to working for justice and peace and presently co-chair a Community Housing project that is working with local people to build genuinely affordable housing.

I am married to Barbara, who is a teacher at a school for the blind in Heidelberg, Germany.  We have two daughters, Cara and Mari, and manage to juggle our family life between Germany and the UK – although the twin trials of Brexit and Covid 19 are making this more challenging!

To contact Rev. Andrew email:   andrew.dart@methodist.org.uk

 

Rev.  Lena  Ali

It is such a blessing for Lambeth Circuit to merge with the Clapham Circuit and we look forward to some exciting times as we work cohesively to become a progressive and dynamic circuit.  Prior to joining Lambeth Circuit, I was stationed in the New River Circuit for seven years.  

I am a trained RGN, RMN and SCM before I was called to the Ministry and worked as a Senior Nurse Manager at a Psychiatric Hospital.  I am passionate about helping those who are underprivileged, and now I am currently the Chair of a Church based Housing Association which offers accommodation for the homeless and moving on to independent living. 

Since joining the circuit, I have been humbled by the experience of serving God's people at Railton Road and sharing worship and social events in the other churches.  I have been running a Bereavement Support group for members in the circuit.  

Over the past 8 months, I have been caring for my husband Kashaf, who was terminally ill and he died peacefully at home on Sunday 2nd of August.   We were married for 48 years and made our home in North London.  Life will be lonely without him but I know that God will give me strength and courage in my time of greatest need.  I am very grateful to you all for your love, support and encouragement over the past few years and especially at this time - for your prayers, cards, phone calls and touching messages of consolation.  It has helped ease the pain and sorrow and I consider myself fortunate to have so many caring and loving people in my life.

I pray that God will continue to shower his richest blessings on you and all your families.

To contact Rev. Lena email:   lenaali59@aol.com


Rev. Rita King 

I grew up in a committed Methodist family and in a lively Methodist church with vibrant worship that I still cherish.  It was a pleasure for me to serve in different roles in the life of the church from a very early age.  I also worked in various organisations including volunteering for a charity that works with people with disability.

The call to pastoral ministry came when I was in Bible School in London and I candidated for ministry in the Methodist Church.  My ministerial training was at the Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham and Wesley House Cambridge and I later trained as a Spiritual Director.  I served in the Nottingham Trent Valley Circuit, Harrow and Hillingdon Circuit and the Clapham Circuit.  I now look forward to serving in the newly formed Lambeth Circuit by God’s grace.

I love spending time with God and with people in general.  I am blessed with supportive friends and family that I enjoy spending time with and they are my greatest earthly treasure. Travelling and experiencing nature also gives me great pleasure.

I give thanks to God for my ministerial journey so far, that has shaped me into who I am now and trust God for all that is to come.

To contact Rev. Rita:   ritadjking@gmail.com 
 
 
 

Rev. Dr. Andrew Lyons

I am a born and bred Methodist.  My early years were spent at Redhill Methodist Church, Surrey.   I attended Prior’s Court and Kingswood Methodist Boarding Schools and was confirmed at Kingswood at the age of 14.   I was commissioned as a Local Preacher when I was 22 years old.  I began my professional career as a Youth Worker at Parchmore Road Methodist Church and community centre after gaining my first degree in Youth and Community studies at the Roehampton Institute.  I then worked for the Sports Council as a Community Sports Development Officer and then became the Equal Opportunities Officer for the Sports Council.  During this time, I gained a Master’s Degree in Race and Ethnicity from Warwick University.  After 15 years in the Sports Council I offered for ministry in the methodist church and studied at the Queen’s Foundation gaining a degree in Practical Theology.  I undertook my probationary period in the Bromsgrove and Redditch Circuit during which time I completed a Doctorate.  I then moved to the Croydon Circuit and am now serving here in Lambeth.  I have one son who is grown up and I enjoy reading and playing golf in my spare time.

To contact Rev. Dr. Andrew email:   andylyons58@gmail.com
 



Rev. Kristin Markay

I come from a long line of Methodist Pastors, beginning with my great-grandfather.  I was blessed to grow up not only in my family but also in the family of the Methodist Church, embraced by people who modelled for me what a life of faith looks like- people who blended John Wesley’s idea of personal and social holiness.  I saw how their personal faith in Christ led them to love of neighbour, in all its forms. 

My first experience in crossing a culture was as an AFS exchange student to Sri Lanka.  I majored in English Literature at university and taught in a high school while exploring a call to the ministry.  I began seminary at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, and met my future husband, Dave, during the first weekend.  In the midst of our seminary training and during our first year of marriage, we took a year to be probationer Ministers in England, in the Goole Circuit.  When the year finished, we tucked away the possibility of returning at some point.  

After ordination, Dave and I served for 5 years in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.   During this time, we both felt the call to be mission partners with the General Board of Global Ministries of the UMC.  This call took us to Lithuania, where we served in the newly re-established Methodist Church, which had been closed during the 50 years of Soviet occupation.  Later, we served 2 multi-cultural Methodist congregations in Milan, Italy.  When we completed 7 years in Milan, we told our children, Hannah and Aidan, that they would not need to learn another language!  We remembered our time in Goole and decided to apply to be Recognised and Regarded by the British Methodist Church.  Dave and I were stationed in the Sheffield District, and I served for 7 years in the Barnsley Circuit. 

Now, I am in the Lambeth Circuit, serving with new people who are modelling for me lives of faith and showing me how faith creates a new family in Christ.  

To contact Rev. Kristin email:    kristin.markay@gmail.com
 

 

Sabrina Dessi-Makin


'I have been the Administrator to the Clapham Circuit for many years now, and feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a caring and inclusive Church family. I look forward to this new chapter as part of the Lambeth Circuit and to be part of an even bigger church family!'

 

To contact Sabrina email:    churchoffice98@yahoo.com

 


 

Shirley De Los Reyes

I started work for Lambeth Circuit in 2013 just after the Brixton and Streatham Circuit merged, but before that I also worked in Archway and Harlesden Methodist Churches.  My previous job was Advocacy & Outreach Work before I became an Administrator.

I’ve done my Bachelor of Arts (major in Christian Education) in the Philippines and served in 3 different United Methodist Churches managing and teaching in their Nursery, Kindergarten and Preparatory Schools, while doing Children & Youth Work and Family Support work with the Ministry Team. 

I lived my first 25 years in the Philippines before travelling and living in different European countries for more or less 12 years and Spain became my second home but after living there for 10 years we decided to join my Mom here in London in 1993 and now London is also home for me and my family.

I don’t know what the future holds for me in the new Circuit just hoping that this will be a blessed one and I am looking forward to working with you all God permitting…  Godspeed!!!

To contact Shirley email:   lambethmethodistcircuitadmin@btconnect.com​                                                                                                                                                                                    

Supernumeraries:                                                                                             
Rev. Gordon Ashworth                     

              

Rev. GordonAshwowth  trained for the Ministry at Wesley College, Headingley &  Wesley College, Bristol. He served in the Lambeth Mission Circuit, Railton Road and Kingsacre Methodist Churches and Battersea Central Mission before joining HM Prison Service as a full-time Prison Chaplain. He was a Chaplain at three prisons on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent before transferring to HMP Whitemoor High Security Prison in Cambridgeshire. His last appointment was as Chaplain at HMP Wandsworth. He became a Supernumerary Minister in 2008 joining what is now the Lambeth Circuit.             

To contact Rev. Gordon email:   gordonashworth@hotmail.co.uk   



 

Rev. Graham Thomas  

Rev Graham Thomas was born and brought up in the Rhondda Valley (South Wales) and trained for the Ministry at Handsworth College, Birmingham and was ordained in 1959.  He is a graduate of Lancaster University and a post graduate of South Bank and Greenwich Universities.

He has served in the following Circuits: Neath, St Just-in-Penwith, Bradford (Shipley), West Bromwich, Wellington (Shropshire), Abertillery, Lancaster and Wimbledon.  He has served as part-time posts in hospital, industrial and HM Prison as Chaplain.  He was a Samaritan Volunteer for five years and has been an active Rotarian since 1986.  

He left from the Ministry after serving for thirty-seven years.  He then returned as a Supernumerary at the age of 70, at Wesley’s Chapel & Leysian Mission (City Road Circuit).  He later transferred to the Streatham & Dulwich Circuit, which after merging with Brixton became the Brixton & Streatham Circuit and is now the Lambeth Circuit.  

In his 80’s he continues to enjoy conducting Services where he is needed - he says ‘whether the congregations share his enjoyment is another matter! 

To contact Rev. Graham  email:  gthomas@aol.com

 

HOSPICE CHAPLAIN:   
Rev.  Andrew Goodhead            andrew.goodhead@virgin.net