Staff and Leadership

Please find below an introduction to our church leaders and members of staff.


Simon Wakefield: Minister		Stuart Anslow
Simon has been a member of the church for over 20 years. For 23 years he was an Art teacher and a senior leader at schools in Leeds and Halifax. Simon is married to Janet and they have two children. In August 2025 he successfully completed his Minister in Training and accepted the invitation to be the Lead Minister at Bingley. He is passionate about helping people be resilient followers of Jesus. In his leisure time he enjoys reading crime stories, trudging around the countryside and painting.		Stuart originally came from the Midlands but has been in Yorkshire for nearly 20 years. He's been a member of Bingley Baptist Church for over 15 years. He became a Christian as a teenager during a Youth for Christ event. He is passionate about being 'authentic' Christians and the church being family, as well as making a difference in the local community. For the last 30 years Stuart has worked in the world of Education, and for a significant number of years as a HeadTeacher. He now works as an Education Advisor to schools.


John Peacock: Deacon & Treasurer		Alison Powell: Deacon
John was born in 1943 and brought up in Bradford. At the age of 22 he came to know Jesus as His saviour and his life was radically changed. As a youth he had rebelled against all authority at home, school and at work and then found new life in Jesus Christ. John married Valerie in 1968 and they are still together 57 years later. Two years after coming to Christ, he enrolled at London Bible College for a 3 year course and left with a Diploma in Theology and as an Associate of London Bible College. He spent 5 years as a minister and pastor in Bradford before returning to work as an accountant in 1975. John retired from business in 2010, though has continued in voluntary work ever since. Having spent almost 47 years as a member of Life Church, Bradford he and Valerie came to join Bingley Baptist Church in 2023 following a calling from God.		Alison became a Christian at secondary school, supported by teachers running a lunchtime Christian Union. She describes herself as just an ordinary person, serving an extraordinary God, seeking each day to shine for Jesus. In 1988 she moved to Yorkshire to complete midwifery training. Originally from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire but has worked in Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire during her professional career. With 45 years in healthcare, 42 years has been in the NHS, with no two days the same. Moving around with work has also meant moving to different churches and denominations, all blessing in their different ways. The experience, knowledge and skills gained throughout her professional career will support serving at Bingley Baptist Church and in the local community. Alison is passionate about enabling and supporting people through pastoral care and prayer ministry. While preferring to serve behind the scenes, she rises to a challenge and is always keen to learn.


Cathie Scott: Deacon		Andy Empson: Deacon (Safeguarding Lead)
Cathie was born and grew up in Africa. At 17 she became a follower of Jesus, was baptised and became a member of the local Baptist Church. Between missionary children at school and an all-age Sunday school she was discipled, growing in her love for Jesus and the Bible. Truly believing that every word of it is the word of God. She has always been involved in small groups and Cathie’s passion is to see people grow in their knowledge of the Bible and how it informs their living for Jesus in the “real” world. After working as a pharmacist, Cathie went to Bible college for 3 years and then spent 30 months with Operation Mobilisation, 24 of which were in Pakistan. On returning to Africa Cathie joined Serving In Mission (SIM) and came Bradford in 1992. Cathie has lived and worked in a variety of cultures and experienced church life in various denominations. Cathie joined Bingley Baptist Church in 2020 and became a member shortly before lock down. Cathie is delighted to serve Jesus in our church in any way possible.		Andy lives in Bingley with his wife, son and daughter. He was brought up in a Christian household and although he always believed in God, drifted away from Jesus during his teenage years. After graduating Andy began working as a maths teacher. In his early 20s he spent two years living and teaching in Ghana, with the charity VSO. It was during this time that his relationship with God started growing deeper, which has shaped his life ever since. Andy currently teaches maths in a Bradford secondary school and he helps run a charity that works in the Ghanaian community he used to live in. Andy is always happy getting out in the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District and has recently bought a telescope and taken up amateur astronomy.


Charan Sarai: Deacon		Richard Fulford: Deacon
Charan Sarai is of Sikh heritage and was graciously saved in 2004 when her son Jag introduced her to church. Her heart is to serve and honour God through reaching out to people with God's love. She leads the Ladies Ministry ‘A Garden Enclosed’ and has twice weekly prayer meetings on zoom. She testifies without doubt that her Lord led her to Bingley Baptist to encourage wherever she could. She fervently and passionately prays for ministers; the leadership teams the front-line servers and the church family. Having been blessed with rich Bible teaching over the years. Charan studies the word and hopes to reflect the character of Jesus in her life. She holds yearly Ladies conferences and has spoken at various churches and conferences not only up and down the country and has shared her powerful testimony overseas too. She is a working professional and has dedicated her life to the NHS in Partner/Leadership positions and more recently leads and heads up Associates delivering Leadership and Management training. She is a devoted sister, mum, nannie and aunt. She adores her granddaughter, a very special gift to her. She loves gardening and her Garden of Hope has been a blessing to many.		Born in Birmingham; Richard 'did' Maths at Warwick University and after 2 short spells in teaching settled into a career in commercial computer programming. Before retiring he ended up working for Leeds City Council doing report writing and database management. He became a Christian whilst living in Birmingham in 1973 and joined a house church. He moved North and joined St Margaret's, Durham, then Holy Trinity, Platt Lane, Manchester and later St Thomas Crookes in Sheffield. Richard married in 1989, and has 3 children who are now in their late 20's and early 30's. Richard is involved in children's work and is a member of Bingley's Open the Book team. He is particularly interested in reading the scriptures, prayer and listening to Bible based sermons; encouraging and building up the church, and listening to (and singing) Christian music.


Peter Stirk: Financial Administrator
Peter became a Christian at the age of 12 (many years ago). He moved to West Yorkshire from the West Midlands in 1988 and has attended Bingley Baptist Church since then. Peter took on the role of Financial Administrator in 2017. He is also one our highly valued sound and vision technicians and can be found most Sundays in the tech corner at the back of the church.

If you need to contact the Church then please visit the Contact Us page.

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello

What to Expect on a Sunday Morning

If you are planning your first visit, here is a quick guide so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive.

Where and When

Location: We meet at Bingley Baptist Church, located on the corner of Clyde Street and Park Road in Bingley.

Time: The main event starts at 10:30 am every Sunday.

Parking: For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10–15 minutes early to find a parking spot. We suggest parking on either Clyde Street or Charles Street.

Arriving at the Building

When you walk in, you’ll be greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and a friendly member of our Host Team (look out for people wearing lanyards/nametags).

Free Drinks & Snacks: We serve tea, coffee, juice, and biscuits from 10:00 am before everything starts. It’s a completely free, relaxed way to meet people or just find your bearings.

Facilities: Our main toilets (including a baby changing station) are located downstairs.

Accessibility

We have wheelchair access and a hearing loop system for anyone who needs it. Just let a Host Team member know when you arrive, and they will get you sorted.

There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor.

If stairs are difficult for you, please let us know! We can easily guide you around the outside of the building to a flat, level entrance.

What Happens During the Service?

The main gathering starts at 10:30 am with a warm welcome from one of our team. You can sit wherever you feel comfortable.

Here is how the morning usually flows:

The First Half: A mix of music, short videos, discussions, brief skits, prayers, and readings.

Sharing Thoughts: Sometimes, we'll share a personal thought or reflection which is relevant to everyone.

Community News: We’ll share brief updates on what’s happening in our church family community, including upcoming events.

The Talk: One of our leaders will give a practical talk based on the Bible, focusing on ideas you can actually apply to your everyday life.

The Finish: We end with a final song. Afterward, there's chance to grab another drink and chat. There is also an optional opportunity for anyone who wants to receive personal prayer.

Please Note: We are a relaxed community. If you need to stand up, move around, use the restroom, or get a drink at any point during the morning, please feel free to do so!

What About My Kids?

Most of us at church are parents too! We know exactly what it’s like trying to focus while looking after little ones. We completely expect kids to make noise and move around, and you are totally welcome here. If your little one gets restless during the main gathering, please feel free to use the toys and books in our Creche area, which is located right near the front of the main room.

Age Groups & Programs

Children stay with their parents or grownups for the very first part of the morning (the welcome, music, and community news) because we love starting together as a big family.

After about 15–20 minutes, an announcement will be made for the kids to head to their fun, age-specific groups:

Creche (0 to 3 years): Stays right upstairs in the main room with you (again, we really don't mind a bit of noise!).

STARS (4 to 10 years): Fun, interactive activities downstairs.

SPRKZ (11 to 16 years): Engaging discussions and activities for teenagers downstairs.

Young People (16+ years): Stay in the main room for the full duration.

How Dropping Off & Picking Up Works

Heading to Groups: When the kids are dismissed, you will walk with your children downstairs to their group rooms.

Sign-In / Drop off: For child safety, you’ll just need to quickly register them with our team when you drop them off.

Pick-Up: We'll remind you to head downstairs, to collect your children as the main service finishes.

What Do the Kids Do?
While activities vary by age, a typical session includes a friendly welcome, engaging stories, music, crafts, drama, fun games, and free play. Everything is designed to be fun, safe, and easy to understand.

Children

Getting Connected

Small Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our small groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out our Belong Groups and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a small group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team.

Other Activities:

We also run the following ministries and activities:

Encounter- an informal time of worship every second Saturday of the month
2:42 - every fourth Wednesday in the month
SPRKZ - an after school club every Monday
Lunch Club every Friday
Arts Workshop every Saturday
Board Games & Banter - every Wednesday

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Leadership


Simon Wakefield: Minister
Simon has been a member of the church for over 20 years. For 23 years he was an Art teacher and a senior leader at schools in Leeds and Halifax. Simon is married to Janet and they have two children. In August 2025 he successfully completed his Minister in Training and accepted the invitation to be the Lead Minister at Bingley. He is passionate about helping people be resilient followers of Jesus. In his leisure time he enjoys reading crime stories, trudging around the countryside and painting.

We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes
Simon