Packed house at Hucknall church for service to say goodbye to popular minister

Vanessa, 65, is stepping down after 20 years, although she will preach at 'any churches that want to invite me' and conduct funeral services on request.

Tributes were paid to Vanessa by representatives of her own church and other denominations as well as Churches Together of Hucknall, Linby and Papplewick, of which she served as chairman.

One of them, the Rev Ashley Stewart, of King's Family Church, described Vanessa as ‘the most dedicated person I have ever met’ and that she had ‘given everything’ during her time as a minister.

Vanessa said that when she initially became a minister, her appointment was on a part-time basis but she quickly found that it was a ‘24-7 job’.

She stressed that she had always tried to make sure the church played an integral role within the Hucknall community and this was the reason for its name change from Seymour Road Baptist Church.

A particularly bizarre event took place at the church during Vanessa's ministry a few years ago which was a Christmas party in June, complete with a visit by Santa Claus.

The aim was to show youngsters from Belarus, visiting Hucknall under the Friends of Chernobyl's Children scheme, what the festive season is like in the UK.

Vanessa’s background was not in the church, only coming to the clergy when she took up her role at the church 20 years ago after ‘God brought her to Hucknall’

Born in Annesley Woodhouse, her family moved first to Selston and then to Sheffield and her working life was initially in administration and finance.

Speaking to the Dispatch last month, she said: “I’d never lived in Hucknall until I came to the church, although I’ve known Hucknall all my life.

She trained as a minister at Northern Baptist College and once her training was completed, she was ordained as a minister and took up her post as the senior minister at West Hucknall Baptist Church.

The church band took part in the service, which ended with a rousing version of ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’.

The same hymn was sung during the funeral service for the Queen at Westminster Abbey two days later.