Sheri Sturgess has recently been commissioned as a Local Lay Leader for The Benefice of Liskeard and St Keyne, at the cathedral, by the Bishop of Truro. Here she talks about how God has directed her journey to this point.

The road to ministry can have many turns on the way, as Sheri Sturgess has discovered reflecting on her own particular journey.

She has been a Christian all her life, and a worshipper at St Martin’s Church in Liskeard for the last 35 years or so.  It was here she became the first administrator in the newly formed church office in 1994.A person looking at the camera smiling

She says: “Soon after that, a post came up in the Diocese of Truro – which I was encouraged to apply for.  I was appointed as the Stewardship Advisor, and a few years later became the Diocesan Secretary. This was a role I held until 2010, working in the old Diocesan House at Kenwyn.

“After leaving that post, I had some more time available and decided to broaden my theological knowledge by studying for the Certificate of Theology, on a two year course with SWMTC. I had no particular aim in mind – it was just for fun – but maybe not so much when an essay was due in.”

At this time, Sheri was also a Local Worship Leader at St Martin’s church, taking an active part in leading café services.  When the vicar announced his retirement, she realised there was a need to fill the sermon spot and asked for permission to preach.

Sadly, because she wasn’t a Reader – her request was denied. But after fighting her corner by presenting her theology qualifications, and undertaking the Reader ministry training, in 2017 she was licensed as a Reader for Liskeard and St Keyne.

“It’s all about trusting Him.” – Sheri

She still holds this post today, taking services, preaching and teaching as well as taking occasional funerals across the benefice.

But God still had more in store for her.

Sheri says: “I was at the Readers Day in February 2024, when Bishop Hugh was talking about Sens Kernewek course.  This suddenly sparked my interest.  It sounded like just the sort of course for me – I knew I would love it,  but I was busy with lots of other things – did I really need to spend time on this?”

Yet the idea of joining this course carried on niggling away at her.

“Sometimes I find this is how God talks to me, how God gets my attention” she explains. “I don’t hear a voice when I sit and pray, there’s just a niggle continually in the background until I can’t ignore it any longer.

“I loved the course, it was brilliant. It is a group of people who meet and learn from each other.” – Sheri

“I loved the course, it was brilliant. It is a group of people who meet and learn from each other. Bishop Hugh, Revd Jane Vaughan-Wilson and Sally Piper led the course.  They are all excellent facilitators. But it was a participatory course – a group in which we were all learning and discerning together.”

The aim of the Sens Kernewek course is to enable people to discern their call and hopefully lead them to be commissioned as Local Lay Leaders.

But Sheri was thinking, ‘how is this going to work at St Martin’s?’. St Martin’s is a large church, with vicar and a staff team.  How would a Local Lay Leader fit in?

During the recent transition, Sheri had been taking regular services at Dobwalls United Church, part of the parish of Liskeard, in her role as Reader.  This has continued over the last year, since Revd Mark Wade was appointed to the benefice.

She says: “I have really got to know the people at Dobwalls, and they are all lovely and welcoming people.  They have made me feel part of the church.”

As Sheri was praying about where the Sens Kernewek course should take her in the future, she started to feel God was directing her to become part of the leadership team at Dobwalls, and a link between the church there and St Martins Church in Liskeard. Conversations with Mark confirmed this as the route to follow.

And so, she has now been commissioned as a Local Lay Leader for The Benefice of Liskeard and St Keyne, with specific responsibility with Dobwalls United Church.

Sheri continues to trust God with what lies ahead. When she looks back at all she has done, she can see how he has always been leading her into new areas of ministry.

“It is a journey,” she says. “As I look back, I can see how that journey has developed. But I don’t know yet know exactly how this latest step will work, or where He may be leading me in the future. It’s all about trusting Him.”