We have been sharing stories about the type of roles people play in the life of the diocese. In this piece, we speak to The Revd Laura Bushell Hawke, an Oversight Minister.

 

A huge smile breaks out on Revd Laura Bushell Hawke’s face revealing her joy over witnessing God deepening people’s faith in churches across her deanery.

After two years of being an Oversight Minister, Laura has been reflecting on her experiences and where she’s seen God moving.Revd Laura Bushell Hawke with a church behind her.

When starting her role in 2024, she felt God give her three words: ‘Unity’, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Joy’.

Now, looking back, she can see this being demonstrated in the churches she presides over in the Benefice of Saltash (St Nicholas & St Faith and St Stephen’s by Saltash) and the Benefice of Landrake with St Erney & Botus Fleming and the parish of Landulph.

Laura believes these are exciting times and highlights this year’s Easter service at St Stephen’s-by-Saltash where she saw congregation numbers swell to more than 80 adults and 31 children.

She says: “It was incredible, normally we only get a dozen children.

“It was also a baptism service and at the end a gentleman came over to talk to me. He explained how he’d been going to church for 25 years but now wanted to know how to go about getting baptised. I looked at him and said, ‘there’s still water in the font, why don’t you do it now?’”

He agreed and she baptised him with his family watching.

Laura believes the reasons for these faith stories are the results of being obedient to God.

“This isn’t from anything I am doing as Oversight Minister,” she says, “this is being obedient to God and joining in with what He’s doing. It’s about responding and having the courage to say ‘yes’.”

“… this is being obedient to God and joining in with what He’s doing.”

Laura reflects how having the courage to respond helped her discover Jesus’ love for her and helps her carry out her role.

She says: “I look back over my life and see how God has brought together so many strands that didn’t make sense at the time.

“I first went to church as an adult on Christmas Eve, 2012. I had a six-week-old baby and an almost four-year-old at the time and we had gone to bed early. I woke up at 11 o’clock that evening and crept out of the house, leaving my husband and children sleeping. I went to the local Church of England church, St Stephen’s-by-Saltash, for the Christmas Eve service and had a really special experience. From that point, I started going to church more regularly.”

She attended an Alpha course in October 2015 and was confirmed that same year.

“On Christmas Eve in 2015 I was at the church again,” she says. “This was now a service which was very special to me.

“It was at this service I had another huge moment. I felt God saying one word to me. That word was ‘ordination’.”

“I felt God saying one word to me. That word was ‘ordination’.”

Ordination hadn’t even crossed her mind before that point.

Laura started the process of discernment and was ordained in 2017.  In 2020 she became a curate and then appointed Oversight Minister in 2024.

She says: “That Christmas Eve, in 2024, I presided behind the same alter, in the same church, where I first came to faith.”

She also recalls when she had a confirmation service in the church.

“It was the first confirmation service in that church since 2015 – the year I was confirmed there,” she says. “This time my mum was one of those being confirmed.”

Working as an Oversight Minister has brough Laura both challenges and joy. She is particularly excited to see how people are interested in the Foundations in Ministry course – with seven out of 11 members coming from her benefice.

“I can see God preparing the ground for the next chapter already.”

She says: “I am seeing the bud of vocations here, it is not blossoming yet, but I am seeing buds.

“I think it is incredible.

“When we have the courage to say yes to God, it gives others the courage to say yes.

“We are seeing where we are responding to God, there is a whole new thing coming.”

Laura is also witnessing churches beginning to work and worship together.

“I can see God preparing the ground for the next chapter already,” she says.