Anne Ninnis

Anne Ninnis is our Minute Secretary and the wife of the pastor at Prittlewell, Southend.

I was born in Southport, Merseyside, in 1954. I had a happy childhood and school life and was a regular attender at Princes Street (now Grace Baptist Chapel).

For several years I was the only child in an older congregation, but then at last several other families came along and Sunday School was started and in due course a Young Peoples Fellowship - I also went to the Good News Camp. Although I was aware of the need for salvation it only became of real importance to me as a teenager when a teacher at school asked our RE class: ‘Who goes to church? - stand up!’ Then she asked, ‘Why do you go to church?’ At this point I came to realise that I was attending church out of habit and began to seek after God, as a sinner who needed to be saved; I was also conscious of the need for God’s guidance in life as I had to decide where to train as a nurse.

My prayers were answered during a service when a verse was mentioned - ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go’ (Psalm 32.8) - and I knew a joy and peace I had never experienced before, that the Lord was now in my life and would lead me.

In 1972, I went to London to train at University College Hospital for three years. I also started to attend Westminster Chapel, where, in God’s providence, I met my future husband - we were married there in 1974.

After 18 months living in a bedsit in Streatham Hill, we moved to a rented house in Norbury - this was a great provision for us. My first pregnancy ended in a stillbirth in 1976 and, though this was a tough time, God helped us through and provided support for us. The following year we had the joy of having David and then Sarah in 1979.

Around this time the Lord spoke to us separately in the same service about Roger's desire to go into the ministry and so began a real test of faith. In 1980 we set off for the South Wales Bible College in Bury where we were to share a house with a family we did not know, as well as get by without a grant! A number of people kindly sponsored us and gave us gifts - we decided that we would only let our needs be made known in prayer to God and can honestly say the Lord provided in amazing ways and we were never without food or rent money.

In 1983, at the conclusion of the college course, we were planning to stay in Cardiff, but, sadly, my dad had a heart attack and died suddenly. This left mum, who had terminal cancer, at home alone, so we moved back to Southport to help care for her for the last few months of her illness. The church at Southport offered Roger a role as assistant to the pastor, which provided him with the opportunity to learn alongside Pastor Day which proved to be an invaluable help to Roger.

In 1986 Roger was asked to pastor the church at Prittlewell, Southend. There was a congregation of seven retired people, who made us very welcome and who we came to love as our Christian family. Over the years, people have come and gone, but, in God’s goodness, the fellowship has grown.

I am involved in church life and also work as a Bank HCA at the local hospital; and this year [2007] have had two sessions as an in-patient and have been well looked after! I am thankful to God for the support and care of the church, family and friends. These recent events have made me test and prove the reality of the words, ‘My grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness’.