Audrey Strudwick

I was born into Grace Baptist circles and was the youngest in the family. My father, George Pibworth, grew up at Potton Baptist Church and married Stella Shipton from Salem, Richmond. When I was still a baby my father became pastor at Needingworth and from there we moved to St John’s Wood when I was three. My growing up years happened there in a very large church with many activities for children and young people, including Campaigners and Christian Endeavour meetings. The Christians who ran these activities were very loving and were a great influence on my life and it was at that time I was first challenged by the gospel message.

At the age of 12 my parents were asked to begin a new work in Hemel Hempstead at Gadebridge. We lived in Tring Manse and work at both churches began. It was a very busy time for them and my sister and I both felt disturbed by our move to Gadebridge because of the lack of amenities (no pavements, street lights, buses, shops or other teenagers) as we were the fourth family moving to the estate. However, we were always busy as every family moving in seemed to be expecting a baby and, as our home was the only one with a telephone, we spent a lot of time locating district nurses after coming home from school!

When I was 15 I attended a Pioneer Camp at Stoke Fleming and it was there that everything came together for me spiritually. Perhaps it was just having time to be with Christians and not feeling responsible for everyone else around me. I was baptised in October 1959 and was happy to be given a Sunday School class (25 five-year-olds! - I don’t think I could do it now).

Looking back, Gadebridge was a good training ground for Christian work and learning, but I was grateful for the welcome from the young people at Derby Road, Watford, so that I was able to join in their weekly meeting for several years.

As I worked in London, I moved there in 1964 and spent two happy years at the Angel Baptist Church, where I was involved with youth work.

I met my husband Dennis at a London FOY President’s Weekend. We married in 1966 and have three sons. We are thankful to God that they are all Christians. Our eldest Mike is married to Ruth and is at Somersham, Suffolk, and our youngest son, Barry, married a Yorkshire girl, Louise, and they are involved in a church plant in Morley (near Wakefield). Our middle son, Colin, became engaged recently to Nicky and is currently a Deacon at Dorking Baptist Chapel.

I have been a member at Dorking Baptist Chapel since my marriage and have lived in the same road (two different houses) for the past 38 years - I haven’t gone far!

God has been faithful to us as a couple and as a family over many years and we give Him all the Glory.