"My name is Carol and I’m a licensed pioneer minister working in Framland Deanery. I was licensed in 2018 and started a Fresh Expression called Thorpe Connect in the village hall in Thorpe Arnold. It was wonderful to see God at work when, nearly a year in, one of the families who attends approached me about having their children baptised. The first question was, were they able to be baptised because they didn’t go to traditional church? It was good to be able to tell them that our Fresh Expression was recognised as church and so of course they could. The families who come to Thorpe Connect are not traditional church goers and most have never attended a church service. It really is a blessing to journey with the group and to help them learn about Jesus and what we can do to be more Christlike. I was very honoured to be asked to be Godparent to the children, meaning I could walk with them in an even more personal way. Our little community is growing a close relationship with each other and with Jesus in an environment they feel comfortable in, so much so that a couple of dads have brought the children along themselves when the mums have been unable to attend. For the baptisms, the whole group supported the family by being in the traditional Church building, so the font could be used. We learn, eat, and pray together, and it is a blessing to be on the journey with them."