Tjarda Murray came to Northgate in September 2001 from a non-stipendiary ministry in the Hull & Cottingham Group, having trained at Manchester.
Before this Tjarda was an Area Coordinator for Christian Aid for 15 years, and before that she was a Nursing Officer with North Hants. Health Authority.
Her interests include, music (she has a degree from the Open Uuniversity, majoring in musicology), she loves walking in the Dales, and plays tennis as often as she can. When she is not engaged in these activities she likes to poke her face into a book, or visit art exhibitions and the odd trip to the cinema.
Tjarda believes that the church should be a place where all feel included, whether fundamentalist or radical/liberal. She is an Associate Member of the Iona Community.
Tjarda likes to introduce her congregation to new hymns from around the world. Being Dutch, and having worshipped in the Dutch Reformed Church, Tjarda has a deep love for the Psalms, and hopes that one day we shall have a Psalm sung -or spoken responsively at each Sunday Service.
Tjarda was born in Rotterdam and is married to Peter who was born in Rondebosch, South Africa. Peter and Tjarda have three grown up children who live and work in London and Hull.
Tjarda brings to Northgate a strong sense of mission and believes that this is not just her task, but the responsibility of the whole church. She likes to dream great dreams and is willing to make these dreams happen.
In all she does she seeks to serve the people of God to whom she was called to minister.
The Secretarial Team
Maranny Jones,Church Secretary, took up the post in January 2000
Thus she was in post during the time of vacancy before Rev. Tjarda Murray joined us.
Before this she had been Assistant Secretary for 3 years.
She is also an Elder and a member of the Membership and Care Committee and co-ordinates a successful pastoral group for one of our districts.
As she has always been a worker with children, it is no surprise that she combines the tasks of seeing to the needs of her young grandchildren and running a playgroup for a nearby Methodist church with her Secretarial duties.
Dorothy Thomson, Asst. Church Secretary, shares the secretarial duties with Maranny.
She works full time as a Freelance Hearing Therapist. Her job is to optimise the communication skills of those with hearing difficulties.
Her Christian faith is very important to her and church plays a significant part in her life.
In addition to being the Assistant Church Secretary she is a serving Elder, a teacher in the Junior Church, one of the youth leaders and a member of the church orchestra.
When she is not at work she lead a full and active social life: she is a keen hockey player, currently the Captain for Darlington Ladies 2nd Eleven, a Soroptimist, a Brownie Guider and a Trainer for the Guide Association.
Dot, for this is how she is universally known, is known by all (especially Brownies) as a "fun" person and a great example of Christianity in action.
