Our Elders
Stephen Baly with his wife Helen
Stephen and Helen are our Ministry Team Leaders, heading up a large team who meet regularly to pray with each other. The team also provide prayer ministry for people during, and following, our services. Stephen joined our Elders in March 2004.
According to Stephen, he has an adorable wife, a scatty daughter and a bored son! (Sorry Jane). His earliest childhood memory is being split up from his twin brother when they went to school (ahhww!) I’m not sure if this started his naughty streak? But he was later told by the teacher to confess for something he didn’t do and that “Jesus knew he had done it”. Sounds like your typical school troublemaker to me!
Phil had contact with the church youth work from age 9, but eventually became a Christian age 17. Jenny's church background is in Reading but it finally bore fruit during her first year at university. After many years in the Indian Subcontinent they returned to Bedford in 1992 and Phil was persuaded to become an elder at RP in 1998.
Myles is an elder and pastor at Russell Park Baptist Church. Click here to read more about him.
Frank and Margaret have been at Russell Park since 1964 and have enjoyed being part of the worship group for a number of years. Frank was appointed as an Elder in March 2000. In March 2002 he became the church Treasurer.
Frank and Margaret have two daughters. He relates times with his autistic grandson as being some of the most special in his life. One of Franks biggest life-changing moments was when he realised that God is not impersonal, but acts as our heavenly father, always with our best interests at heart. He was deeply affected by the preaching on the “Father Heart of God” by our late pastor Peter Dye.
David is an elder and pastor at Russell Park Baptist Church. Click here to read more about him.
Steven Murphy
Steve is described by others as “gentle”, “thoughtful”, “zealous for God” and it being “evident that he seeks to glorify Jesus in everything he does”.
Steve came to Bedford in 1999 after being brought up in Scotland. His heroes are Daniel (from the Bible) and Obi-Wan Kenobi. His best memory is being baptised by the Holy Spirit.
Nick and Karen joined us at Russell Park when Karen was our Youth Worker. She stepped down after giving birth to baby Abigail.
Nick became a Christian when he was 20 and going to Lancaster University Christian Union taught him that you get more out of your faith the more you put in.
Nick uses seismic exploratory tools in order to review offshore geological structures for their petroleum retention potential?? Geek!
His best achievement is staying a virgin until he was married. He loves sport and food but dislikes the song “Undignified” by Matt Redman unless the context is explained beforehand. The funniest moment in his life was a stag-do on a farm. The groom was stripped to his underpants and tied up, covered in molasses and placed in a cows’ feeding trough. The cows licked him down! (Although he also thinks the GOD Channel is hilarious).
