Meet the team
Hello there!
We’re so glad you’re here, and want you to know you are very welcome at Ampthill Baptist Church. You can read a little bit of information about the team at ABC, and we encourage you to come along to get to know us in person.
Please contact the church office if you need anything.
Leadership Team
Andrew Goldsmith
Senior Pastor
Andrew moved to Ampthill in 2013, having previously been in ministry for 7 years at Ruislip Baptist Church. Andrew is married to Nicola and they have two children. Andrew grew up near Oxford and trained as a mechanical engineer, working in the area of medical engineering (designing replacement hip and knee joints). Following a period in church leadership he studied theology at the London School of Theology, before joining the team at Ruislip. He enjoys the ‘great outdoors’, reading, swimming, theology, films and curry. Andrew wants people to know Jesus and grow in their faith, and is committed to connecting people with Christ through opening up and applying the Bible.
He has written several books which can be found on Amazon including Words of Life, Formation Groups, Big Questions, and Bomb Disposal: Dealing with the Seven Deadly Sins.
Andrew is also a member of the Four Counties Gospel Partnership, a network to encourage ministry and churches rooted in the gospel.
Shaggy Abdon Shortley
Associate Pastor
Before moving to Ampthill in March 2017, Shaggy was previously at Harrow Baptist Church as a pastoral worker and then spent 10 years at Milton Baptist Church (Weston-super-Mare) where she eventually became Associate Minister in 2014. Originally from the Philippines , Shaggy moved to the UK and spent a few years studying theology at the London School of Theology. She is mad about animals, enjoys crocheting, walking, playing the ukulele & mountain dulcimer (badly!), and eating Japanese food. She is married to Martyn (an Englishman) and they have a rather large greyhound! Shaggy is passionate to see the gathered church – fed and strengthened by God’s word on a Sunday; and the scattered church – faithfully living out their calling in Christ every single day of the week. [Shaggy is on adoption leave from 22/04/24]
Joy Mead
Pastoral Support Assistant
Joy grew up in a village on the outskirts of Cambridge before attending Bedford College of Higher Education to train to be a primary school teacher. She is married to Michael, and they have one son. Joy taught for 7 years before taking a career change to work at Bedford Central Library. A few years after their son was born, Joy moved back into teaching from which she retired in July 2024. She loves reading, cycling, being outside in God’s beautiful creation, theatre and special times with family and friends. Joy is looking forward to getting alongside people, encouraging them in their faith and being a support to them in whatever way is needed.
Rich Stein
Youth Worker
Rich moved back to the UK in May 2024 after serving in the USA for 7 years. Rich is married to Jo and they have two daughters, Aria and Cali. Prior to the USA they lived in the UK for 11 years where Rich studied Theology at Cambridge University, and obtained his certificate for Pastoral ministry with the Cambridge Theological Federation. Rich and Jo are South African born and grew up in Durban, South Africa. Rich has a passion for Youth and Jesus. His past ministry experience has seen him serve as a Youth Pastor, an Associate Pastor, Lead Pastor, Co-Lead Pastor, and now serving as a missionary for Young Life alongside his role as Youth Worker for ABC. Some of his other passions are Manchester United and football, coffee, people and his family. He loves to worship and values the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in his life. He enjoys riding, playing non-competitive soccer (if that's a thing), golf, squash and racketball; 'anything where I know I'm not actually exercising really, just having fun' he says. Rich enjoys most sports and loves curry and Nando's.
Marie Mead
Seniors Ministry Co-ordinator
Marie is a Bedfordshire lass. She was brought up on a local farm and has lived near to Ampthill all of her life, apart from when studying at Exeter and Cambridge. She married David, a widower, and had four sons, the eldest of whom is now with the Lord. Her parents brought her to ABC when she was three years old and it has been her home church ever since. It was there that she was baptised in her teens and was called into different roles at ABC over the years. In her working life at a secondary school, she taught Maths which she combined with pastoral and leadership roles. Following retirement, God called her into serving roles where she supported both ABC and other organisations in various ways. In her newest role as Seniors Ministry Coordinator, God has given her a passion for seniors. She wants to help them to know and experience the love of God and the saving power of Jesus in their lives. Marie enjoys looking after her family, going out into the countryside with David and wondering at God’s marvellous creations, Nordic walking, doing jigsaws, reading and cooking cakes.
Sarah Duffy
Operations Manager
Sarah started as Operations Manager in June 2024, after working as PA to the Bishop of Bedford. Sarah is married to Chris, whom she met at university in York. They have four children and moved to Bedfordshire in 2018, when expecting their fourth child. Sarah worked at the University of Bedfordshire for ten years, where she also completed her Executive MBA. Sarah enjoys family time, walking, meeting friends and lots of coffee, preferably combining two or three of these together, much to her family’s groans! Sarah is committed to enabling the practicalities and vision for the whole church, to let people know Jesus and grow in their faith and community.
Deacons
Paul Spencer
Deacon
Simon Herbert
Treasurer
Claudia Tyson
Church Secretary
Catherine Sleight
Deacon
Simon Miller-Cranko
Deacon
Martha Spencer
Deacon
Janice Evans
Deacon
Tony Royston
Deacon
Jack Moore
Deacon
Ben Gray
Deacon
Contact the church office
Pete Davies
Administrator
The church office is run by our administrator, who is happy for you to pop in during office opening hours if you need anything. Feel free to contact us at anytime as Pete remotely monitors emails throughout the rest of the week and will get back to you.
And lots of volunteers!
You’re invited to come along to get to know us better…