OYIN Alonge was a little suspicious of church leadership – which is why he delayed responding to God’s call to be a Reader.

But the experience of being part of St Simon’s Church Southsea taught him that the role of a Christian leader is actually to serve others. He signed up to train as a Reader two years ago and will be licensed by our bishop in June.

“Culturally there was this gap, which wasn’t filled until I got to St Simon’s,” he said. “I had a relationship with God and experienced him at church, but couldn’t see how that translated into how people actually lived their lives, Monday to Saturday.

“But at St Simon’s, everyone served everyone else, including the leaders. We served the community, feeding the homeless and disadvantaged, and everyone got involved in cleaning the church, doing the IT, and leading groups for families or asylum seekers. It’s a unique place with a focus on caring for ‘the other’”

Born in Norwich from Nigerian heritage, Oyin went to school in Nigeria between the ages of four and 10, and spent a year in Zimbabwe before returning to Nigeria. He has been in the UK since returning to study A-levels from the age of 17. He trained as an accountant, and his job now involves training others to be accountants. He and his wife Ugo have two girls, Tia, aged 13, and Zara, 9.

He was working in Aldershot and attending a large church in Guildford. It was the latest of several churches where the weekly sermon seemed to be the highlight of the service, and the focus seemed to be on the pastor to rally the faithful. Oyin and his family moved to Portsmouth and initially got involved with a similar church in the city.

But his daughter Tia hadn’t settled in that church, so Ugo took her to St Simon’s. They fitted right into the toddler group and Sunday activities for children. After six months, Oyin joined them and discovered things he had been missing. He joined the PCC and is now its treasurer.

“The vicar, Jackie Twine, approached me three years ago about becoming a Reader,” he said. “I didn’t know about the concept of being a Reader, but my experience had taught me to be suspicious of church leadership. I deferred for a year, but then I read a book I’d been given about how everyone is called.”

The 49-year-old studied for two years at Sarum College in Salisbury, enjoying residential weekends as well as studying at home. He also tried his hand at preaching and leading services at St Simon’s.

“It’s a fantastic course and I enjoyed the fact that people can agree or disagree on certain issues, and yet everyone is heard and everyone can thrive,” he said. “The theological reflections allowed us time to think more deeply about Bible passages. And the first module – about the arrangement of worship – helped me to understand the liturgical elements of services. It has given me an understanding that there is a broader ‘diet’ than just preaching.

“However, I am now on the preaching rota at St Simon’s. I have no interest in being the kind of church leader where the focus is all on me. But it is humbling to be able to share something of what God has been teaching me.”