Meet the Team
So many people are involved in making our church a vibrant faith-community: preachers, administrators, children's workers, worship leaders, musicians, welcome stewards, tea and coffee servers, home group leaders... We won't name all these wonderful people here, but below you'll find information on our core leaders:
Rev. Richard Ellingham
Pastor
Richard is an accredited minister of the Baptist Union. He trained at Spurgeon’s College and was ordained in 1994. He went on to serve as the Minister of Kingswood Baptist Church in Basildon Essex for 6 years before joining the Royal Navy as a Chaplain in 2000, from which he retired in 2022.
Richard joined HIBC as our part-time pastor in January 2023, bringing with him his beautiful wife, Pam, a deep love for the Lord, a pastor's heart for our church and community, a much-appreciated sense of humour, and a great deal of ministry experience. Richard serves in our church community from Sunday to midday Wednesday each week.
Janet Eaves
Deacon
Charity Trustee
Properties &
Safeguarding Co-ordinator
Janet was born in Coventry and emigrated to Canada in her early teens. On her return to the UK, Janet, who was raised as an Anglican, met her future husband, Paul at a joint Anglican/Baptist youth group. Soon after she was Baptised into the Baptist Church. Together with Paul, she ran various church groups for over 50 years.
After losing her husband she moved to Hayling Island to be nearer family. Attending the local Baptist church, she received a warm welcome and now considers the to be very much a part of her extended family.
Sally Griffiths
Deacon
Charity Trustee
Church Secretary
Sally was born and raised in Cork, Southern Ireland. After finishing school, she moved to Portsmouth in 1975 to train as a General Nurse. She went on to practise as a Clinical Midwife from 1980-2019. She is married to ex-Royal Navy Engineer, Alan, and they have two sons. Now retired, she loves spending time with family, especially their three grandchildren.
Sally has completed the Paris to Hayling charity cycle ride on numerous occasions and also enjoys walking, scuba diving, and singing in a local choir.
She renewed her Christian faith when attending a C of E/Methodist church in Cowplain in 1982. The family moved to Hayling in 1992 and they attended St. Andrews church for three years before joining HIBC.
She is involved in various aspects of church life including the worship group and children’s Sunday Club.
Christy Kalfas
Deacon
Charity Trustee
Worship Team Leader
Christy was born and raised in South Africa. She gave her life to the Lord (repeatedly - just to be sure) from the age of 10. Along the way, she's been involved in various forms of ministry, but mostly music ministries - which makes sense as she's a Music Teacher by day. Through a series of events only God could have orchestrated, in 2016 she and her husband, Nick, found themselves in a part of England they'd never heard of. They have been thoroughly blessed and active members of HIBC since 2017.
Millie Billett
Deacon
Charity Trustee
Prayer Team Co-Ordinator
Interim Treasurer
Millie was born in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. She moved to Ireland with her work as a Civil Engineer in 2005 and later the UK. She has lived on Hayling Island for over ten years. Millie gave her life to the Lord as a teenager and has a passion for praying for the local community and the nations of the world. In addition, she is runs a D-group and is involved in the tech team and children's ministries at HIBC. Millie is married to Mark and they both enjoy travelling and walking.
Annie Priest
Deacon
CharityTrustee
Preacher &
Safeguarding Co-ordinator
Annie was born in Sale in Cheshire, brought up in Brooklands, and educated in Manchester. She became a Christian in 1960 and served in a Baptist church in Surbiton Surrey, then in various other churches serving as a Bible teacher and preacher in different capacities. Annie has two sons who work in the fields of education, arts, and entertainment.
She obtained a BA degree at Kingston university in History of Ideas (Philosophy) and later became a lecturer there for 12 years in the same subject. Annie was awarded a doctorate in Jewish history/philosophy with special emphasis on Antisemitism in 2000 and has since spoken widely on this subject in the USA, Israel, and India. She has had a second home on Hayling Island for 30 years and moved here permanently in 2019. She joined HIBC in 2021, joined the preaching team in 2022, and was appointed a deacon in 2023. Annie says it's now her joy and privilege to serve God in this wonderful church family and is so very thankful.