NIGEL CANDELENT
Youth and Family Worker

Most of you have met me, but I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself and my journey so far.
I’ve been married to Liz for 18 years and have 2 children,Charlotte 15 and William 9. We’ve lived in Exmouth for over 12 years and have been worshipping members of St Margaret’s Littleham for around 4 years.

I was brought up in a very loving and caring family but without any Church influence. When I look back and reflect on some of the things that have hap.pened I know that God has always been in my life,walking quietly alongside me, protecting and guiding me. He chose to “break” into our lives in 2003

Around that time we were experiencing the challenges that go with married life. I was working more and more hours thinking that’s what my family wanted and needed, but actually all they wanted and needed was me!!Around that time friends of ours had started talking openly about their faith and as the weeks went on, we as a couple became more interested in what they were saying. So much so, that they told us about Alpha, and we found out it was being run by this parish.
During that course both myself and Liz experienced the Holy Spirit and invited Jesus into our lives. We made a commitment to God, were confirmed in the January and have been not just part of the Littleham congregation but a working part of the family, being involved in outreach programmes, services, house groups, and regular Bible study and prayer.

Through prayer, I felt a very deep calling towards this area in which I am now starting to work. I had been running a football club at the Beacon school for a few years when I was approached by John Elms our Youth Club Leader to become a volunteer with one of the groups on a regular basis. I was immediately accepted as part of the “team” and felt that there was a mutual respect between myself and the children, which I believe was God guiding me, so I trusted by faith that the path I was going down was the right one.
Through prayerful consideration by myself and several people close to me I decided to apply for the position of Family and Youth Worker in our parish.
I was offered the post on a full time basis, so I left my job in the retail trade, (most recently as a full time kitchen planning consultant) which I’d been involved in for over 20 years...and....the rest as they say is history!!!!

I thank God for this calling and ask you all as you read this, to consider... ‘What is God saying to you?’ ‘Where are you being called?’ ‘Are you listening?’.... and ‘are you prepared to Go !?’