A man who spent 25 years helping to direct one of Bath’s most successful design agencies has taken up a new role at a Peasedown St John Church. Rob Doble, originally from Keynsham, has been appointed as St John’s Church’s new Worship Pastor.

Rob said: “I was involved in the local church choir as a teenager and have always had a love of music, and listen to a wide variety from new wave to classical, blues to hip-hop. I have played in all sorts of bands, from punk and indie to recently playing bass in a function band.

I’ve been involved in worship at St John’s Church for quite a while and have been leading worship for a few years. It feels like the natural step to becoming the Worship Pastor and is something that I think God has called me to. The role is much more than singing on Sunday afternoon. I’m responsible for looking after all the musical worship at St Js including Sunday morning and afternoon. It involves the admin side – organising musicians’ rotas, rehearsals and building a strong team culture – to helping people grow spiritually and musically through music lessons, encouragement and events.”

St John’s Church has bucked the national Anglican trend over the past thirteen years and seen an increase in parishioners coming through its doors. With over 100 people attending Sunday worship each week, since 2011 their Sunday afternoon worship service ‘Soul Food’ has been held at Peasedown St John Youth Centre.

Church Leader, Revd Matthew Street, commented: “Our ambition has always been to serve the community. We run a wide range of activities throughout the week in both our church building and at the youth centre.

“It’s been great to welcome Rob to our staff team at St John’s. He replaces Jerry Curd, who served as our Worship Pastor for many years, and knows the church family extremely well.”

Rob took up his new role in April, and says he is most excited about “seeing how we can take the worship/music beyond the walls of the church and into the wider community – people are often surprised by the quality of musicians and the songs are much more engaging than they remember!”

For more details about St John’s Church, visit the St J’s Group website: www.stjsgroup.church, which includes details of future events, the church’s work in the community, activities going on during the week and live recordings of Sunday sermons.