Our Leadership Team
Estuary Elim Leadership Team
Who are we?
The Leadership Team of Estuary Elim consists of Ordained Ministers/Pastors and Deacons who are supported by appointed (or co-opted) Church Officers, Lay Preachers, Worship Leaders and numerous skilled volunteers.
What do we do?
Together we nurture & develop people and minister to anyone in need. We maintain and develop the infrastructure to support church activities. We facilitate, support & develop church groups & activities.
Our Ethos
We believe the power and presence of God is as real and relevant today as it was in Biblical times. God has not changed. We believe that God longs to transform lives, heal bodies, and give new direction.
The Estuary Elim Church Board
The Church Board meet on a regular basis to discuss, plan & manage the operation and direction of Estuary Elim Church.
How our Leadership Team operates
There are three focus areas that cover the overall activities of the church group: Enrich, Enable & Engage.
Enrich
Nurturing & developing the body of believers; Ministering to anyone in need.
Primary Contacts:
Rev. Dr. Dean Courtier
Lolu Oluwaniyi
Enable
Maintain & develop the infrastructure to support church activities.
Primary Contacts:
Andrea James
Geoff Durham
Liz Durham (Safeguarding)
Engage
Facilitate, support & develop church groups & community activities.
Primary Contacts:
Samantha Dobie
Alison Iley
Meet some of our
Our church congregations have a shared leadership team, our Minister and Lay Preachers preach in each of our locations on a regular basis. Our deacons are elected by church members to serve as an officer of the church and have specific defined duties and responsibilities.
Rev. Dr. Dean Courtier Enrich Contact
Pastor/Minister
Dean joined our ministry team in June 2008 and became an Elim Licensed Minister in June 2010.
He accepted a call to full time ministry in September 2010, and was ordained in June 2015.
In addition to preaching and teaching, Dean is responsible for our website, podcasts, in‑house design, and video production. His background is design, brand management, and marketing for professional & financial services.
He lives in Rochford with his wife Hanna, and has two adult children and four grandchildren.
email07881 090405
Dave Berrington
Preacher
Dave preaches regularly at Ashingdon & Rayleigh, and at other churches in Essex.
Megan Bolden
Preacher
Megan had a radical encounter with Jesus whilst working as an account manager for a beauty brand. After this Megan completed an undergraduate degree in Applied Theology at Regents Theological College. Megan has a heart to see believers equipped and on fire for Jesus.
Megan currently preaches at our Ashingdon, Rayleigh and Online Church.
Paul Clark
Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected)
Paul first gave his life to Jesus in 1988 aged 23, after 8 years he walked away from God and chose to live his life his way for the following 21 years. In 2017 God stepped dramatically back into his life and Paul gave Jesus full control, it was at this point he started to attend Estuary Elim Ashingdon.
In January 2021, Paul was elected as a Deacon. He is a member of the Estuary Elim Church Board.
Paul is a Kintsugi Hope wellbeing group leader, this Ministry aims to provide a safe place foe people with mental health issues, although there is no group running at present, Paul is still very much involved with Kintsugi hope. Paul is a co-ordinator for the annual Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child shoe box appeal, he is also a singer and part of the Church music/worship team.
Paul is married to Kaye and he has two adult children and two grandchildren.
Samantha Dobie Engage Contact
Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected)
Samantha first joined the Elim Church aged 8 and has been attending ever since.
As well as being a Deacon, she looks after the children's work and runs a children's Saturday club in Rayleigh and the Sunday School in Ashingdon.
Samantha grew up in Rayleigh but now lives in Ashingdon and married Trevor in 2018. They have 4 children between them, 2 at University and 2 in Secondary School.
Samantha loves all things craft and reading.
Trevor Dobie
Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected)
Trevor started attending the Elim Church in 2013 and has been attending ever since.
As well as being a Deacon and member of the church board, he
helps with the music set-up of the worship team, the sound desk, and occasionally sings.
Trevor grew up in Hockley but now lives in Ashingdon and married Samantha in 2018. They have 4 children between them, 2 at University, 1 in sixth form, and 1 in Secondary School.
Trevor loves trail running, music, playing around with synthesizers, fishing, reading, plus PC and board gaming.
Geoff Durham Enable Contact
Financial Management, Church Board Member (Co-opted)
Geoff had a life-changing experience during a weekend away with old university friends in 2004, when he attended church just because everyone else in the group was going. This led to him becoming a Christian a few weeks later and his outlook on life was transformed.
Geoff's secular background is in banking & finance and he uses that experience in his financial role within the church.
He loves history, including local history, and his involvement in the Rochford District Heritage Tapestry project enabled him to pursue that passion. Geoff likes spending time with family - wife (Liz), 2 adult daughters and 4 grandchildren. He also enjoys reading, gardening and walking - especially in the Lake District where you get real hills!
Liz Durham Safeguarding Contact
Safeguarding Coordinator
Liz attended Sunday School as a child and was confirmed as a teenager, with no true understanding of what it meant to be a Christian. In 1998 she started attending a local evangelical church and found faith in Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. Liz is part of a team organising ladies' activities within the church.
Before retiring, Liz was a maths teacher for 25 years and also helped her husband Geoff with the family business. Geoff and Liz have 2 adult children and 4 young grandchildren who, in theory, keep us young and on our toes! We love the church family too, along with walking and gardening.
Natalie Green
Worship Leader
Born and raised in a musically inclined family, Natalie discovered her love for singing at an early age and her journey as a worship leader began in her local church, where she found her calling to lead others in worship through music.
A Christian for over 30 years, Natalie joined the Estuary Elim church in the spring of 2023 and now serves as a passionate and dedicated worship leader with an unwavering commitment to spiritual expression.
Married to Phil, Natalie is a mother and grandmother with a passion for cooking and entertainment which she loves almost as much as worship.
Alison Iley Engage Contact
Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected)
Alison grew up going to the Sunday School held in our Ashingdon building. At the age of 10 she decided that she wanted to know more and started attending Church. She quickly made a commitment to God and knew that she wanted to follow Jesus for the rest of her life. The rest, as they say, is history... and many years later Alison is still serving God.
Over the years she has been involved in many different ways including youth leadership, women's leadership, and catering.
Married to Bernie, Alison is a mother and grandmother with 5 adult children and 1 grandchild.
Andrea James Enable Contact
Church Administrator, Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected)
Andrea became a Christian in 1978 then joined the Elim Church in 1982, where she has served as a Deacon from 2000 and additionally as Group Administrator since 2007.
Andrea is a retired Bank Official and lives with her husband of 53 years, Brian, in Leigh-on -Sea.
They have 2 adult sons and 5 grandchildren.
Lolu Oluwaniyi Enrich Contact
Deacon & Church Board Member (Elected), Preacher
Lolu gave his life to Christ in 1995. He was an elder in a previous church. He joined Estuary Elim Church in 2015 where he has served in the technical team, providing support for in-person PC and sound desk as well as online church.
Lolu was co-opted onto the Church Board in 2021 at the recommendation of the Ministry Team and was elected to serve as a Deacon in January 2022.
He is an IT Consultant and married with 2 adult children. Lolu loves snooker, darts, table tennis and music.
Glen Roxburgh
Church Board Member (Co-opted)
Bio coming soon.