Dagnall Street Baptist Church bids fond farewell to retiring minister 

There was a heartfelt farewell service on Sunday 3 September as the Revd Simon Carver concluded a significant 17 year tenure at the St Albans church

Simon is retiring after 32 years in Christian ministry, and he and his wife Catriona (pictured) will no doubt be looking forward to time to rest and reflect, as well as support their three children and five grandchildren.

In his final sermon, Simon reflected on his path from school, where he had mixed reports! He would later attend Aston University where he studied Physics/Metals and Material Science. While studying he became involved with and subsequently led the Christian Union. This all let to his first career in a London architectural metalworking firm.

It was in 1991 that he made the decision to retrain into ministry, attending Regent’s Park College n Oxford where he obtained an MA in Theology and a diploma in Pastoral Theology. He came to St Albans having been minister at New Road Baptist Church in Oxford for 12 years.

Simon’s belief that taking an active interest in the world around us today, social, cultural and political, is an important part of communicating the gospel has been at the core of his ministry, and the congregation of Dagnall Street Baptist Church has benefitted from this world view.

Church secretary Chris Penn said, 'It’s with joy and sadness that we bid farewell to the Revd Simon Carver. His ministry, friendship and support has been at the heart of our church for almost two decades.

'Under his stewardship we have celebrated 300 years of St Albans Baptists worshipping in Dagnall Street, navigated the pandemic, with a shift to online ministry, welcomed a host of new members and baptisms, seen weddings, funerals and been kept up to date with the highs and lows of his beloved Brentford Football Club.'

Amongst the many people who spoke of their work with Simon and the influence he has had in their life there were two that stood out.

The Revd Rosemary Fletcher, former superintendent minister of St Albans and Welwyn Methodist Circuit (pictured, right), paid tribute to Simon and the work he has done across churches of all denominations, including his role as Free Church chaplain at St Albans Cathedral and as a founding member of the Winter Beds scheme.

Toby Odesola, who also joined the church with his family as a child in 2006, took the opportunity to exact revenge for participating in many children's services, in varying costumes, by having Simon dress up this time – in a wonderful Nigerian outfit (pictured left).

“Fun Facts”

• Simon is the first minister to retire in service. Previous ministers have either moved church or died
• Simon is the longest serving minister at Dagnall Street since Charles Millice Hardy who resigned in 1912 after 26 years
• The longest serving minister at Dagnall Street was William Upton who ministered for 44 years until his death in 1865 when he had a local Avenue named after him

As Simon takes his next step in to retirement, Dagnall Street Baptist Church begins its search for a new minister. 


Group photo | From left to right |  The Revd Simon Carver dressed in Nigerian costume; Nick Parsons former secretary of Simon's former church, New Road Baptist in Oxford; the Revd Professor Paul Fiddes former principal of Regent's Park College in Oxford where Simon studied for ministry; the Revd Rosemary Fletcher, former superintendent minister of St Albans and Welwyn Methodist Circuit