PROFILE OF REVEREND KELSO

Andy Kelso was born in Scarborough in 1947, lived in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Ireland during a traumatic early childhood before returning to North Yorkshire where he went to school. He spent four years in Switzerland and then did a degree in London.

He was all set for a career in the Theatre when he became a Christian and everything changed. He went to Drama School as well as Bible College and became Drama Director of the Christian Arts Project. He formed a theatre group called Domini and they travelled extensively across Britain encouraging the use of drama in worship and evangelism, performing at grand events in the Royal Albert Hall and the Westminster Central Hall as well as visiting tiny churches and church halls. Andy directed, acted and wrote for the group and branched out into street theatre. Some of his scripts were published in a book called "Scene One" and he also had a booklet published on "Drama in Worship". Andy has a LRAM in teaching Speech and Drama, has run many drama workshops,had media experience with TV and Radio and had a play produced on the London fringe.

When the funds ran out he fell into teaching (on a temporary basis which lasted ten years), where he became Head of Drama at a London school and a Drama examiner. Andy has also worked in a tough London youth club, the Spastics Society in London and on the North Sea gas pipelines. Quite a varied career!

He should have died in a motorbike smash in 1965, but God had other plans. Andy became a Christian in 1970 having hit rock bottom. He was desperate enough to look for answers and God used a young Cornish girl called Charm to help Andy cry out to God. They got married in 1972 and have five children and two grandchildren. Charm is a Clinical Nurse Specialist to Evesham Community Hospital and St. Richard's Hospice, Worcester.

Andy came to Christ Church as Vicar in 1990. Before that he was minister of a church in Norwich, building up a run-down church on a council estate to become a thriving family church. Prior to that he was a Hospital Chaplain and on another council estate in Gorleston, near Yarmouth, which was a baptism of fire for the family.

He, and they, survived a torrid time there and are committed to seeing people far from God find answers, meaning, purpose, truth, forgiveness and love through a knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Andy is committed to proclaiming God's truth and this does not always make him popular! Do see his Letters section! His desire is to see people set free as they embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. He has recently written a booklet called "Too many questions,not enough answers.Or are there?" which seeks to give some answers to the universal questions people ask.

Andy and Charm also have two dogs and two cats. He loves sports. He played rugby for Wasps and is Chaplain at Worcester Warriors Rugby Club. He played football until he was 40, his last team aptly called Hellesdon Angels who never won a game in their first season! After some serious summer training and cajoling from Andy they went on to become a feared team in the league. He has also played league cricket, ice hockey, been in a downhill racing team and raced a Formula First car around Silverstone! He now plays golf, likes singing and writing songs for worship and for children's work, still writes drama scripts which have included major musicals performed at Christ Church in front of packed audiences, and is still a Yorkshire man at heart with a liking for Yorkshire tea!