Personality from the Pews - Stephen Butt

Stephen Butt

I began my Christian life as a chorister at Castle Church in 1961.

Music and singing have always been my passion, and I particularly loved singing the words of the psalms and canticles.

My college days were spent at St Katharine’s C Of E college Liverpool where I became Senior Sacristan in the college chapel.

In 1975 I got my first teaching post at St. Paul’s C of E primary school, Stafford, and then joined the choir at St Paul’s church where Jeannette and I married a year later.

My first visit to Sandon church was with my family in 2005 when our daughter was choosing her wedding venue. To our delight Dick Sargent was conducting the Sunday service. We were greeted like long lost friends having been with Dick in our Castle Church days and since then All Saint’s Church has been our main place of worship.

I ended my career as an Executive Head Teacher of two special schools.

I was on the governing body of St Peter’s School, Hixon for ten years as the church representative. I enjoy travel, singing with Stafford Choral Society and I also work as an Independent Monitor at Stafford Prison. Being a churchwarden at Sandon is quite time consuming too!

A bible passage from Isiah 53:6 is one of my favourites. All we like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

‘The Day Thou Gavest’ is a favourite hymn, which I particularly like at the end of a choral evensong.