Local people

Chris Jackson

A career focussed around God, literature . . . and coffee

One of Okehampton’s newest residents is The Rev Chris Jackson – the newly appointed superintendent for the West Devon Methodist Ministry Circuit.

Chris is bringing his positive and ‘glass overflowing’ approach to his new posting where his goal is to bring the church away from the Victorian model of communication and in to the 21st century. Chris and his wife Jo moved to Okehampton in August this year. His career and his calling within the church have taken them on many journeys, including the remote Shetland Islands where they were based for ten years, Northern Scotland and now West Devon.

His role sees him looking after the well-being of parishioners from 15 churches in the Methodist circuit, from Belstone to Bridestowe and Northlew to Winkleigh. Either from the comfort of his home office, online or in person, Chris hopes to use his multi-model level of communication to reach everyone possible.

Looking around his office it is clear to see that Chris has many interests – we see he is a fan of Liverpool Football Club, an admirer of artist Leonardo Da Vinci, an enthusiastic reader with books reaching the thousands, and a fan of sci-fi programme Doctor Who. However, it is not just his interests that vary, his careers have taken him on an interesting journey but the core has always been the same and that is his faith. . . and a love of coffee!

‘I had a very strange career and I am a proud to be a nerd!’ Joked Chris. Born and raised in Bedford, Chris grew up influenced by both the Church of England and Methodists as the two were united in his village. Growing up in the CofE, Chris was converted to Christianity in a Methodist Church in his 20s. ‘It can be confusing but I like to explain by saying that we are all coffee but we are just slightly different blends – we have different emphasis on the same thing, God,’ explained Chris.

When he finished his first degree in computing at 20, Chris became an analyst programmer which he said was where he created programmes and sat around drinking coffee! ‘That job was incredibly fun, but then I went into full time Christian ministry for Scripture Union as one of the senior retail managers.’ After ten years years Chris then became publishing manager of Kingsway where he was able to travel all over the world and sit around drinking coffee – there is a theme here! But he had reached the peek of his career and he had the ‘itchy feet feeling’ and felt that God was saying it was time for him to do something else. ‘I had a sense that God was giving me a new challenge. I began to look at publishing jobs in Canada, we even filled out emigration forms. But throughout this Shetland started to be included in all conversations, and over the next six months I resigned, put our house on the market and put our belongings in a van and we even had somewhere to live for three months. We said that we would go and see what happens and we ended up living there for ten years.

‘I went from global ministry to extreme rural ministry, I spoke to hundreds and then preached to two ladies in a chapel in the middle of a field with water running down the walls – God has such a sense of humour!’

But the next step was one that Chris never saw coming. ‘I always used to say that the ministry would never get a collar around my neck but being in Shetland got me to a point where I knew this was my next step.’ To become a Methodist minister is not a decision you make alone, it is up to other people to decide if you are the right person. If this is agreed then it takes about six years until you are ordained into the world wide church of God as a minister of the Methodist church.

At his first posting Chris and Jo were moved to Northern Scotland in Buckie on the Moray Coast where they lived for five years before he was asked to become the superintendent for the West Devon Methodist Ministry Circuit. ‘We are not employed, we are sent by appointment by the Methodist Conference who marry up the right person for the right place. We like going to different places, meet new people, new areas, it keeps us fresh spiritually and we felt it was right to come back to England,’ Chris explained. ‘All my backgrounds with work and education have merged and that is why I am here. COVID has been awful but it has allowed the church to reassess the change that was coming. ‘A lot of churches are asking the questions: What is church about and what do we offer? I see a rise in digital church, I did a lot of church online and we spoke to people online from all over the world. Now there is a talk of a hybrid model of church. ‘I don’t talk about a decline in Christianity, it’s just a decline of the old style. Christianity isn’t going anywhere, it’s still the largest religion and still growing. It’s just shifting from the Victorian model – it’s always shifting and in a state of flux and that’s a good thing. We will still share the teachings of Jesus Christ but we are not going to have one way of doing it we will have multiple ways and all of these will be equally viable. There won’t be just the one method which was church on a Sunday. I believe my role will be to help make that happen.’

Lindsay Turpin

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Sharif Adams

A guiding light in an almost forgotten craft

A craftsman from North Bovey has become the guiding light for handcrafted everyday items using age-old traditional tools and techniques. Sharif Adams is leading the way with the once forgotten craft of pole-lathe bowl turning which is now gaining international recognition. The pole-lathe is thought to be one of the first machines ever invented and involves using a foot powered treadle attached with cordage to a springy sapling or pole. This makes a piece of wood spin between two centres. The person operating the lathe cuts and shapes the spinning wood using special types of chisels. Sharif’s interest in wood work was sparked in 1998 when he was at London Guildhall University. Later, he worked with antique furniture but it was not until he found the ‘joy and creative freedom’ of working with green wood that he knew he had found his calling. ‘Green woodwork is what I love,’ he said. Green wood is wood which is freshly cut or has not yet dried. It’s easier to work with hand tools than dry wood. As green wood bowls dry they warp slightly, giving each bowl a unique form so that no two are exactly the same.

This discovery was made while on a spoon carving course run by a teacher called Robin Wood. ‘We were served food in beautiful wooden bowls and

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31 High Street, Crediton, Devon, EX17 3AJ plates and I just felt the “aliveness” of them. Robin told me he had made them and my first question was “can you teach me?”’

Robin was unable due to commitments so Sharif set out to find someone to teach him the ancient art – and it turned out this would be the beginning of his eventful green wood working journey.

After finding someone who taught Sharif the fundamentals of the craft 11 years ago he was able to transform his skill and make it his own – since then Sharif has been across the country to teach others in pole lathe turning and creates his many items from within his rustic workshop set within the Dartmoor National Park.

‘It’s been an interesting journey. When I started learning this craft there were more people alive who had been to the moon than who knew how to turn these items on a pole-lathe. Now there is a festival each year where people come from all around the world to spend five days together doing workshops and learning more about this. ‘Many of the people who I have taught over the years are now running their own courses in pole-lathe bowl turning and earning a full-time living from the craft. The Heritage Crafts Association

has a “red list” of endangered crafts which are at risk of being lost. Polelathe bowl turning was on that list as “critically endangered” but it has now been reclassified as “currently viable” and is growing in popularity all the time,’ said Sharif.

When talking about his business, it is clear that Sharif is passionate about keeping the ancient craft alive: ‘My business includes selling wooden bowls, plates, boxes and cups via my website and as commissions; running various courses from beginner to advanced at my workshop and around the country at wood turning festivals and events; and increasingly selling the various tools required for pole lathe turning which I post all around the world. ‘Increasing tool sales is an indication of just how rapidly interest in this once forgotten craft is growing internationally. I also offer one hour bowl turning demos from my workshop to individuals and groups by arrangement, during which I talk about the history of pole lathe turning and answer questions while turning a bowl.’ When making items they all start with a block of green wood which is cut from a straight log without knots or branches. It is then roughly shaped with a carving axe before being mounted on the lathe. The back of the bowl is shaped first, then it’s re-mounted in a different position so the inside can be hollowed and shaped to mirror the outside form. The bowl is then carefully dried for a few weeks and finally finished with food grade walnut or flaxseed oil, ready for daily use. Long ago everybody would have eaten all their meals from wooden bowls and plates. Lots of people are now rediscovering the simple pleasure of eating from handcrafted wooden ware.

Sharif is a part of the Dartmoor Artisan Trail which showcases local talent. It links arts, crafts and food and gives visitors to the moor the opportunity to watch makers at work, take part in classes and buy products directly from their creators.

To view more on Sharif, visit www.sharifadams.co.uk

Lindsay Turpin

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