Both teachers, Vivienne was born and brought up in Northampton and went to Zaire (now D R Congo) with BMS in 1975. Phillip, who comes from Lancashire, went to Zaire in 1980.
After their return to the UK they were married and lived in Ilford, Essex, where they both taught. Phillip went on to train as a Baptist minister at Spurgeon's College before becoming minister of Wotton-under-Edge Baptist Church in 1992. In 1996/97 they took leave of absence from the church and returned to Zaire for six months to relieve other BMS personnel.
They started work in Brussels at the beginning of 2000. They pastor a growing French-speaking church, working with a Congolese pastoral couple, Paul and Jeanne Dibudi Way-Way, who have five children. The church has people from many countries and languages. Having outgrown the room they rented for worship, in December 2006, the church began to purchase a building with much more space and better facilities.
As well as Sunday services and a monthly family service there is a weekly prayer meeting, four house groups, a women's lunchtime Bible study, a monthly ladies' meeting and a monthly youth group. Most summers, the church organises a holiday club in a local park.
In January 2009, the church began a monthly food bank distribution.
They have a son Christopher who is studying politics at university in the UK and a married daughter, Ruth, who is a teacher.
Phillip and Vivienne both enjoy reading. Phillip enjoys gardening and Vivienne crafts; though there seems to be less and less time to pursue these interests!
If you would like to support the work of Phillip and Vivienne you can download a direct debit form by clicking here.