Councillor Michael Rogerson was installed as the new Councillor for LG5&6 at the Guild AGM on Saturday 18th April at St Alban's Holborn. He succeeds Honorary Councillor Craig Aburn who has retired after nine years, but who remains as the Guild's Master of Ceremonies.

Profile

My earliest origins are that I was a war baby, born in Guildford into a church-going family; baptised three months later and I have lived in Surrey all my life.  I was confirmed by the then Bishop of Guildford on 21^st May 1955 at St. Mary’s Burgh Heath, at that time my parish church, where I started serving (for the first time) on Sunday 22^nd June 1958.  In those days, there were so many servers, that I had to go onto a waiting list for six months, until the head server had room for me! The following year, I became interested in the Guild when I attended the Guild Office for the first time in May 1959 and I was admitted a probationer on 30^th December 1959 and a full member on 25^th February 1961 .  My original chapter of St. Edward the Confessor held its final meeting at St. Barnabas’ Epsom on 15^th October 1984 , after which it went into abeyance and subsequently merged with the Chapter of the Incarnate Word (which has since merged with St Alban Chapter to become Incarnate Word with St Alban & St Edward) - my present chapter, of which I am the Chapter Treasurer.  I have attended the Guild Easter Festival every year for many years and I have attended the Autumn Festival most years so, I am a familiar face already. 

My Guild involvement attracted me to the Church of St. Barnabas’ Epsom, which used to have a big membership of the Guild, where I served for many years.  However during the past 20 years, there have been many changes at that Church – initially long overdue, but latterly not for the better – when catholic faith and practice were discarded. Also, I am ambivalent about only one change of Vicar in over 40 years!  I therefore transferred to St. Paul’s Nork (between Epsom and Banstead) where I serve at the present time.  I also belong to other Catholic societies, such as the Society of Mary, the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, the Catholic League and Forward in Faith. 
My other church activities are that I am on Diocesan Synod in Guildford Diocese and I attend meetings of Churches Together.  I am a bell-ringer (campanologist if you like) and when I can, I call the faithful to Sunday worship on the sound of bells.  This keeps me busy in
the summer, when I am in great demand ringing for weddings.

Work-wise, I am a retired insurance representative.  My non-church interests include languages and travel and I belong to my local town twinning association.  I enjoy some reading; exploring the Internet; chess by computer.  Anyone telling me their date of birth, I can say what day of the week it was they were born almost immediately!  I have occasional involvement with right-wing politics and infrequently with the Scout Movement.  Family-wise, I am single; my Parents have died and I have a Brother in Hampshire.

I cannot guarantee to attend all the meetings of the three chapters within my group, but I will look to turning up at each chapter's
meetings at least twice a year.  The Secretary General asks me to attend as often as possible, giving priority to annual general meetings. 

XXXXXXX