The latest addition to the team at Sunderland Minster has declared “it’s an exciting time” to be part of church and community life in the city.
Marie Stern-Peltz was appointed as Mission Enabler at the Minster in the run-up to Christmas 2025. Since then, she has helped the Minster to reach out in service, grow new congregations and create new disciples.
“I’ve had such a wonderful welcome over the past five months,” said Marie. “We have a fantastic team at the Minster which has been very supportive, while it has been a joy to go out into the community, building links with people and organisations.
“This is a time of transformation for Sunderland. There’s a lot of new building projects and regeneration. Everyone is talking about it. I know it’s an exciting time to be in this city.”
Since her arrival, Marie, who is originally from Denmark, has worked to make it easier for people with both physical and neurological challenges to attend services at the Minster.
To make this possible, Marie has teamed up with various organisations, including Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools, the home schooling community, the Royal Deaf Society and local councils.
An accessible Carol service at Christmas was attended by 76 people. There was also a good turnout for services for Palm Sunday and Easter during Holy Week.
Marie has been in the UK since the age of 19, having initially studied English literature in Leicester, Sussex, Brighton and Newcastle. She went on to carry out local authority work in community engagement, equality, wellbeing and mental health.
Her varied career, which has also included working with young people and teaching in schools, has enabled Marie to learn how people engage with different services in complex situations, and how to build resilient communities.
She added: “There is a real sense of community about people of faith. I want everyone to feel welcome in our sacred spaces – and I want to extend that welcome to everyone. Even people who do not have a faith can find a community within our sacred spaces.”
Marie was baptised as an infant and confirmed as a teenager in the Church of Denmark, but her faith journey became significantly stronger after she was “hit over the head by God” at the age of 28. As an active member at her local church, St Gabriel’s in Newcastle, Marie helps to run junior church and leads intercessions, including during Holy Week this year. Previously she has represented both the PCC and deanery synod.