Meet Donna

Based in Northamptonshire, Donna is someone whose life and ministry overflow with compassion, encouragement, and an unwavering passion for helping others discover hope in Jesus. Alongside her Church Army training, Donna serves her local community in many ways, including youth ministry, primary school prayer clubs, community café outreach, and supporting autistic young people and families through her professional role as a peer support worker.

Donna’s faith journey began through the quiet influence of her grandmother, who introduced her to church as a child and shared simple prayers and Bible verses that would stay with her for years to come.

“Looking back now, I can see how much my nan influenced me.” Donna explains.

Donna’s journey towards evangelism began when she met an Evangelist-in-Training at her local church, who introduced her to Church Army. Soon afterwards, at a Discovery Day, she met someone from her own town who would later become both a Commissioned Evangelist and a close friend. Looking back, Donna can see God’s hand in these connections, placing people alongside her who could encourage, support and gently affirm her calling towards Church Army. Deeply moved by the organisation’s heart for those on the margins of society, she felt God stirring something new within her.

“I was immediately drawn to it,” she says. “Especially the work with people who wouldn’t necessarily step into church buildings. I could see that this was exactly what Wilson Carlile intended all those years ago.”

For Donna, training with Church Army has been deeply transformational, spiritually, personally, and professionally.

“I feel absolutely transformed through the training,” she reflects. “It stretches you in every possible way, your faith, your confidence, your understanding of scripture, mission, evangelism, and yourself.”

During training, Donna discovered she was neurodivergent, something she says helped her better understand both herself and the people she now supports in ministry and in her working life. With the encouragement of Church Army and her diocese, Donna received tailored support throughout her studies and became a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and inclusion within church life.

“I’m a big advocate for inclusivity,” Donna says. “Church Army believed in me and removed barriers that might otherwise have stopped me training.”

Her ministry today reflects that same heart for inclusion and encouragement. Whether working with young people, supporting families in crisis, or simply sitting alongside someone in conversation at the community café, Donna is passionate about making people feel seen, valued, and loved.

“I think being a Church Army Evangelist is about humility, compassion, and seeing things that others don’t always see,” she explains. “It’s about sharing the love of Christ with those who may never otherwise encounter it.”

One of the aspects of training Donna treasures most is the deep sense of community formed among the Evangelists-in-Training.

“We really become brothers and sisters in Christ,” she says. “We build one another up, encourage each other, pray for one another, and carry each other through the difficult moments.”

Alongside her ministry and studies, Donna is also a carer, grandmother, and devoted member of her local community. She speaks warmly about the joy of seeing her own family journey alongside her throughout her training, including her granddaughter helping raise awareness and support for Church Army projects.

For Donna, her faith is rooted deeply in hope, a theme that continues to shape both her ministry and her calling.

“There’s always hope and light in Jesus,” she says. “That’s what I want people to know.”

As Donna approaches Admitting and Commissioning, she describes the occasion as both a celebration and an affirmation of the journey God has led her on over many years.

“It feels like confirmation of God’s calling on my life,” she shares. “Church Army has given me confidence, encouragement, and a family of people who truly want to see you flourish.”

After Commissioning, Donna hopes to spend time resting and reflecting before discerning where God may next be leading her ministry. She is particularly passionate about chaplaincy, mental health support, outdoor worship spaces, and continuing to advocate for neurodiverse individuals within church and community life.

Donna asks supporters to pray for wisdom, strength, and guidance as she steps into this next chapter, and that God would continue opening doors for people to encounter the love, hope, and compassion of Christ through her ministry.