On most Sundays you can hear her at one of the coastal churches of the Flegg Parish Church Team Ministry. But on the third Sunday of each month you can tune into her radio show too.
“Revd Debs’ Sunday Service” is broadcast on Great Yarmouth community radio station Harbour Radio – reaching households throughout the area on FM radio (and across the world via online streaming.)
Her two-hour programme is a mix of sacred and secular music, a Bible reading and reflection, prayer, and conversation.
“I love it,” said Revd Debs, of Martham, “I love the process of putting the show together and broadcasting. I love communicating with others and there is a real sense of community with the listeners.
“I see this as very much part of my ministry. It is a great opportunity to connect with people who do not usually come to church or who might not be able to make it.
“I like finding new ways of sharing faith with people and this is lots of fun too.”
She was invited to join the Harbour Radio team after hearing about the station from one of her congregation, Barry Coleman, who has his own fortnightly show playing music from the 1950s through to the 1980s. She was also a guest on the Revd Albert Cadmore’s show – a local non-stipendiary priest and retired chaplain and teacher.
“I loved being on Albert’s show,” she said. Keen to have a go herself she was delighted to be asked to host a show, which started in February.
And although she had no radio-presenting experience, her hidden talent for broadcasting was honed when lockdown restrictions took church services online.
“I’ve not done anything like this before, I suppose the closest I got was live-streaming services on Facebook from my study during lockdown,” said Revd Debs.
She plays a wide range of music from pop to classical and jazz, and traditional hymns to modern worship songs. “I’ve been looking for different musical versions of the Lords Prayer too,” said Revd Debs.
“I’m a bit of an 1980s girl, but it’s not about playing my favourite music, it’s about making it interesting for listeners. There are 25 tracks on every show so I ask other people and am always interested in the stories behind their choices.”
Harbour Radio was launched in 2014 and its mixture of music, sport and conversation has more than 16,000 listeners every day. It broadcasts on 107.4FM from The Vicarage Hub, Church Plain, Great Yarmouth. For more information on the volunteer-run community radio station visit harbourradio.co.uk
Hear Revd Deborah on Revd Debs’ Sunday Service on Harbour Radio from 4-6pm on the third Sunday of each month – and in regular services at the churches of the Flegg Parish Churches team ministry including Horsey, Winterton-on-Sea, Martham, West Somerton, and Repps cum Bastwick.