Pastor Abi Ngunga

Pastor Abi joined St Andrews Baptist Church in July 2019 to serve as our pastor.  In addidion to his pastoral role, Abi serves as an elder and deacon(trustee) and leads the ministry team of the church.


Abi has over 25 years’ cross-cultural ministry experience. His greatest passion is unashamedly to introduce people to the Lord Jesus Christ and to facilitate their personal spiritual growth and effective development in their Christian walk for the transformation of their given community, as well as to train the next generation of church leaders.  For he believes that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only hope for humanity.  To this end, he considers his life worth nothing to him, if only he may faithfully finish his God-given mission.

Abi was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before moving (via Kenya) to Scotland in 2005.  After a career as a teacher of Maths and Physics for three years, he pursued theological studies - earning, by God’s grace, not one but five degrees including a PhD in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible from the University of Aberdeen. He enjoys serving and encouraging others, exercising faith, networking, socializing, and walking.

He and his wife, Elisée (from the DRC), have children (Pistis, Elpis, and Isaac)!  

Ministry Staff Team

From left  Abi Ngunga, Clay Rowe, Tiny de Jong, Paulus de Jong, Chris Walker, Holly Scott-Riddell. Becky Keating.

Paulus & Tiny de JonG

Hi everyone, we are Paulus and Tiny (pronounced Teeny). Originally we are from Urk, a small fishing town in the Netherlands. In the summer of 2016 we moved to Scotland for Paulus’ postgraduate studies at the University of St Andrews. The following summer we were appointed as youth- and children’s workers at St Andrews Baptist Church.

Before we moved to St Andrews we were involved in the youth- and children’s ministry of our home church for several years. Meanwhile, Tiny worked as a primary school teacher while Paulus studied theology at the Vrije Universiteit and the Dutch Baptist Seminary. 

Tiny loves to work with children of all ages. As a children’s worker she coordinates Beacon Kids and the crèche. She is also involved in organising the toddler group and MishMash. Paulus coordinates the staff team, is involved in organising the youth work and you might occasionally see him preaching or being part of the worship team.

Becky Keating

Hi, I’m Becky. I work as international outreach worker for the church and I really love getting to know people from different countries who live in and around St Andrews.

I studied English Literature at St Andrews University and then I worked as a pastoral apprentice for two years at the Baptist Church. During this time I especially loved spending time with people we met at the fruit farm, and when I finished the apprenticeship I moved to Poland with the hope of continuing to serve people from the farm and the countries they come from. I taught English to all ages in a language school in Katowice.

In September 2017, I moved back to Scotland and started working for the church again. It is so good to be back! I work part time and I also do a Masters in Early Childhood Education, as I am passionate about teaching and love working with young children.

Clay Rowe

I was born in Texas, raised in Georgia, and educated in Lousiana and Scotland. Carmen and I were married on May 29, 2010. We originally came from the States so I could pursue a postgraduate degree at the Uni and found the experience exciting as well as petrifying. The transition was made easier for us thanks to the warm welcome of St Andrews Baptist Church. Since then Carmen and I have been involved in the leadership of the postgraduate ministry of the church, which aims to offer not just a community for postgrads who are here for 1-5 years, but a home away from home.

I also serve as the Area Director for Young Life International in North East Fife. Our mission is to introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith. Along with this comes training and mentoring volunteer leaders to join in the work in reaching the teens or North East Fife with the Gospel through relational evangelism.


HoLLY Scott-RIDDELL

Hi everyone! My name is Holly and I work for the church as a student worker and administrator. Although my focus is the undergraduate students, I love getting to know everybody in the church, no matter how old they are! 

I’m originally from Harare, Zimbabwe, however my family now lives in Victoria Falls. I moved to St Andrews in 2013 as an undergraduate student and graduated in 2018 with an MPhys in Mathematics & Theoretical Physics. I then spent a year at Oxford University training to be a Physics teacher. However, I felt God was calling me back to St Andrews, and it is a privilege to now be working for the church. I have a passion for mentoring students and I love being able to serve God and my church family. It is a joy to be back here! 

Chris Walker

Hello everyone! My name is Chris Walker and I am the Youth and Pastoral worker with St Andrews Baptist Church. I have just finished (2017-2019) two years with the church as a Pastoral Apprentice and I’m very excited to still be on the staff team for another year in this new part-time role. I’ll now be focusing specifically on leading our youth ministry as well as also working in a pastoral capacity within the congregation.

I’m originally from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and have spent most of my life on the Isle of Man. It is here where I met (and married!) my wife Mary whilst working for Scripture Union.
I attended the University of Chester from 2011 - 2014 to study ‘Youth work and Theology’ and have seen how God has used this background over the last few years, often in unexpected ways!

Mary and I have been in St Andrews since 2016 having felt the Lord call us here a year earlier, do ask one of us about this story!! This is Mary’s original home and it has become mine as well.

I’m really looking forward to what God has in store for this year, for us as a church family.
Feel free to get in touch with me.  

Helen Willis

My name is Helen Willis and I’m the church administrator. On Thursday afternoons I am in the church office where I format and print the weekly bulletin, newsletters, home group notes and anything else required (within reason!).

Weekly notices for the bulletin should be submitted before 6pm on Wednesdays!