The GBG Team

Current Great Big God Team Leaders:-

Nigel Hemming:

Nigel Hemming has produced or co-produced all of the Great Big God Albums as well as writing a number of the songs including “Our God is a Great Big God” which he wrote with his wife Jo in 2000.  He is a dynamic worship leader who has led many Great Big God children’s events as well as training a large number of children’s workers.  His experience spans 15 years, including working as a musician and a primary school teacher, and he is passionate about helping children & young people connect with God.

Nigel works for Vineyard Network Church in Birmingham where he is part of the leadership team, responsible for co-ordinating worship and children’s ministry amongst other things.  Nigel and Jo have led the children’s work since 1995 and currently oversee a team of around 40 volunteer workers. They have three children - Rebekah, Zac and Jonathan and enjoy among other things takeaways, movies, family bike rides and quiet weekends at home (of which there are precious few!). 

GBG Teams:

Since the release of the first album, a large number of talented and creative people have been involved in writing the songs, producing the albums and hosting the live events.  As the events grow, the GBG teams are constantly evolving – always aiming to envision and equip others for ministry.  In keeping with our values, we aim to use every event to train and/or release new people into ministry – with a particular emphasis on young people and for this reason, we can’t give details of everyone who has ever been involved in a Great Big God event team.

Having said that, there are a massive number of people who have been key to the Great Big God Story past and present, and we would like to take this opportunity to publicly honour them and give you some information about who they are and what they are up to.

Simon Parry:

Simon Parry has contributed songs to all of the GBG albums and has played keyboards and led worship on most of them.  His funky songs include “Come on and Dance”, “God You’re So Cool” and the title song of the most recent album “God’s Love is Big”.  He has led numerous GBG events across the UK as well as large scale children’s programmes at conferences such as Soul Survivor, New Wine and Easter People. Simon and his wife Sarah were Assistant Pastors at Bournemouth Vineyard Church before moving to London in early 2007.  Simon is now the Children's Pastor at St Paul's Ealing with the responsibility of overseeing all work with the 0-10's and leading children’s groups at the New Wine summer festivals.  They have two children – Noah & Emily and love McDonalds and Ford cars.

Brian Duane:

Brian was the co-producer of GBG 1&2 and even more importantly, the catalyst for getting the whole thing started.  Back in 2000, while working as worship pastor for Riverside Vineyard , Brian saw the need for good quality children’s worship resources, and convinced Vineyard Music to fund an album project.  Very much the father figure of the team, Brian’s contribution can not be overstated enough.  As well as songwriter and worship leader, he became renown in the studio for his famous catchphrase “Shall we do one more take boys!”  Though still leading worship in the church, Brian took early retirement from his worship day job in order to pursue an alternative career and is now responsible for teaching hundreds of children in West London to swim!             

Sarah Pickering:            

An all round creative talent, songwriter, teacher and children’s worker.  Sarah has been part of the team since the start.  Her songwriting talents are on display on all the GBG albums (“You Called Me To be Yours”, “I Want To Do What My Father’s Doing”, “The Lions Roar” and “Kiss it Better”) and she has a particular talent for producing the most reflective (and sometimes heart wrenching) songs from a child’s perspective.  She has been involved in many events leading worship, directing song writing workshops, and telling fantastic stories.  In 2005 Sarah moved to Canada where she is now Children’s Pastor at Bridge Church, Abbotsford, BC

Esther Tombs:

Esther is a talented childrens and youth worker with a passion for dance.  She has carried the GBG vision right from the start, working tirelessly to train young people to lead the dance teams and workshops at events across the UK & beyond.  Esther is married to Rich (aka Chunk) and together they are involved in Aylesbury Vineyard and despite taking a break to have their first baby in 2005, they have still been spotted at events with a dance troupe in tow. 

Su Perkins:

Part of the original GBG team, Su worked as a children’s worker for Riverside Vineyard and was responsible for running craft at a number of early events.  A creative genius, Su was the inspiration behind the GBG craft workshop designs and inventor of the GBG home made djembe drum’, both of which still feature at most GBG events.  Along with her husband Chris, she moved to be involved in West Suffolk Vineyard and is enjoying her GBG retirement despite wishing she’d patented those designs.

Calum Rees:

Calum is a versatile drummer and percussionist who is known to worshippers everywhere.  His contact book spans the world of Christian music, having played at hundreds of worship events and recorded many albums over the years.  The drummer on every GBG album to date and at many events, Calum’s madcap approach and ingenious dance steps have made him a favourite with young people everywhere as he utters the immortal words “1 - 2 - 3 - banana " to a whole generation of aspiring percussionists.  Having recently moved to Canada, grown a beard, and got married, we have heard rumours that Calum is taking up the bagpipes! 

Matt Weeks (“Weeksie”):

Another giant of Music Scene, Matt Weeks has lent his considerable talents to every GBG album to date playing, bass, trumpet, flugel horn, the odd shaker and pretty much anything he can lay his hands on.  The introductory shout to his trumpet solo on ‘Lord Let Your Love Shine Through Me’ has had bemused children everywhere asking “Mummy, what is a ‘Weeksie?’”  Matt is married to Jo and works as a musician with various bands and worship leaders, though when pressed he will admit that the high point of his career was a topless cartwheel on the DVD which accompanies GBG 3 and it’s been a pretty hard act to follow. 

James White:

James was part of the original GBG team, having played guitar on all of the albums.  James’ day job is working in IT, but when he can break free he has been known to play for numerous worship events and recordings.  He is married to Linda and lives in Southampton where they play an active role in Mercy Vineyard church and expecting their first baby. 

Jesse Duley:

Jesse joined the GBG team as guitarist for the last couple of albums having previously played at a number of GBG live events, bring a certain ‘rock’ edge to the proceedings.  Jesse & his wife Marie recently moved to Scotland to be part of the Kingdom Vineyard in Fife.

And the rest – gone and hopefully not forgotten!

A big shout & huge thanks to all the other singers, musicians & organisers who have been involved in the albums or some of the many events.  Here are just some of the names we could remember….

Singers: Liz Bird, Jodie Frye, Hannah Foster, Emily Foster, Jacob Bateson, Mark Depledge, Tracy Wearn, Cathy Burton, Silas Crawley, Jim Harris.

Dancers: Esther Tombs, Jo Hemming, Becky Hemming, Sarah Hetherington,  Jo Squires, Damien Herbert, Andi Markham,

Musicians: Simon Saunders, Jimmy Cook, Andy Dollarson, Charlie Groves, Daniel Hetherington, Nathan Horner, Andy Moss, Jonathan Smith, Steve Gregory, Raul D’Oliveira, Bob McKay, Ricky Whelan

If we’ve missed you out – sorry!  Do email and remind us and we’ll add your name to the list!