Matt Martinson
The Revd Matt Martinson was ordained to the Priesthood on Sunday 30th May 2010 He is curate at St Nicholas Church in Beverley and an ex-offender and armed robber.
Matt says, “I’m really excited about my Ordination, but it’s taken a long way to get here. I had a hard childhood, and as young man, after a brief spell in the army, I ended up taking drink and drugs. My life became violent, and I ended up sleeping rough in York. I progressed into the criminal scene, and ended up in a real mess.
“It was at that point that I made a deal with God. I said to him, ‘If you get me caught alive, I will bow my knee to you’, because at that time I was getting involved in armed robbery, and it was a very dangerous world. I’d come to the point in my life when I’d had enough, I couldn’t take any more. I tried to commit suicide, but it didn’t work.
“God got me caught alive. When I was caught, I was put in a police cell up in Carlisle, and instead of being interviewed straight away, I was left in the cell. I heard God speak to me and say ‘Make a choice’. And I knew then that that was one of those eternity moments, and I had to choose whether I was going to accept God or not. And I just said ‘Yes’. I looked at my life, and thought ‘I’m looking at a severe prison sentence, I’m in a hell-hole, what more of a mess can You make? I’ve made it this bad, what can You do?’
“Prison was prison. It’s not a nice place; it’s a very hard place, especially for a Christian. I had the privilege of being able to get on all the wings in the prison, but I wouldn’t take drugs round – that’s what you normally do if you can get on all the wings – but I made a decision as a Christian not to do that. God got me in the prison that I needed to be in – HMP Wolds. It’s got a fantastic chaplaincy team, led at the time by the Revd Dave Casswell. He’s an amazing guy, and he helped nurture my faith, and helped me to grow as a Christian.
“God spoke to me when I was in prison, and told me ‘Someday, you’ll be an ordained vicar’. I laughed! But this sense of calling just kept growing, and through all I’ve done, it’s progressed to where I am now. Seeing the fruition of that calling is just – wow. God still takes my breath away.”