The Crosslinks' Web Interview, January 2004

This time we meet Lucy Buchanan, recently arrived on the top floor of 251 Lewisham Way:

Tell me a bit about yourself…
I graduated last summer in Modern Languages, got married and moved into Central London, so I’m now settling in to new grown-up life in a new flat, a new job, a new church without my Mummy or my blanket!

How did you become a Christian?
I heard the gospel through faithful teaching at my church’s youth group which I’m enormously grateful for. I think I started believing it was true then. After that the gospel really only took hold at university where I saw people of my own age taking their faith seriously even outside of church and really living it out and I knew that’s what the Christian life was meant to look like.

Has becoming a Christian make a much of a difference to your life?
It did make a difference, of course, changing my priorities completely from wanting to be famous (ideally in musical theatre) to putting Jesus first makes a huge difference: even in whether I missed church to go to a rehearsal on Sunday or not! And yet sadly it still hasn’t made as much of a difference as it should… I’m definitely still a ‘work in progress’

What brought you to work for Crosslinks?
I wanted to be involved in Christian work really: I find it hard enough getting up in the morning anyway and it’s easier to motivate yourself if you can see how your work has eternal value! Crosslinks offered me a job suiting my skills in admin, and it’s the right hours and location. A bit sad really. But I enjoy it hugely! It’s even improving my geographical knowledge of the world (which was appalling!) 

You’re not in the office very much…is this because you get lost getting here?
I’m only here two days a week at the moment to help Alan Purser with some of the admin involved in dealing with all the churches in London and Southwark and helping to co-ordinate the work we do with churches all over the country. The rest of the time I dedicate to studying how to handle the Bible better at the Cornhill Training Course and doing all my growing up.

But what do you actually do on a day to day basis...?
I attempt to help Alan with what he’s meant to be doing. That’s what an assistant is meant to be doing, I hope. Generally, there’s lots of typing and other admin like huge amounts of filing or letter reading and writing, along with the odd phone call to stay in touch with the churches in our regions or co-ordinate Alan’s preaching engagements. That’s when I’m not being interviewed of course!

And what do you do outside of ‘work'?
I help lead a Bible study with my husband James and I have just started to learn the piano – I take my grade 2 in June! Other than that, I spend most of my time getting used to trying to function a pathetic washing machine or attempting to grocery shop which has put an end to all the theatre and contemporary dance I did at university – told you I was growing up! 

And the future…?
Well, James is training to be a vicar, so eventually I’ll give up here and start supporting him in his ministry, not just in apple pie production! We are possibly considering going abroad as missionaries at some stage in the future, but we’ve got much maturing to do before that. And if it all fails, I might end up back in musical theatre. Or at least pantos.

Thanks, Lucy ... and we'll try and find an old blanket for you to use while you're in the office.

Come back soon for another in depth interview!

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