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 John Robertshaw is a leader of Arbury Community Church. He has been a governor of Arbury School for over 20 years, and has number of other roles in the community. His wife Diane is a physiotherapist. They have three sons who went to Arbury School and Impington Village College.
How long have you lived in Arbury?
Diane and I came to Cambridge in 1977 and then moved to Arbury Road in 1980 - we have been there ever since.
So what jobs have you done?
After coming to University here in Cambridge, I taught chemistry at schools in Yorkshire and Derbyshire for eight years. I then returned to University to do six years of research. This included a PhD - that is why I am sometimes called Dr Robertshaw. After that I taught at Chesterton Community College for a year and since then I have been the pastor of Arbury Community Church.
What was your area of research?
I used high energy pulsed lasers to measure the speed of reactions in gases. For some time I used to make a batch of ozone every day - very dangerous stuff!
Do you find that your scientific interests conflict with your beliefs?
I have never really had any problem. I have always been very interested and enthusiastic about science and enjoy finding out about the universe and how it works. Science doesn’t really answer other important questions, like why we are here. It is also true that there have been many famous scientists who were Christians.
Do you come from a religious family?
Not at all. My parents were not very interested in religion and did not go to church. As a small boy I went on my own to the local parish church to sing in the choir.
So how did you get interested in Christianity?
I have always been interested in God but I was greatly influenced by a Sunday school teacher when I was about 10. I would say that I really became a Christian in my first week at University here in Cambridge.
How did that happen?
I was invited to a talk on a Sunday evening at Holy Trinity Church in the middle of town. I remember the speaker saying that my life was like a house with Jesus knocking on the outside door. I decided to let Jesus into my life. I did not have a fantastic experience at the time but I do know that he came in and that my life changed from that point.
What do you think is the best thing about being a Christian?
It is really good to know that God is with me all the time, to help and guide me through my life. Also I have a clear purpose for my life which extends beyond death.
How did Arbury Community Church begin?
A few of us began to meet together in our home in 1983. As we grew, we divided into two home groups and also began to meet altogether in Arbury School on Sundays. We have just continued since then.
Why don’t you go to one of the exisiting established churches?
I believe that the church is a family built on relationships between each other and between us and God. Jesus and the early disciples operated from homes in an informal manner and concentrated on lifestyle, rather than organised programmes. Our basic beliefs are actually very similar to the more established churches but we have a more relaxed style and emphasise community. I get on well with the other church leaders in the area and our church belongs to the North Cambridge Council of Churches.
Do you still meet in homes?
Yes. Ever since our church started, we have had midweek home groups. We consider our small groups to be as much “church” as our Sunday meetings. I really enjoy my home group - we have a great time with each other worshipping God, praying, looking at the Bible, and just being together. We also share bread and wine in our home groups - we have no special priests, every Christian has a part to play.
What do you do for work?
I am the only full-time person in the church and so I do jobs like answering the phone, writing letters and writing our weekly bulletin. I also visit people, spend time preparing talks, praying and studying the Bible. I write books which are used by churches all over the UK. I also take school assemblies, organise a holiday club each year and help with our church youth work. Some of you will have seen me playing an accordion at the Toddler Group on Tuesday mornings. We also have links with churches abroad and I visit India each yearand take teams to Kenya every two or three years. I occasionally take funerals and weddings for people associated with the church.
 What do you enjoy most about your job?
I think my best week of the year is our holiday club for children in the summer holidays. It is such fun!
What else do you do?
I listen to all sorts of music. I like cycling around town, walking in the country and I swim several times a week. I enjoy DIY, try my hand at some watercolour painting, and love going on holiday to warm places with Diane!
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