Growing up in a family that didn’t regularly attend church, Jane Hoe's early encounters with faith were minimal. Seeds of faith were first planted during her time at a convent school. These seeds were further nurtured through daily Christian worship. says she, ‘always believed in God as Creator, but never felt the desire to go any deeper.’
The trajectory of her faith took a significant turn at Christmas 2010 when her family faced a tragic loss. A few weeks later, in her village church, she experienced what she has described as ‘a profound spiritual moment, captured by the words of Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.”’ Jane says this event pushed her to seek deeper meaning in life.
She started attending Evensong services regularly, finding solace and guidance in each service. By the following Easter, she discovered she was expecting her youngest daughter, which led her to attend Sunday morning services with her young child after she was born. This period of spiritual exploration culminated in Jane being confirmed a year later.
Jane’s confirmation marked the beginning of a more profound faith journey for her. At the time she was teaching children at church, and this ignited within her a desire to understand the Bible comprehensively. As a classics graduate, she was drawn to studying its sources, compilation and various interpretations. This led her to a deeper appreciation for the Bible’s historical context, theology and poetry, Jane was supported in this by mentors who guided her through the complex topics.
As Jane’s sense of calling intensified, she says it was ‘joyous to discover that my liberal, incarnational faith would be welcomed into the ‘broader tradition’ of our Anglican Church.’ She began training and despite facing some challenges – leaving the course twice because she felt overwhelmed – her calling persisted. Jane says, ‘God was faithful, each time His call grew stronger and each time I returned I was able to reflect on what He’d taught me – it turns out there is no easy way to learn resilience!’
Reflecting on her journey of faith, Jane says, ‘I am not the person I was at the beginning of this journey, and I will be forever grateful to all those who have supported me with superhuman understanding, patience and love.’