It is my very real pleasure with thanks to the elders of Ross-on-Wye Baptist Church and Mrs Barbara Palmer that I write this memoir for the late, and great, Gordon Palmer.
 
Gordon was born on in Stockport on the 17th January 1951. His true life, and indeed his lifelong vocation, began with his baptism in 1972 at Sutton Bonington Baptist Church Leicester.
 
In the August of 1975 Gordon married Barbara (nee Mager) and together the couple have three children, James, Helen, and Lydia who gave Gordon and Barbara four beautiful grandchildren, three grandsons plus a granddaughter born just two weeks after Gordon died.
 
Gordon was promoted to glory on the 11th October 2013.
 
Prior to full time ministry Gordon trained in Agriculture and worked for many years in agrochemical industry.  Alongside his work Gordon was fully involved in church life, including leading a church plant in Wilmslow from Poynton Baptist Church in 1975. The final six years in industry were in Berlin where we attended a German Baptist Church and Gordon was an elder. This church commissioned Gordon to train for pastoral work.
 
Gordon trained at Moorlands College 1993-1995, taking the post graduate course specialising in pastoral studies. He later studied for Baptist accreditation in 2012.
 
He was ordained on St Patrick's Day 2013 at Ross Baptist Church – The Revd Keith Judson officiated. 
 
He worked at Brook Lane Community Church, Bromley 1995-2003 and at Silverbirch Evangelical Church Bangor Co Down 2003 - 2006
 
He worked as pastoral worker at Ross on Wye Baptist Church from 2006 until he was ordained in March 2013 and his title (but not his role) changed to Pastoral minister for the last few months of his ministry.