CHURCH MISSION SOCIETY - Key Persons
Alastair took up the role of CEO at Church Mission Society in May 2019.
He was formerly chief operating officer of Resurgo Trust, where he has been responsible for developing the Christian social transformation organisation's sustainable growth strategy. Before that, he worked with Tearfund in high-level marketing, fundraising and change management roles.
Andrew co-directs the Anglican Alliance, a small secretariat that looks to connect Anglican agencies with local churches across the communion. He has also held governance positions with Tearfund, the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, and several other UK-based local charities.
Andrew became a Christian in his late teens. After training as a social worker, he worked with Interserve on projects around church planting and HIV/AIDS in Peshawar, Pakistan. He returned to the UK for theological training and ordination.
"I have an entrepreneurial spirit and have opened a missional restaurant and an ice-cream parlour. I am also chaplain to Southampton FC and spend time assisting a parish in Somerset. I am married with four birth children and currently one foster daughter."
Originally from York, Andy has spent almost half his life in Brazil, where as mission partners with SAMS and then CMS, he and his Brazilian wife Rose have galvanised their concern for children at risk into several pioneering mission ventures.
In 2012, following an unforgettable encounter with three girls on the streets of Olinda who were being sold for sex by their mother, Andy and Rose founded ReVive International. ReVive provides for the physical, psychological and spiritual needs of girls who have been traumatised by abuse, exploitation or neglect. Together with their colleagues Andy and Rose have helped restore life and hope for dozens of girls. They have also recently been instrumental in lobbying for increasing foster care and adoption possibilities in Brazil.
In 2021 Andy was awarded an MBE for his work with vulnerable children in Brazil. At just 35, he was one of the younger people to receive this honour.
Alf and Hilary Cooper, Chile Working to see churches planted and multiplied in Chile and beyond through pastoring La Trinidad de Las Condes church Find out more Andrew and Lisa Peart, Bolivia Partnering with the local church to engage with the community in pioneering mission through generous, creative hospitality Find out more Andy and Kati Walsh, Brazil Working with local church partners in Florianópolis, helping people in challenging contexts to find hope in Jesus Find out more Anna Sims, Peru Work alongside the local church to build community and share Jesus in creative ways in urban Lima Find out more Azaria and David Pocasangre, Guatemala Supporting vulnerable communities, especially young people and families, through partnership with the local church Find out more Beverley Cannon de Pinos, Ecuador Working with a multicultural church, helping them go to the edges and meeting a variety of practical and spiritual needs within the church Find out more Christian Donoso Castillo, Chile Leading a church planting team and making disciples in urban Chile Find out more
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Corporate Services Director
- Finance
Becky joined CMS in March 2022 as finance and corporate services director. She has a background in charity finance, having worked for Oxfam, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Church of England in Oxford Diocese.
She has also volunteered as a treasurer and trustee for a number of smaller charities, including her church PCC.
Becky is a Chartered Accountant, having qualified while working for Ernst & Young. After qualifying she continued her accounting studies and was awarded the Diploma in Charity Accounting from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Becky has a great love of history, having studied history at Oxford University before moving into finance. She also enjoys singing with her church music group and hill walking with her husband and two daughters.
Job Titles:
- Mission Director
- Britain Hub Mission Director
Jonny is Britain Hub mission director at Church Mission Society. He specialises in gospel and culture and applying creativity to worship.
Jonny is passionate about contextual and global mission and the particular edge he brings is the imaginative connection of the gospel to contemporary culture.
He is a creative communicator. He particularly connects with pioneers, leaders who have the gift of not fitting in as they are called by God to new forms of mission and ministry often beyond the edges of the church.
Jonny has worked for Church Mission Society since 2004 believing that cross cultural mission is a goldmine for ministry in our own contexts now.
Dr Cathy Ross leads Pioneer Mission Leadership Training Oxford and is a lecturer in mission at Regent's Park College, Oxford.
Catherine brings 30 years' experience in mission and development. She has served as a mission partner in Asia and worked with faith-based organisations and churches, internationally and in the UK.
After starting off in NHS management, Catherine worked with the aid agency CAFOD before becoming an Interserve mission partner. She served for 10 years in Nepal, followed by a year in India and then Cyprus, with her husband Martin and their two children. Her integral mission experience in Nepal led to a role with Tearfund developing church and community mobilisation across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Since returning to the UK Catherine has gained an MA in Development with Mission, worked with the Methodist Church, the ecumenical network HeartEdge and freelance. The common thread, overseas and in the UK, has been supporting churches in their missional and community engagement.
Catherine lives in Finsbury Park, London, where she has belonged to multicultural Anglican churches for over 30 years. Having encountered CMS internationally and in Britain she is delighted to serve as a trustee, supporting the CMS call to be with Jesus and with people at the edges.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Trustees
- Trustee
- CMS Chair of Trustees
- Executive Director of Oxford Leaders Ltd
CMS chair of trustees Charles Clayton said of Alastair's appointment: "Alastair's experience in the business sector and international Christian organisations, his leadership and strategic development abilities and his passion for mission will all be key to CMS at this time - as the world of mission is changing and we must keep a clear focus for the future."
An expert on leadership in international organisations and seasoned NGO chief, Charles Clayton is the executive director of Oxford Leaders Ltd and until recently was the CEO of the Primary Trauma Care Foundation, which provides training for doctors and first responders in the management of severe injury - particularly in the world's poorest countries.
Mr Clayton is a former chief executive of World Vision UK and former national director of World Vision in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza.
He says it was the quality of CMS people that attracted him to the role.
"I have been deeply impressed by individual members, leaders, and mission partners that my wife and I have known in several countries," he said. "If I ask myself what is my best contribution to the church's mission in the world today, I can do no better than to serve in one of the best organisations that is engaged in that mission today."
Mr Clayton originally trained and worked as a civil engineer before becoming an area leader and representative for the Navigators, developing the staff and regional field work of this international charity specialising in cross cultural training of emerging young Christian leaders.
At World Vision UK, from 1989 to 2003, he led the turnaround of this NGO to become one of the most respected, influential and well supported agencies in the country.
After a period as group chief executive of the Shaftesbury (Housing and Care) group, he went on to lead World Vision's work in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza, one of the most complex and sensitive in the NGO world. He founded Oxford Leaders Ltd in 2010 to develop leadership and governance in non-profits and mid-sized businesses.
Chloe works as a diplomat for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and has served overseas in Sudan, Jordan and Belgium, as well as in London.
An active member of a church community wherever she goes, Chloe has worshipped alongside Christians in a range of cultural settings, and some in very difficult circumstances.
Through her work she has grown in understanding of the global context, including politics, development and human rights, and has experience in policy, programming, leadership and management.
Chloe was brought up in the Anglican Church, and made a commitment to faith as a teenager. She first encountered CMS when studying mission as a theology student, and has been a supporter ever since.
Job Titles:
- Deputy CEO and Director of People and Learning
- Deputy CEO, People and Learning Director
- in 2001 As Encounter Teams Coordinator
As deputy CEO and director of people and learning Debbie is passionate about cultivating an environment that inspires, equips, supports and sustains people for mission at the edges and in which a culture of learning is embedded across CMS.
Debbie joined Church Mission Society in 2001 as Encounter teams coordinator, taking on the development of short-term mission team experiences and leading team visits in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Since then she has taken on various management roles that have used the cross-cultural skills she learned in her earlier career in the context of local and global mission and she was instrumental in CMS taking.
Before CMS, Debbie trained and taught as a TEFL teacher in Moscow and the UK, and as a secondary school English teacher. She has long been involved in pioneering youth work and is an active member of her local parish church.
She studied for her BA and PGCE at Cardiff and Swansea universities and later pursued theological education, holding an MA in theology, politics and faith-based organisations from Kings College London.
Debbie relaxes by spending time with her husband and daughters, and particularly enjoys outdoor activities.
Job Titles:
- Community Theologian and Researcher
Anna is a community theologian and researcher who facilitates theological reflection and learning for leaders, congregations and Christian organisations seeking to deepen and strengthen their relationships with their local community.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Retired from Being Director of Development and Fellow
Dr Anne Keene is retired from being Director of Development and Fellow at Linacre College, University of Oxford.
Having worked with alumni from over 130 countries, and having seen substantial fund-giving income while in post, she's now Emeritus Fellow of this graduate college, and still involved with its community. Anne's professional background is in modern language teaching, historical research, and higher education management and philanthropy. One of her great pleasures is speaking foreign languages; she has a degree in French and German, and is currently reviving her schoolgirl Spanish. Anne is also trustee of the Oxford Evangelical Pastorate, and delights in seeing God work through CMS and OEP, transforming individual lives.
Anne and her husband David, who have a son and a daughter and a grandson and a granddaughter, attend St Andrew's Church in North Oxford, where she has served on the church's PCC and also chaired its stewardship committee.
Anne says: "My interest in being a CMS trustee comes from a combination of my long-held deep desire to see changed lives for Jesus, and my professional work which involved liaison and meetings with a wide range of nationalities."
Dr Harvey Kwiyani is African Christianity Programme Lead. He is a Malawian missiologist and theologian who has lived, worked and studied in Europe and North America for the past 20 years.
James is pioneer MA lecturer and assistant coordinator. He teaches in the areas of mission, ecclesiology and practical theology.
Sheila is a lecturer on the African Christianity programme. She initially started her career in journalism as a sub editor for a prominent national newspaper in The Gambia.
Fiona leads Tearfund's engagement in philanthropic partnerships. She is a member of the Ministry Fundraising Network and on the leadership team of The Justice Conference.
Fiona is married to Nathan and they have recently stepped into the joy of parenthood. They are active members of King's Church Chesham and lead a house group together.
Fiona distinctly remembers how becoming a Christian greatly impacted her thinking on issues of social justice and the role of the church. This conviction has influenced her career as she's looked for opportunities that address issues of injustice on a global scale as well as equip the local church to be all that they are called to be.
Fiona says: "Seeing people step into a space of freedom which encourages them to play their part in God's mission, and equipping them to enable strong and grounded local churches that are active in their communities as a result, are things that really excite me. This holds so much potential to greatly impact God's Kingdom."
Jenny is chaplain to the MA students at CMS. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chartered Engineer With HR
John is a chartered engineer with HR, business and regional experience from an international technical and business services organisation. He has been involved in church leadership throughout his career.
John served at director level for 20 years in the areas of strategy, human resources, business leadership, as well as regional responsibilities for the Americas and Asia.
"I have been a Christian since my teenage years and have always been involved in our home church, whether on the PCC, as churchwarden, leading a house group, as a church elder, helping start a Besom initiative or being a part of a world mission group. Throughout I have taken a keen interest in supporting mission."
John lived and worked overseas for 14 years in Canada, USA and Hong Kong. He is married, has four grown-up children and seven grandchildren.
John is chaplain to the African Christianity programme students. He is a CMS pioneer and lay worker.
Johnny is a well-known practitioner in the field of local and global missions. He is an entrepreneur, change consultant, and ordained minister.
Job Titles:
- Britain Hub Mission Director
Jonny is passionate about contextual and global mission and the particular edge he brings is the imaginative connection of the gospel to contemporary culture.
He is a creative communicator. He particularly connects with pioneers, leaders who have the gift of not fitting in as they are called by God to new forms of mission and ministry often beyond the edges of the church.
Jonny has worked for Church Mission Society since 2004 believing that cross cultural mission is a goldmine for ministry in our own contexts now.
Joseph is a lecturer on the African Christianity undergraduate and MA programmes. He holds Master's degrees in Biblical and Pastoral Theology, as well as African Christianity from Liverpool Hope University.
Crisanto Rojas, Argentina Travel in indigenous areas, supporting pastors, teaching, presiding over meetings and working with the diocesan bishop Find out more Franklin Cuenca, Bolivia Assistant pastor, with responsibility for discipleship and all the teaching aspects of the church Find out more Gaston Perez, Argentina Pastoral apprentice, teaching and serving in the local church and studying theology Find out more Katia Rocks, Brazil Through a church I helped start, I encourage people, particularly women, to connect with Christ. Find out more Lindsey and Steve Poulson, Honduras Mentoring, creating safe spaces for at-risk children and young people to grow and supporting local project development. Find out more Marcio Ciechanovicz and Noemi Celeti, Brazil Connecting with people beyond the reach of traditional church, sharing the gospel in new ways and ministering to people's physical needs Find out more Marcos Humacata, Argentina Leading an urban church planting team in northern Argentina and supporting the training of rural indigenous church leaders Find out more
Job Titles:
- Fundraising and Communications Director
Laura has been a fundraising and communications leader in Christian ministry for over 12 years, previously with Mission to Seafarers and Release International. She is passionate about championing supporters, digital engagement and pioneering for Christ.
"Jesus is the hope of the world and I am committed to bringing the good news to those who are living at the edges of societies."
Laura has undertaken mission and ministry in diverse communities including Pakistan, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Germany and Egypt.
She is an Anglican and lives on the south Kent coast in Romney Marsh which is part of Canterbury Diocese. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has a degree from Sheffield University.
In her spare time, she enjoys poetry, walking her dogs and cooking. She is married with a grown-up son.
Mark is chaplain to the Asian Christianity MA students at CMS and is a British born Chinese priest in the Diocese of Oxford.
Natalie is chaplain to undergraduates and a lecturer. She completed the MA with CMS Pioneer Mission Training in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chairman of Trustees Designate
Jeremy, an ordained minister in the Church of England, brings extensive experience as a Christian charity CEO to the role of CMS chair of trustees, a position he will take up when Charles Clayton retires on 1 April 2025.
Jeremy also spent 10 years in the UK Diplomatic Service, serving in Pakistan and Italy, and 15 years as a City investment banker, working for most of that time with Rothschild.
Jeremy says: "I first came across CMS back in the 1980s, while working in Pakistan, meeting amazing people like Dr Ruth Coggan (daughter of Archbishop Donald Coggan), who ministered at the Pennell Memorial Hospital in Bannu, in what was then the North-West Frontier Province. The pastor in the church in Islamabad where I worshipped was also a CMS mission partner. The witness even then was very much ‘at the edges', so I am delighted to be re-engaging with CMS so many years later as a trustee, and in due course as chair of trustees."
Jeremy moved from the City into the Christian charity sector in 2009, serving first as CEO of BibleLands, a Christian development charity focused on the Middle East and established in 1854. He led its successful rebranding as Embrace the Middle East in 2012 and had the opportunity of working with some of CMS's partners in the region. In 2017 Jeremy moved to become CEO of Sons & Friends of the Clergy, an Anglican clergy benevolent charity founded in 1655. This too he led through a successful and award-winning rebranding, as the charity became Clergy Support Trust in 2019. In both cases the re-brands were accompanied by major constitutional and strategic changes.
In 2021, after retiring from full-time work, Jeremy was ordained into the Church of England. He currently serves as a self-supporting and part-time assistant minister at St Mary's Church in Chesham in the Diocese of Oxford. He also sits on the General Synod of the Church of England, and as trustee-treasurer of Trinity College Bristol, an Anglican theological training college.
Sarah Jayne Hewitt (SJ) is an Ordained Pioneer Minister in Worcestershire, sharing in the ministry of a group of Churches in Redditch.
Sarah lectures on and leads the undergraduate programme.
Mateo Alto, Argentina Travel in indigenous areas, supporting pastors, teaching, presiding over meetings and working with the diocesan bishop Find out more Mirna Paulo, Argentina Sharing the good news of Jesus, nurturing believers and helping to lead a pioneering women's movement Find out more Rosie and Stu Bayford, Brazil Meeting people at the edges with the hope of getting alongside them on a journey of faith Find out more Sharon Wilcox, Ecuador Working with people with learning disabilities, teaching them life skills and seeking to enable them to become independent Find out more Tim Curtis, Paraguay Building up the body of Christ through writing, translating and producing discipleship training and study materials in the Énxet language Find out more Victor Condori, Peru Pastor serving in discipleship, accompaniment, counselling, preaching of the gospel and training new leaders Find out more Walter Toro, Bolivia Anglican Bishop of Bolivia, the first Bolivian national to take on this role Find out more
Simon is an experienced church and charity trustee, honed alongside a long career in business with large listed, multinational enterprises.
His international finance, accounting, tax and leadership skills have afforded him the opportunity to travel extensively, his enthusiasm having been kindled by early years spent in Japan. He now applies his experience and abilities in non-executive capacities with a number of charitable organisations, helping them to achieve their strategic aims through robust decision making, governance and organisation. Married to Susan, they have experienced the joy and challenge of launching four children into their own independent adult lives from their home in London.
He has been a Christian since his early teens, benefiting greatly from the patient teaching and example of many church ministers, family and friends throughout his life. "This turned my initially woolly view of Christianity into firmly rooted faith in God which impacted how I lived and worked."
He studied Mathematics and Music at university, going on to train and work with major international accounting firms, becoming a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Music continues to play a large role in his life. He is a high standard player, singer and composer, encompassing an eclectic mix of styles of music. "One of my greatest delights has been leading music at church with my family making up the band!" Sport and physical activity keeps him fit and acutely aware that teamwork is a critical factor in the success of any enterprise, charitable or otherwise.
"Practical outworking of my faith has always been a key feature of my Christian service. In various capacities, I have long supported others in mission and ministry, both in the UK and abroad, often in pioneering and planting contexts. In CMS, I see an organisation that mirrors my passion to see God's work flourish beyond the walls of church buildings, through a worldwide community of committed people."