Meet South West Hub student Rachel Harrison-French, who shares her learning about participating in the life of God already at work in the world.

HH: Rachel, where are you based and what you do in your life?

RH-F: I’m based in South Devon and am part of Sherford Community Church, a church serving the growing new town of Sherford on the outskirts of Plymouth. My life sits at the intersection of community work, creativity and church ministry.

Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in several community initiatives focused on food insecurity and community resilience. During the pandemic I worked as a project manager with Feeding Devon, helping coordinate local responses to food poverty and supporting communities to develop sustainable food support projects.

Alongside that, I’ve worked as a teacher and forest school leader. That experience has shaped a lot of how I think about learning, creativity, and how people connect with place and community.

More recently, I’ve been developing my emerging ministry as a worship leader at Sherford Community Church, creating reflective and creative resources that help people engage with Scripture, prayer and worship in ways that are accessible for all ages.

You’ve been on the South West Hub pioneer course. Can you tell me how you got onto the course and what motivated you?

Several strands of my life came together in leading me to the pioneer course.

Through my work as a forest school leader and teacher, I became increasingly interested in how faith connects with everyday life and community spaces. At the same time, my involvement in community food projects opened my eyes to the realities many people were facing locally.

The Pioneer course raised questions that really resonated with me, particularly around rural mission. What does the Missio Dei look like in rural areas? How do we recognise where God is already at work in local traditions, spiritualities, and communities? And how can the church learn from rural communities about issues such as food production, ecology, sustainability, and social justice?

Those questions felt deeply relevant to Devon, and the course provided a space to explore them alongside others who were asking similar questions about mission and church in changing contexts.

Can you cast your mind back to lockdown and your work as a project manager of Feeding Devon? What were some of the highs and lows?

Lockdown was an extraordinary and challenging time for many communities. Through Feeding Devon, we were helping coordinate responses to food insecurity across the region, supporting local groups and connecting organisations working to meet urgent needs.

One of the real highs was seeing how quickly communities mobilised. Volunteers stepped forward, partnerships formed, and churches and community groups found creative ways to support their neighbours.  For example, I was involved in engaging local churches with developing food support strategies, including working alongside the lay pioneer Methodist minister in Horrabridge to help develop an affordable Food Hub, which is now also supported by the local Anglican church. We also supported the development of Food Hubs in several other towns and villages, all of which are now operating as independent organisations relying on local volunteers.

At the same time, the scale of need could sometimes feel overwhelming as many households were facing uncertainty and financial hardship. That experience strengthened my sense that the church has an important role to play in listening to communities and responding practically to the needs that emerge.

How did the pioneer course impact your emerging ministry as a worship leader?

The pioneer course has had a significant impact on how I approach worship and ministry.

One of the most memorable pieces of learning came during a module exploring different expressions of church. As part of the assignment, I created a hand-drawn board game called ‘From Pew to Pavement’. The game explored different “zones” of church life – from the traditional parish setting through to community initiatives and more experimental spaces where faith begins to emerge in places that don’t yet resemble church.

Creating the game helped me see mission less as a programme we run and more as participation in the life of God already at work in the world.

This insight has shaped how I now approach worship at Sherford Community Church. I’ve become more confident in developing creative and participatory forms of worship that engage people of all ages and all the senses. Through the Altogether services at Sherford I’ve had the opportunity to develop ideas collaboratively with our pioneer ministry team, Revs Jon and Tammy Oliver, creating spaces where people can encounter God through storytelling, imagery, reflection, and shared experience.

What does the future hold for you?

Right now, I feel very much in a season of listening and discerning where God might be leading next.

In Sherford, we are continuing to explore how church can respond creatively to the realities of a new and growing community. For example, delays in local facilities meant that access to affordable food became challenging for some families, particularly those working during the day. In response we developed an early evening food club so that households could collect food after work – a small but practical example of adapting to the needs of the local context.

I’m also exploring creative ways that churches can connect with communities through wellbeing, creativity, and outdoor learning. For example, at Sherford Day this year I’ll be offering face painting as a free gift to the community – a simple way of creating relational spaces within a local celebration. Alongside this, I’m currently studying for a Certificate in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders. Through this I’m exploring how outdoor learning, emotional wellbeing, and creative practices can support children and young people. My hope is that over time these ideas might develop into accessible resources that churches can use to connect with schools and communities.

At the heart of this work is a simple conviction: creativity, community and the natural environment can become spaces where people encounter God in everyday life.

Finally, how can we pray for you?

Please pray for wisdom and discernment as I continue to explore the next steps in my calling and ministry.

I would also value prayer for churches and communities across Devon as they seek to respond creatively to the needs around them, and for more pioneers to be encouraged and equipped for mission in their local contexts.

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The post From pew to pavement appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

The next cohort of CMS Certificate students in the South West Pioneer Hub has got underway, including a group from Bristol Diocese who shared this report from the first weekend.

Over the last weekend of April, 34 students, eight facilitators and a course chaplain from the dioceses of Bristol, Exeter and Truro gathered at Sclerder Abbey in Cornwall for the first residential weekend and launch of the Church Mission Society (CMS) contextual pioneer mission course.

This first weekend was also the first of six modules that make up the course. The module was focused on ‘What is Pioneer Mission?’ and was facilitated by Jonny Baker, Britain Hub mission director for CMS, and Lindsay Smith, an ordained pioneer minister based in Portishead. The learning was a creative mixture of teaching, self-reflection, conversation, and physical movement, using the outdoor spaces at the abbey. The outside space was particularly helpful when Lindsay shared the Pioneer Spectrum with the students.

The weekend contained plenty of opportunities to reflect, visit the Green Abbey onsite, go for a walk or a nap, or speak with the course chaplain. The three days, perhaps due to their location, had the feel of a combination of a retreat and a learning space and gave time for people from across the South West to make connections, share stories, and learn from and with each other.

Lee Barnes, Bristol’s diocesan adviser for Curacy & Fresh Expressions of Church, said:

“It was exciting to see the Bristol cohort of students engaging in this new partnership with CMS. The beautiful sunny weather was an added bonus to what was already a weekend with a great atmosphere, energy and engaged conversations.”

On the Sunday morning, the group headed to a local beach and gathered there for a time of reflective worship and wandering.

One of the students said:

“I am excited to see where all these people will take their learning and what will emerge as a result. It’s really good to be part of that adventure!”

Another shared:

“It feels like I have been stretched and inspired, also, I have found my tribe.”

If you would like to know more about the course or if you would like to register your interest in a course next year,

• in Bristol Diocese, email Lee.Barnes@bristoldiocese.org
• in Exeter Diocese, email Jeremy.Putnam@exeter.anglican.org
• in Truro Diocese, email Lindsey.Morgan-Lundie@trurodiocese.org.uk

Republished with kind permission of the Diocese of Bristol

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Dr Gavin Mart recently completed his DTh exploring ultrarunning as a site of spiritual encounter. He is now working with the Methodist Church and the Church in Wales, helping to practically develop these ideas across outdoor, community enterprise and pioneering contexts.

Dr Cathy Ross, lecturer and tutor with CMS Pioneer Mission Training talks to Gavin about his doctoral research experience.

Cathy: First of all, congratulations. How does it feel to have completed the DTh?

Gavin: It still feels slightly unreal. It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve done, so thanks for being a great supervisor! But it’s also one of the most stretching in terms of how I think and see the world.

The doctorate didn’t just give me answers. It changed the questions I’m asking.

What led you to study this area?

I’d completed both the FdA (Foundation degree in Arts) and MA in Pioneer Mission through CMS and was keen to attempt to answer some of my own research questions. The starting point was very simple. I was already involved in outdoor community and endurance sport, and I kept noticing that people were having profound experiences, myself included. Awe, connection, even moments of what they described as something “bigger than themselves”.

But there was almost no theological language to engage with that.

At the same time, a sports ministry report highlighted a lack of in-depth theological thinking in sport and wellbeing contexts, particularly at ground level. Practice had moved ahead, but theology had not kept up.

That gap became the focus. What is actually happening in these environments, and how might theology respond to it?

So what did you discover?

The core discovery is this:

Ultrarunning can function as a site of spiritual encounter.

Not in a forced or imposed way, but through embodied experience. Through endurance, suffering, landscape and community.

People consistently described moments of awe, surrender and connection, even if they didn’t use religious language. Statements like, “I’m not religious, but I pray when I run,” came up repeatedly.

So, the thesis doesn’t claim that every experience is spiritual. It asks how we might interpret these experiences theologically, and what it means to take them seriously.

That sounds quite different from traditional approaches to mission.

Yes, it shifts the starting point.

Instead of asking, “How do we bring people into church?” it asks, “Where is meaning already happening?”

I draw on John V Taylor here, a former Anglican bishop and missiologist whose work focused on recognising the activity of the Spirit beyond the boundaries of the institutional church. In 1959 he became Africa Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, and in 1963 he succeeded Max Warren as its General Secretary, remaining in post until 1974. His thinking was significant because it gave theological permission to take seriously what is happening in the wider world, not just within church structures.

He describes the Spirit in very physical terms, in the strain of muscles, in the contact between people, in what happens between us.

That opens up a different posture. Not imposing meaning, but noticing where something is already unfolding.

Can you give an example from your research?

One runner described what he called “the crack” around 60 miles into a 100-mile race. A point where something in him gave way.

After that, he spoke about feeling like he was between two worlds, even sensing the presence of dead relatives. He didn’t frame it as belief. He described it as experience.

Others spoke about moving through the night and emerging changed, not necessarily stronger, but clearer.

Rather than deciding whether that is “spiritual” or not, I explore how traditions like the mystics might interpret it. There are clear resonances with ideas like the dark night of the soul and transformation through endurance.

The key is not to reduce the experience, but to take it seriously.

What implications does this have for pioneer ministry?

It suggests a different way of engaging.

I describe something I call the “adventurous pause”. A moment of attentiveness before we rush to explain or act.

In that pause, we begin to notice what is already happening. How people are searching for meaning, how community forms through care and hospitality, how environments shape encounter.

Pioneer ministry, in that sense, becomes less about creating something new, and more about recognising what is already there and joining in with it.

You also explore community and digital culture. What did you find there?

There’s an interesting tension.

In ultrarunning, you see very raw forms of community. People helping each other at their weakest, often without any shared belief system. There is a kind of radical hospitality that emerges naturally.

But then that experience is translated online.

One participant said, “If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen.”

There’s a kind of modern confession and affirmation loop. We offer the experience up and wait to be recognised.

You might describe this as being alone together. Connected, but not fully known.

So, you get this split between embodied, real experience and its digital reflection, I find this area of research fascinating.

What happens next for you?

The work doesn’t feel finished.

If anything, it feels like it’s opening out.

I’m working on a consultancy basis now both with church organisations and those interested in community wellbeing and enterprise development, and beginning to explore how this kind of attentive, embodied approach can take shape in practice.

What’s becoming clear is that many organisations sense something is shifting culturally, but don’t yet have a framework for engaging it. They can see that people are searching for meaning, but they are not sure how to respond.

That’s where this work is starting to land.

And if people want to explore this further?

I’m already in conversations with churches and organisations who are asking similar questions, particularly in outdoor, wellbeing and community contexts, but also organisations who want to change their approach and posture in the community.

Sometimes organisations want to reimagine their building as an events or creative enterprise space, sometimes they want to get out of the building altogether and venture more meaningfully into the community.

More and more, leaders are asking not how to attract people in, but how to recognise what is already happening and respond well.

This research is really just a starting point for that kind of work.

Find out more about doctoral research with CMS and the University of Roehampton.

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There is just one more opportunity to come along in person and meet the CMS Pioneer Mission Training teaching team as well as some current students, in Oxford, this academic year.

Or, if meeting online is easier for you, there are two more open evenings you can sign up for.

• Tuesday 30 June 2026 from 10.30am to 2pm in Oxford, with lunch included. Plus, the option to visit Ripon College Cuddesdon
• Tuesday 30 June 2026, 7-8.30pm online
• Monday 20 July 2026, 7-8.30pm online

Whichever you choose to meet us, don’t miss your chance to find out more about studying with us. Book your place now.  

Be surprised by what you can achieve

Quite a few of our students tell us they didn’t feel academic, yet they complete their Durham University validated award with us! If you feel you’ve never been academic, you may be surprised by what you can achieve.

Students don’t just work towards a university award; they get so much more! We offer a community to learn from, concrete ideas and practices to revitalise your mission, a sense of achievement, and affirmation. One second year student said, “I was told, at induction, that CMS wanted to hear my voice within my work. I remembered being taken aback, and thinking, ‘How wonderful!’ What’s far more wonderful is that it was true. CMS nurtures voices, so to speak. I value that enormously. It’s so affirming – priceless, in fact.”

Study online from anywhere in the world

We offer anything from a one-year Certificate to an MA which is validated by Durham University. Study in person in Oxford or online from anywhere in the world. Final Year MA student, Petra de Jong-Heins, studies remotely from the Netherlands and says: “I remember saying at the start of the three-year Master’s programme: ‘It gives me such a spark of joy to be studying at CMS!’ Guess what? I’m writing my dissertation at the moment and that spark is still there! This study is such a joy and adventure. But above all: I thank God for all the blessings He gave me through this study and all the beautiful people I met.”

Focus your under graduate learning on the pioneer approach to mission, Children and Families ministry, or youth work. Those who study on the MA will learn through the lens of pioneering mission as well as African Christianity and Asian Christianity. CMS also offers a doctorate of theology (awarded by the University of Roehampton).

Exploring your calling?

If you are considering training for ordination in the Church of England, you can train with CMS, through our partnership with Ripon College Cuddesdon. While we are well known for pioneer training, our programme is open to all ordinands not just those with a pioneer designation. Those who train with us value the contextual and practical approach we offer.

Don’t let this chance pass you by, book your place on at an open event now.

• Monday 20 July 2026, 7-8:30pm online
• Tuesday 30 June 2026 from 10:30am to 2pm in Oxford, with lunch included. Plus, the option to visit Ripon College Cuddesdon
• Tuesday 30 June 2026, 7-8:30pm online

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In this month’s student interview, we meet a first year undergraduate from Africa, who lives and works in a minority context, so they remain anonymous.

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed, could you tell me more about your calling to work on an island?

The call wasn’t a single moment, but a growing “burden of love”. While serving on the mainland in my home town, reaching out to the Masai people in a remote area in a bush village, my wife and I felt a persistent pull toward the unreached coastal communities. We spent months in prayer with our local church, and the more we looked at the spiritual and social needs of the island, the more we realised we couldn’t just visit; we had to move our lives there to truly be a “faithful presence”.

I think it is right to say your work is in education and skills. I understand, for example, that you help people to make shoes and support themselves through workshops. Please could do tell us about the friendships formed and your achievements?

The real achievement isn’t just a finished pair of shoes; it’s the dignity in a student’s eyes when they realise they can provide for their own family. These workshops create a “neutral ground” where barriers drop. I’ve found that when you sit together over a sewing machine, you aren’t strangers anymore – you are friends sharing life’s struggles. Those friendships have become the bedrock of everything we do.

And now you have developed this work and have started a foundation. Could you tell us more?

We are now in the process of registering the foundation and it has not been launched yet. By moving from an informal mission to a registered foundation, we will gain “institutional trust” with the government. This will allow us to own property, hire staff legally and show the community that we aren’t just passing through – we are committed to the long-term flourishing of the island.

What exciting fruits have come from this venture?

The most encouraging “fruit” is seeing local people take ownership of their new life in Christ through faith. For example, seeing a leader from a local village choose to follow this path and then open his home for others to learn is incredible. Also, seeing our local young student from this island finish his studies to come back and lead is a huge milestone for us. It means the work is becoming truly indigenous.

That’s wonderful, people coming back to lead. Please do tell us other ways that your work is indigenous?

I do this by looking at our ‘local ways of doing things’ and asking how we can mature them into lasting spiritual and operational health. Through the CMS training, I am learning to move beyond just ‘pioneering’ into a season of rebuilding and reform. By establishing the new foundation, we are creating professional management structures that don’t stifle the Spirit, but rather provide a strong ‘trellis’ for the vine of our local community to grow on sustainably.

That is great. How can we pray for you?

You can pray for us:

​For the homecoming:

Pray for our local Muslim background believer, a disciple who went to theological studies in mainland, returned from Bible school in Dar es salaam; that he would integrate well and lead with wisdom as he joins our team full-time.

​For the foundation and future island empowerment centre:

Pray for the final registration steps of the foundation. Once this is complete, it will allow us to legally own the land for our permanent Community Empowerment Centre – a huge step for our sustainability.

​For protection and provision:

For continued favour with our neighbours and peace in our community. Specifically, pray for our family as we parent our young children in this context, and for provision regarding their school fees for the coming term.

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The post “You are friends sharing life’s struggles” appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Have you ever felt a “holy discomfort”? That nagging sense that God is calling you to serve, but perhaps not in a way that fits into a traditional Sunday morning box?

Recently, I stood in the Bishop of Exeter’s Palace to celebrate with a group of people who felt exactly that. I love that pioneer training with CMS doesn’t just happen in Oxford or in one single place. It’s happening – and growing – across the UK.

The latest CMS Pioneer Graduation gathered students from across the South West, including Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

The palace was filled with creativity, warmth and joy. There were interactive worship displays, beautiful sung worship led by a harpist, moving student testimonies, lots of delicious food and, of course, as befits a celebration, much cake.

A celebration of community 

This was more than simply a celebration of completing a course or receiving a certificate. Again and again, students spoke about finding a home. They spoke about finally discovering a language for what they had sensed God calling them to for years. They found a way of looking at mission – a missiology – that made sense of the places they were serving, and training that helped them do what they do with greater confidence, wisdom and courage.

That is one of the great gifts of pioneer training. It names and nurtures what God is already stirring. It helps people understand that mission does not only happen in familiar church settings, but also out at the edges – in the overlooked places, among those who may never walk into a church building, in communities where fresh expressions of Christian witness and discipleship are needed.

Some of the creative demonstrations of work by graduating students

Jesus calls us to the edges with him 

I had the privilege of sharing a few words during the celebration, and I found myself returning to a theme that has been growing in me for some time: Jesus as the Great Disturber.

That might sound like an odd thing to say at a graduation, but I think it fits. Jesus has always had a habit of lovingly disturbing people into new possibilities. That disturbance is not there to crush us, but to awaken us. It is often how mission begins.

Because pioneering is not first about having all the answers, having a perfect plan, or building something impressive. Pioneering begins with a willingness to follow Jesus into places that are unfamiliar, overlooked, risky, and sometimes uncomfortable. And that is right at the heart of CMS.

You may not always feel ready. You may not always feel confident. Some days you may feel small, uncertain, or underqualified. But the good news is this: God has always loved working through ordinary people who say yes.

And as I said to the graduating students: “Your ‘yes’ matters. So, as you graduate, don’t just think, ‘I’ve finished something.’ Think, ‘I’m being sent.’”

Rt Rev Mike Harrison, Bishop of Exeter, and I handed out certificates to around 24 students, each one representing a story of faithfulness, courage and calling.

As ever, the certificates only told part of the story.

The real story is what comes next: the communities that will be served, the conversations that will be had, the experiments that will be tried, the friendships that will be formed, the prayers that will be whispered, the people who will encounter Jesus in new ways because these pioneers said yes to his call.

Are you being called to something new? Find out about training with CMS

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An invitation to a mountain retreat

by Johnny Sertin

2 April 2026

For over 20 years now, a small community I am part of has been learning how to live with a different kind of rhythm. Not one dictated by urgency, productivity, or the constant churn of modern life – but one shaped by the seasons.

Year by year, we have found a cadence to personal and family life by paying attention to what already exists: the quiet wisdom of the natural world, the turning of the seasons, the rites they invite us into, and the organic liturgies that emerge when we slow down enough to notice. These rhythms don’t need to be invented; they are already there, waiting to be received, inhabited, and lived.

Out of this way of life, something else has grown.

Alongside my friend Paul Rose, I have been hosting mountain retreats in the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District. In the years since COVID, these spaces have taken on an even deeper significance. There is, it seems, a growing need for people to step out of the noise and ask more attentive, more discerning questions of their lives:

• Where am I?
• How am I?
• Who am I being called to be?

These are not questions to be rushed.

They are questions that require space – space to walk, to breathe, to listen.

Our retreats draw on the Ignatian tradition of spiritual formation, where attention, awareness, and discernment sit at the heart of the journey. Over a couple of days, we take a small, circular pilgrimage through the fells – guided by Paul, a qualified mountaineer, and accompanied by me. The mountains have a way of becoming more than just a backdrop; they become a teacher.

Nature offers insights we often cannot access elsewhere – truths that only surface when we are fully present to our surroundings.

And, of course, the mountains do not bend to our plans. The weather will do what it will. There are moments of challenge, even struggle – and moments of breathtaking beauty and uplift. Both matter. Both shape us. Both have something to say about who we are and who we are becoming.

Equally important to the walking is the welcome.

Hospitality sits at the heart of what we offer. We are always beautifully looked after by the Home Community Cafe in Earlsfield, led by Meg Fry and her wonderful team, who nourish us with food prepared with care and generosity.

This year, we’ll be gathering in slightly more comfortable surroundings than the mountain huts we’ve used in the past. We’ll be based at the Rydal Hall bunkhouse – a cluster of cottages designed for groups like ours to come together. It offers a simple but rich rhythm: walking in the day, and in the evening, gathering around wood fires with good food, conversation, and rest.

If you are new to retreating, you would be most welcome. If you are someone who already loves the outdoors and recognises it as a place of encounter and reflection, we would love to have you join us again. Everyone is welcome!

You’ll need a reasonable level of fitness to take part in the walking, but you certainly don’t need to be a seasoned mountaineer – just open, willing, and curious.

If something in you is stirring as you read this, we’d encourage you to pay attention to that.

For more information and to register, please take a look at the flyer and follow the Eventbrite link.

Places are limited!

Take part

Cost: £150 per person
A subsidised rate is available if needed – please do ask. We do not want anyone to miss out.

Book now via eventbrite Download flyer

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Not stopping at prison ministry, coaching, mentorship and international speaking, Shirley Powell has added studying with CMS for an undergraduate certificate with a focus on African Christianity.

HH: It’s been a privilege to meet you Shirley, and thank you for agreeing to be interviewed today. You’ve done so much! Yet, you remain a humble and godly woman. Firstly, could you tell me what drew you to CMS Pioneer Mission Training?

SP: A friend told me about CMS, and I started researching the courses available. I had previously completed some Christian studies, but I chose the Undergraduate Certificate in African Christianity to gain a deeper understanding of African history, culture, and Christianity, including the theological aspects. This is particularly relevant to the communities I serve through my projects. The modules on Mission and Evangelism, Introduction to Black Theology, and Global Pentecostalism are especially useful, as they will equip me to apply what I learn directly into practice in my pioneering work, including international mission projects in Uganda and prison ministry in the UK.

Can you tell us more about your work as a pastor and apostle?

I served as a pastor for 17 years and now serve as an Apostle at True Vine International Ministries (formerly True Vine Church). My current focus is pioneering ministry, which includes prison outreach, international mission work in Uganda, and supporting orphanage care projects.

I also mentor teachers and leaders in Uganda to support sustainable community development.

For example, one individual I’ve mentored for the past five years joined our church online during lockdown. Together, we developed a five-year plan to explore his goals and dreams. He’s an agricultural teacher and has since built the STEAM the Light ecosystem in Uganda, which launched on Ugandan TV in December. His project raises public awareness about using natural resources, recycling and sharing sustainable practices within the community, including:

• Nature-based farming
• Authentic education
• Entrepreneurship and cottage industries
• Ecosystem restoration and conservation. The STEAM the Light website is available for anyone interested in learning more or supporting the project.

I’m very proud of all his achievements.

Another leader I’ve supported is Ibrahim, who runs JIREH Children’s Ministry, caring for 30 children in an orphanage. Our ministry provides donations to cover medical care, school supplies, and food. Recently, we assisted with transportation costs for food donations sent by William’s organisation, connecting both leaders to strengthen community support.

Can you tell us more about your broader work and mentoring?

I also work as a health and lifestyle coach, though I’ve paused much of this work, initially due to health issues in the past but more recently to focus on my studies and prison ministry. Through Joseph Prison Ministry, we offer meet-and-greet services for prisoners on release, alongside mentoring and practical support. One ex-offender reached out after discovering us on social media and joined our team as a volunteer. He has shared his personal story and testimony in a recent podcast to encourage other prisoners transitioning out of prison. I was also interviewed on UCB2 radio last year, sharing my story and why I started the ministry project – links are available for anyone who wants to learn more.

Across all these initiatives, my focus is on leadership, teaching, and practical support. I aim to help individuals recognise their God-given gifts, providing tools and encouragement to make positive changes and apply what they learn to their own lives. I’m very proud of these achievements.

Can you share more about your speaking work?

I am an international speaker, often invited to both secular and Christian settings to share on topics including health, self-care, and mental well-being, drawing on biblical insight to guide others in caring for their physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

I also speak to young people considering starting their own businesses and becoming entrepreneurs. In 2020, during lockdown, I was invited as a guest on BBC Radio Suffolk to share my experience of starting a business later in life and provide practical advice for navigating transitions and adapting to change. I have also been invited by a radio presenter to speak on their show as a health expert.

More recently, I have paused some of this work to focus on my studies, family, and prison ministry.

In addition to speaking, my ministry responsibilities include:

• Visionary and pioneering: leading mission and ministry projects, including prison ministry and outreach initiatives to bring transformation and advance the kingdom of God.
• Life coaching and mentorship: supporting individuals in personal goals, career planning, and strategic thinking (e.g. helping a mentee plan NGO objectives for one, five and 10 years).
• Intercessory work: praying for leaders, the community, and strategic influence to bring positive change.
• Authority and leadership roles: collaborating with local churches across Ipswich and Suffolk to support pioneering ministry work and community engagement, ensuring alignment with God’s purpose.

Phew, Shirley, that sounds like a lot! How do you make yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually available for all this?

I take regular time to be still in God’s presence, allowing him to guide me. In those moments, I rest, recharge, and reflect, listening to his direction for each season of life. I follow his pattern to how I work. This helps me stay balanced and focused despite a busy schedule.

How have you found CMS Pioneer Mission Training course so far?

I’m really enjoying it. Visiting CMS headquarters last year and meeting you, Helen, some of the lecturers, and fellow students was a highlight. I love the African Christianity modules because they enable me to explore cultures through theological perspectives. The course allows me to apply the teaching directly to my context and reflect on my journey, connecting where I started with where I am now.

How can we pray for you?

I’ve faced a few health challenges and would appreciate prayers for strength and good health so I can complete the course successfully. I would also be grateful for prayers for my family, especially my mother, who has been unwell recently.

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The post Student story: Shirley Powell appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

A year ago, Jonny Baker asked me if I would contribute to a “little” idea he’d had: to write some reflections and liturgies on Jesus’ encounters from the fringes…

That “little” idea turned into more reflections and liturgies, then 20, and before we knew it (it turns out there are lots of edges to explore within the Gospels) it became 40 chapters. Throw in another 40 spiritual practices and we found ourselves with a chunky book, over 200 pages, with some beautiful artwork thrown in. The book you now know as Fringe Dweller was born.

How did this happen?

I remember thinking at the Fringe Dweller book launch (which I’ll talk about later), “How did this happen?” I had only recently finished studying at CMS, which I found both life-giving (the lectures and conversations) and particularly challenging (the essays).

I recall my tutor running up to me on the day we received our first marked essays and asking, “Why didn’t you tell us you were dyslexic?” She then proceeded to go through my essay (which, by the way, was okay), chuckling as she noted the glaring giveaways that my brain was wired slightly differently. If I’m honest, it didn’t get easier, but the regular feedback given to my work was that my ideas were interesting, creative even, and that my voice in it all was strong.

As I settled into study, I knew I’d found a home of sorts at CMS – an incubator for creative thinking, to listen, communicate ideas, and cultivate the voices and hunches I’d had about faith and life that perhaps weren’t always safe to verbalise in other spaces. I say this because, without those spaces of freedom to speak out, to agree and disagree with friends, my participation in Fringe Dweller would certainly be absent. It’s likely Jonny would have gone ahead anyway, but my voice would not be there. Homes are important, and the best ones are where it is safe to share your voice.

Riding the wave

Fast forward a few years, and I find myself in a beautiful Anglican church in Ealing for the book launch of Fringe Dweller. I still don’t know how we got here but I’m riding the wave. Jonny and I wanted to make the book launch more than a celebration of our work and certainly more than us talking about it; we wanted to create an experience for people, regardless of what tradition or place they’d come from.

If you haven’t seen any of the Fringe Dweller artwork designed by Jon Birch yet, they really bring the book to life. Jonny and I decided we’d get them blown up into large prints and hang them from the balcony of the church to create an exhibition.

As it did with the book, it brought an already beautiful space to life. It was wonderful to see people arrive into the church, and as soon as they saw the prints, I saw smiles, gasps, and in one case, people were visibly moved by what they were seeing and experiencing.

In one of the chapters, we query why so often street preachers go in with a hard sell, often bypassing most of Jesus’ life and starting with what happens at the end. Some, but not all, of the illustrations are of Jesus. Some are of him walking with people, one is of him laughing with friends as he pours drinks (my mum’s favourite), and one is of Jesus in deep grief. It was interesting to watch where people were drawn. We need to know that Jesus laughs, walks with us, and knows grief, and people were free to spend time with the artwork.

Jonny and I were interviewed about the book, its origin story, and how we made decisions on choosing the stories. Truthfully, there was little to no strategy in choosing the passages other than where Jesus was being with or advocating for people who had been sidelined for whatever reason.

Creative responses

One of our real hopes for the book is that by putting the stories and reflections in people’s hands, we’d get some interesting and creative responses back. We figured between us both we could pull enough favours from creative friends and family to make the evening a little less Dave and Jonny-focused, and we were overwhelmed with people agreeing to take part.

We kicked off the artists’ reflections with an original liturgy from Tina Hodgett called ‘Lock Picker of Closed Doors’, which we used in the book. It was a wonderfully traditional yet fresh way to start our artists’ reflections. Liturgy was not something I was brought up with in my tradition, but there was something stirring to hear young and old read the words “We come to you, seeking the gifts we need from the No One of Nazareth”.

Other highlights included songwriter Chris Read’s reflection of the chapter ‘Eating with Scum’, taken from Matthew 9 – you could have heard a pin drop as he concluded his composition with the same name.

We also had a reflection from Iva Decheva, a South-East London artist who, using incredible colours of blue, silver and green, weaved and embroidered the rippling waters of healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5) as she imagined the view to be from the sick man.

Iain Cotton (who creates tiles for CMS graduates) took us somewhere deeper still, as he explained his craft and approach to creating his tiles while reflecting on Jesus, the Fringe Dweller.

The artists’ reflections finished with Jonny’s son, Harry, who had written a stunning reverse poem that had many of us feeling all sorts of emotions. His reverse poem ‘Flip the Script’, which riffed off a chapter from the book with the same name, had us all in the palm of his hand.

Strange times

The challenge in the chapter is to flip the scripts or stories we all have and hear, whether they be internal, in our communities, churches, or elsewhere. Harry’s poem was like breathing fresh air, as he challenged narratives that have unfortunately found themselves saddled up to the story of Jesus, the Fringe Dweller. “We have to flip the script,” the repeated refrain from Harry, and in every artist presentation, it felt that was exactly what took place. Our hope is that it would encourage and give permission for others to do the same. It was a wonderful ending to a beautiful evening.

Both Jonny and I noted that the book has come out at an interesting time. It is a strange time to be human, and certainly a strange time to share our faith with other Christians that seem to be living life reading from a completely different script to us. We hope that Fringe Dweller will offer a helpful narrative, particularly to those leading and dwelling in the fringes. We are grateful to all the artists for being generous with their art; it made the evening quite special and, to be honest, reaffirmed our hope for the book: that if we can offer these stories to and with people, wonderful and diverse reflections will come back to us.

If you haven’t got hold of your copies of Fringe Dweller yet, you can get it from getsidetracked.co. We’d love to hear your own reflections and thoughts on the book, as well as those you are connecting with on your context.

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The post Fringe Dweller: how did this happen? appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

In 2019 the first CMS Pioneer Mission Training students embarked on a doctorate in theology (DTh) at the University of Roehampton. In February this year, the first of those students, Paul Bradbury, successfully defended his thesis in his examination and was awarded his doctorate.

Dr James Butler, leader of CMS Pioneer Mission Training, talks to Paul about his experience of doing the doctorate,  what he studied and what’s next.

James: Why did you want to study for a DTh?

Paul: I started a DTh because I wanted to explore an issue that arose through my ministry as a pioneer. So much resource from the central Church of England was going into particular models of mission and particular forms of church that many pioneers were struggling to find the space or resource to carry out their ministry.

J: So, what did you discover?

P: In my thesis I argue that the nature of the church can’t be reduced down to particular models or forms. Instead, the very nature of the church is a becoming: it is always being formed and reformed through its engagement with the world.

I discovered that pioneers often resist predetermined models. Instead, pioneers build community through conversation with people in their context. Their focus is on prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit who they regard as present and active in the midst of the community that is forming. As I listened to the stories of how these new communities were forming, I heard how the pioneers involved were often surprised by what happened, finding that their assumptions about forms a church could take were disrupted.

I also learned from two dioceses about how they were trying to encourage pioneer ministry alongside more traditional parish ministry. I’ve argued that the tension experienced in this process might be seen as a creative tension as we develop toward a mixed ecology of church.

J: Sounds interesting, how can we find out more?

P: I hope to develop the thesis into a book soon. In the meantime, if anyone wants to have a conversation about what I’ve been learning they’re welcome to get in touch. [You can contact Paul via CMS here]. I’m also working with CMS to create a space for the kind of listening and discernment that is needed to support and enable a becoming church. We are looking to develop a resource of theological accompaniment, research and reflection to support pioneers and others.

J: And how has it been studying a DTh with CMS at the University of Roehampton?

P: The DTh has been a great experience. It’s honestly been the hardest but best thing I’ve ever done. There was never a point where I wanted to give up, though there were numerous times when I was pushed to think harder and more deeply than I thought I was capable of! It has answered the question I set out with, in ways I hope will be helpful to others. It’s also raised a whole host of other questions for the future!

J: It’s been a pleasure working with you on this Paul, and we’re so delighted that you have achieved your doctorate. All the best with sharing your findings more widely.

The DTh programme is designed for those who are actively involved in mission, ministry and pioneering and want to explore the things they are discovering in more detail. The first two years are taught part time, helping you to focus your ideas into a research project, before you then carry out your research over the following three to four years.  Do get in touch if, like Paul, there is something you’d like to explore.

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Pam Daniel is an assistant director of ordinands in Oxford Diocese and in the first year of her studies with CMS Pioneer Mission Training for an MA with a focus on African Christianity.

HH: Pam, what led you to study with us?

PD: I have always been interested in missions locally, geographically, and internationally. Having worked in ministry in different contexts, I began to appreciate doing mission in a variety of settings. I believe this enhances our understanding about the complexities and diversification of social stratification, cultural identity, race and ethnicity, ageism and gender.

I have done missions in Uganda working with church leaders and churches, South Africa, Benin, the Caribbean.

My life has been enriched by the vastness and the omnipotent power of God and prayer in the lives of people, and their hunger for the gospel of Christ in these nations.

I came across the course by sheer coincidence. I came across the advert and when I saw that it was specifically focused on African theology, I became excited and interested in finding out more about the contributions that my ancestors have made to Christianity. This developed within me a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to explore the MA course with a focus on African Christianity. I have studied theology previously but have never been able to explore in depth the significant wisdom, knowledge and contributions that my forefathers and mothers have made to Christianity, but at the same time have been denied visibility and recognition. As Christians, we all have a responsibility to share the gospel and to unearth the truth.

You have a particular interest in African Christianity and other African religions, can you tell us more?

I have studied theology and learned about different religions. I find it beneficial and enriching to work ecumenically and by doing so, we can learn so much from each other, develop respect for each other’s faith and thus develop good relationships based upon trust and love. As a Christian, I should be proud and courageous to tell the world about my faith. In the same way, my colleagues from other religions should be given the opportunity to share their faith.

One of the things that we don’t do well, is to listen attentively to people. We are far too busy, and can become very judgmental and condemning when someone does not meet our expectations, or share the same values or ideas.

I believe that one of the ways of building community and relationships is to listen to others, and give those who are marginalised the opportunity to be heard. Jesus is a good example of someone who listened attentively to those who were outcasts, marginalised and ostracised in society. If we follow his model when relating to people, we cannot go wrong.

My interest in African Christianity started several years ago – 20-plus years. I was involved in Black History Month projects and activities, and the Black theology forum at the Queen’s Foundation in Birmingham. More latterly my interest has deepened in proclaiming the gospel in Spirit and in truth.

Many Christians believe that Christianity is ‘a White man’s religion’, and missionaries from around the world took Christianity to Africa and the Caribbean to edify the people and to bring civilisation to the nations. However, this is so misleading and untrue. Although I hold a PhD in Divinity, I am just beginning to learn that Africa is at the root of Christianity. It’s as though the blindfolds have been removed from my eyes. Personally, I think the truth has to be uncovered, and through the process of transparency our lives would be transformed and our faith would be rooted and grounded in Christ. I believe this course has the propensity of enabling and empowering learners and decolonising their minds. In my view the decolonisation of our minds is profoundly powerful, but it is a gradual process. We have a long way to go, but it is important that we start now than later.

We’re only in the first term, but how are things going so far?

I wish I had started this course several years ago. It is not only inspiring, challenging, informative, but it enables you to develop a greater enthusiasm to learn new things, to be more appreciative of the knowledge, wisdom and resources that God has richly blessed us with.

I have learned a vast amount about African theology through the reading of Thomas Oden’s book, How Africa Transformed Christianity [also widely known as How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind]. I learned that Africa has profoundly transformed Christianity through the vital contributions of African forefathers and mothers historically through the development of doctrines and spiritual practices.

It is interesting to learn that key figures and arguably the most significant individuals in early Christian theology were North African: Athanasius, Origen and Clement, Augustine of Hippo, Tertullian…to name a few. This is such an amazing discovery for all students to learn about.

The course is demanding and requires a great deal of commitment, continuity and perseverance. I like the idea of supervision and one-to-one contact with personal tutors, as well as having an assigned chaplain to the course. It offers good pastoral care and practice.

I also like the opportunity to worship together and to fellowship on Zoom and off when appropriate.

It is also great to see the diversity of students from a variety of backgrounds and nations represented. I would like to see an increased representation from the Caribbean islands and there is a growing need for missionary work in the islands.

I’m glad things are going well for you so far. I understand you are retired; can you tell us about your work before retirement?

I see myself as semi-retired. Presently I work as an Assistant Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Oxford. It’s a very rewarding area of ministry to journey and support ordinands throughout their vocation to ordained ministry. It is a huge privilege to see God working so magnificently in the lives of his chosen vessels, and their willingness to serve him wholeheartedly.

I also officiate as a priest at services in the diocese.

People say that I have a servant heart and a gift for prayer and intercession.

I guess that is true and I believe that I inherited those gifts from my late mother who served the Lord tirelessly. She was a staunch Anglican and a fiery intercessor. She loved the Lord and had a gift of sharing her Christian faith with the homeless. It is true to say that I have internalised some of her relational tactics when reaching out to the marginalised members of society.

You said in your application that you were interested in outreach to the marginalised, eg, homeless, women, and the elderly. Can you tell us more about this?

Prior to ordination in the Church of England, I worked in prison management and the education sector: teaching, lecturing and social work. My vocation to ordained ministry became more transparent during my work with prisoners and young offenders. I was a Christian and thought that I was carrying the light of Christ into a dark place (which I was), but I actually felt that they were showing me some qualities about the character of Christ. I also felt that God was using this opportunity to mould and build me for full-time ministry, which I did not know about at the time. 

In terms of full-time ministry, I was a minister in areas which were considered to be socially deprived areas.

In the parishes where I served, I came across many broken people who had lost all hope in life.

As I listened to their stories, I developed such a heart of compassion for them. A great part of my ministry was listening to, praying for them and sharing a meal/coffee with them. I began to seek the Lord about what I could do to help to meet the needs of these homeless people, women, lonely and elderly people, etc.

When the Lord spoke to me and instructed me to start a luncheon club for homeless people, I was extremely reluctant and diffident. He gave me the Scripture reading ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’ (Proverbs 3:5).

On the authority in his word, I started a luncheon club for the homeless, followed by a women’s ministry and a coffee, tea and singing group for the elderly. I felt that on the outset of my ministry, I had a vocation to the poor, hungry and marginalised members of my parish. The ministries flourished and it filled me with joy to see God’s will, not mine, be done in the lives of his people. Today, I still have a heart for the poor and broken hearted. It’s a great reminder that Christ died for all of us irrespective of our status, culture or social class background. His love is freely given and freely received.

I have ministered in the UK where I trained for ordained ministry. More recently I have also ministered in the Caribbean. I have to confess that wherever I go in the world, I see that God’s mercies are new every morning and great is his faithfulness. 

How can we pray for you?

• I would like prayer for me to continue to serve the Lord until he says ‘well done my good and faithful servant’.
• Pray for my family and loved ones that they too will serve the Lord; he will meet them at their point of need.
• Pray for guidance by his Holy Spirit in the work that we do at CMS.
• Pray for grace and resilience for all the students and staff at CMS and their loved ones.
• Pray that the Lord will meet us all at our point of need this year and we will be filled with his joy and peace.

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If you’ve been thinking of booking your place on the Faith in Public course then don’t wait any longer. Spaces are filling up.

The agenda has been announced and more speakers with it. Including Jane Perry from Church Action on Poverty and The Very Rev Rogers Govender of Manchester Cathedral.

The course will take place over three online sessions and one weekend residential in Manchester.

The residential will include a visit to Manchester Cathedral and a Justice walk around Manchester’s civic centre, in which you will explore sites of significance in Manchester’s radical history and their connection to faith. It will include a panel of Christians in public service, with a chance to ask them your questions. And of course, given the political climate today, there will be a focus being a witness in today’s fragmented political environment. As well as being deeply theological the course will also be highly practical.

Here’s the full agenda:

You can read more about the course and book your place here.

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