Called beyond church walls

Jez Drury is a first year MA student with CMS Pioneer Mission Training, preparing for ordination. He told me why he feels most comfortable outside the church walls.

by Helen Harwood,

14 October 2025

HH: Can you tell us a bit about your context and where you are based?

JD: I am based in the Parish of Maybush, Southampton and we are a large parish of 26,500 people. We are very close to Southampton Docks, the second largest container terminal in the UK.

The parish of Maybush incorporates a large urban estate with a population of 26,000 people, originally built to house those moving out of the city centre after Southampton had been extensively bombed during the Blitz. This area has significant levels of deprivation, where issues associated with poverty are common – including child poverty, social housing, single parent households and single occupancy households.

The parish has the lowest attendance per capita in the diocese (as of 2019).

“I have always had an interest in mission and those outside of the church walls and at the edges of society. It’s where I feel most comfortable.”

Since lockdown the church community have been seeking to address issues in the local community. We are currently running Marketplace on a Wednesday to help alleviate food poverty in the area. Out of this we now have social prescribers coming along, to assist in signposting to doctors and dentists. We have also begun a conversation with Mountbatten Hospice, talking about issues surrounding death and dying.

We are building relationships throughout the local community including statutory and local organisations. For us this has meant going out of the buildings to meet people where they are and invite the community into our churches and halls.

This has caused us to rethink how we are as a church community. We have started activities which serve God by creating safe spaces in our buildings.

You are studying the Pioneer MA with us. Can you tell us what led you to join the course?

As part of my ordination journey, I was recommended this course by the Bishop of Winchester (Philip Mounstephen, former CEO of CMS). I came for an open day in February 2025 with my vicar and it all seemed to fall into place. When I had completed my stage 2 panel I was recommended for further training with CMS.

I have always had an interest in mission and for those outside of the church walls and at the edges of society. It’s where I feel most comfortable.

I feel as though I am on the inside looking out at the things I think we should be doing and making a difference to those I meet.

“I know I am called to the margins of society. I am also not comfortable with the church doing the same thing.”

For many years I have struggled with church and how I fit in and a feeling of how we accept others into a church community who won’t come through the church doors on a Sunday. Being here I am sure will help me to define what that looks like for me going forward.

When you first joined us, your application said “This is part of my discernment process towards ordained ministry. I need a better understanding of what it means to be a pioneer and what that looks like for me in reality, within the context of people I meet.” It’s early days but can you say how that is shaping up, please?

I am beginning my journey with you at CMS (only a few weeks in) and getting an understanding of what a pioneer is. To be honest this is the beginning for me now so I want to be open-minded as to what this may look like.

I am aware that the term pioneer means different things for different people. I know I am called to the margins of society, however we understand that term.

I am also not comfortable with the church doing the same thing. God does not call us to comfortable Christianity, he calls us to make a difference.

HH: You also told me when Jesus preached his sermons, he didn’t just sit there … “and everyone just agree with him, say, very nice… I try and have a more discussion style of preaching, where people feel comfortable to ask me questions… I’ve been trying it out for a few years now.” Can you tell me more?

This began many years ago when I was a student in Bible College. I was given the chance once a month on a Sunday evening to try out preaching in different forms. The form of preaching I have stuck with – and try out when a passage leads to it – is to try and have a discussion. I use it as a way of checking if people understand what I am saying to them.

I’m not comfortable with “preachers” sharing the word and that is it. I read the gospels and the sermons of Jesus and I think there would have been discussion and dialogue.

For many years I have heard sermons and thought to myself, what does that actually mean? And how does this affect me when I am back in the workplace the next day? How does this relate to those I meet outside the church doors?

It made me think more about sermon prep, keep it simple, and leave room for conversation. There will be people in the room listening to your understanding of the passage and have a very different understanding. There is always collective wisdom in a room. I don’t have all the answers.

Thank you. How can we pray for you, Jez?

Pray for my church in Maybush as we work out together what God is wanting from me as we move forward.
As I enter study again after 20 years of not studying, I ask that I will be able to get to grips with the course, find a good pattern for study as I also have to work full time also (like many others).
Pray for my family as we adjust to the new routine of family life and how we now balance this all and work it out what it looks like in reality.

Called beyond church walls