New Director of Training to Advance 'Mission Mind' at Church Army

The new director of training for Church Army has taken up post this week. The Rev Canon Sue Hope, who was Sheffield Diocesan Missioner for five years, started her new role 1 August.

As well as joining the senior management team of the 125-year-old society of evangelists, Canon Hope has taken up the responsibility for leading the college staff as they transform Church Army's evangelism training from a residential based form to a mission-based learning model.

The 57-year-old, based at the Wilson Carlile College of Evangelism, Sheffield, has enjoyed a "fulfilling career in Christian ministry since she came to faith in her early twenties", Church Army has reported.

Commenting on her appointment Canon Hope said, "I've always been an admirer and supporter of Church Army and I'm delighted to have been offered the job.

"I count it a huge privilege to be part of what God is doing with Church Army at the moment, and I look forward to working with the team to pilot new forms of training appropriate for 21st century pioneering mission."

Canon Hope has significant experience of training and equipping lay and ordained for mission and evangelism at diocesan, deanery and parish level and developing new strategies for mission as well as helping to pilot national training for fresh expressions.

The new director of training is a 'six preacher' at Canterbury Cathedral, which means she has been appointed by the Archbishop from among persons who have outstanding qualities as preachers.

In addition, Canon Hope is a member of the College of Evangelists, which provides accreditation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to evangelists in the Church of England.

Mark Russell, Church Army's Chief Executive, said he was "thrilled" to welcome Canon Hope to "such an important strategic role" within Church Army.

"Sue is a key leader in the Church of England, committed to evangelism and creating a mission-shaped church. Her gifts of vision, inspiration and her experience in evangelism will make a real impact on our future training agenda," he said.

Talking about her new role, Canon Hope has said: "It's no good thinking of the solo evangelist as the only model for mission...mission today is about teams and about groups and clusters of people moving out in the service of the gospel. That means a missionary mind-set for the Church and that flows from a spirituality which is rooted in the missionary God."

She added, "It's a huge privilege to be working for an organisation that I have always admired and supported. It's even more exciting to be coming into the training field at such a pivotal point, when there is a ferment of fresh thinking about mission abroad in the worldwide Church, and about how we are going to be bearer of the Good News to our contemporary culture.

"I'm looking forward to working with the very creative team at the college which has already been doing a lot of seminal thinking about the way ahead."