Churches announce new Fresh Expressions team leaders

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Methodist Church have announced that the Fresh Expressions initiative is to continue for a further period of five years.

The Bishop of Maidstone, the Rt Rev Graham Cray, is to be the next Archbishops' Missioner and leader of the Fresh Expressions team.

The Methodist Connexional Missioner for Fresh Expressions is to be the Rev Stephen Lindridge, currently Evangelism Enabler in the Newcastle District.

Bishop Graham, who is the Bishop for Mission in the Diocese of Canterbury, will succeed Dr. Steven Croft, who is to be the next Bishop of Sheffield.

The new appointment gives Bishop Cray a unique opportunity to further develop many of the ideas and suggestions put forward by the Working Party he chaired before producing the much celebrated report Mission-Shaped Church. The concept of "fresh expressions" and the notion of a "mixed economy" church were both explored in that document.

Bishop Cray said: "I have been delighted with the national and ecumenical response to Mission-Shaped Church and hugely impressed with the work done by the Fresh Expressions Team. It is an honour and a thrill to be asked lead the second phase of the work. I am very grateful for the Archbishops' invitation, and look forward to taking up my new responsibilities."

Stephen Lindridge has helped to pioneer a fresh expression of church in Gateshead and has been instrumental in setting up training and resources to support fresh expressions of church in the North East.

He said: "I am delighted to be joining the fresh expression team, as the fruit of phase one is evident for us all to see and I am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that phase two (of fresh expressions) will bring."

He added: "God's grace on the emerging leaders in fresh expressions has been wonderful to observe. I count it an immense privilege to be appointed to a position where I can actively encourage this work throughout the UK."

Fresh Expressions is a partnership between the Church of England and Methodist churches and is an initiative of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Hundreds of fresh expressions have already been set up and new approaches to clergy and lay training have been advocated and adopted.

The initiative has been strongly and generously supported by the Lambeth Partners since it was launched by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has regularly thanked them for their support during phase one.

The new appointments will begin in 2009.

Anglican and Methodist Church leaders were quick to welcome Wednesday's announcement.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said: "I am delighted the initiative is to continue in partnership with the Methodist Church. Bishop Graham will bring exactly the right blend of experience and vision to the work already begun and I look forward to working with him in his new post."

Dr Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church, added: "The Methodist Church is delighted to continue the fruitful partnership with the Church of England in the second phase of Fresh Expressions and I am personally delighted that the combination of Bishop Graham Cray's theological expertise and Rev Stephen Lindridge's experience as a practitioner will be a wonderful demonstration of the effectiveness of collaborating ecumenically".