Church Mission Society commissions new leader

THE COMMISSIONING SERVICE for the Rev Canon Philip Mounstephen, the new Executive Leader of the Church Mission Society, took place at St Aldate’s church, Oxford, on Saturday 13 October at 1.30pm.

The Rt Rev Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry and Episcopal Visitor of CMS, preached at the special service, which was attended by international mission leaders as well as friends and family of Canon Mounstephen, and CMS friends and members.

Canon Mounstephen, who replaces The Rt Revd Tim Dakin as head of CMS, spent the three days prior to the service meeting with the leadership of CMS Africa, Asia CMS and New Zealand CMS, taking time to think and plan together.

He begins work officially at CMS’s Oxford base on 22 October.

Canon Mounstephen’s first major international engagements follow in December with a trip to Kenya and Uganda for the enthronement of the eighth Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Rt Rev Stanley Ntagali. In February, Canon Mounstephen will address tens of thousands of Indian Christians at the Maramon Convention of the Mar Thoma Church in Kerala. This annual convention lays claim to being the largest annual Christian evangelistic convention in the world, with seating capacity at 160,000.