A leading light in pioneering new mission and ministry across Cumbria is to stand down after 10 years in post.

Richard Passmore joined the Diocese of Carlisle in 2015 as one of the first appointments to God for All, the county’s ecumenical vision and strategy. During his time here, he has helped launch scores of new Fresh Expressions of Church and overseen the growth of Network Youth Church. He is currently Director of the Northern Mission Centre, a collaboration between God for All and the Church Mission Society that supports creative, innovative mission across the county.

Richard, 55, said: “I have loved working with God for All over the past 10 years, and although a difficult decision following the successful DIP and the associated restructure, it feels like it is the right time for me to move on.

“At the end of the restructure process, the diocese offered me the new role of the Director of Missional Revitalisation. After wrestling and talking it through, both internally and externally, I felt this role was not quite right for me. However, I know that it will be a great opportunity for someone else, given the missional context and the commitment to faithful improvisation and mixed ecology through God for All.

“My hope is that what we have achieved over the past 10 years as a pioneering diocese will ensure the right person will feel called to this new role enabling the continued embedding of pioneering and creative mission through the revised Strategy and the Mission Revitalisations plans.”

During his time with the Diocese, Richard has supported 120 Fresh Expressions of Church and helped Network Youth Church become one of the UK’s largest youth-ministry projects. He has also encouraged the missional imagination of the wider church to engage creatively in their communities, collaborating on Mountain Pilgrims Fresh Expression by which people take to the fells to feed their faith.

Before joining the Diocese, Richard led StreetSpace, one of the UK’s largest emerging church projects for young people for Frontier Youth Trust, and taught practical theology, contextual missiology and youth and community work in Bristol. He is a qualified youth and community worker, holds a postgraduate degree in practical theology from the University of Exeter and has more than 30 years’ experience growing new churches.

Richard added: “As many of you know, Rachel Head – the Director of Mission and Ministry, support and Innovation - and I have worked really well together over the past 18 months, so although this is a difficult decision for us both, we have talked a lot about the future of pioneering and its important place and space within the diocese. I am confident with the appointment of Bishop Rob, as our new diocesan Bishop, alongside the great people in the MMSI team, in partnership with the wider pioneer networks that the diocese will continue to reach new people in new ways as we seek to serve our wider community through God for All.

“I really value the friendships I have made across the pioneer community, clergy and wider church communities and I look forward to what God has planned for me next!”

The Rt Rev Rob Saner-Haigh, the Bishop of Carlisle Designate, said: “We are so grateful to Richard for all the passion, energy and drive he has brought to our Diocese and the way that this has played out in the creation of so many new forms of Fresh Expressions of Church, of doing and being church in new and exciting ways in partnership with other churches. Personally, I have valued his wisdom, insight and passion over many years of working together in different ways.

“He is someone who thinks prayerfully outside the box and in so doing he has brought many people, who may have been on the fringe of a faith community or beyond, into a new and lasting relationship with Jesus Christ. Continuing the work which he has embedded so well over all these years remains at the heart of our work together and Richard will go with our prayers and heartfelt thanks for all he has done to help God’s kingdom to flourish in Cumbria.”

Richard will leave the Diocese of Carlisle in August.

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Notes to editors

For further information contact Dave Roberts, Diocesan Head of Communications, on 07469 153658 or at communications@carlislediocese.org.uk.