Ulster man commissioned by Archbishop of Canterbury
Mark Russell, a native of Portadown, Co Armagh has been commissioned by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the new Church Army Chief Executive. Church Army, a leading Home Mission agency linked to the Anglican Church, has 300 evangelists working all over the UK and Ireland. At 31 years old, Mark is the youngest leader in the history of the society, which was founded by Wilson Carlile in 1882.
Following his law studies at Queen's University, Belfast, Mark began his church career as a Youth Pastor at High Street Methodist Church, Lurgan. Mark's first public award came in 1999 through his involvement in drawing together Protestant and Roman Catholic young people in the lead up to the Good Friday Agreement, when he was awarded the Daily Express/British Gas ‘Tomorrow's People Award'.
Amongst those invited to the Commissioning Service was Bishop Harold Miller. Speaking after the service Bishop Harold said: "It was a great joy to be at St Michaels', Chester Square on Thursday 9th November for Mark Russell's Commissioning as Chief Executive of Church Army. Mark is a fresh mind and has a real sense of vision for the growth and development of the work of Church Army in its ‘new' future. He must be one of the youngest Chief Executives around. And he has a real passion for serving Christ and making the Gospel relevant in our age.
Mark was commissioned by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury in a vibrant service. One or two people mentioned that the ‘Celtic fringe' was taking over with an Irish Chair of Church Army (Roy Totten), an Irish Chief Executive and, of course, a Welsh Archbishop of Canterbury!"
Since the age of 25 Mark has been an active member of the Archbishops' Council and Church of England's General Synod. Before being appointed CEO for Church Army Mark led IMPACT Youth Ministry at Christ Church Chorleywood, Hertfordshire.
Mark succeeds Captain Philip Johanson, who has moved to a new position as first International Secretary for Church Army International.