People

David Larmour

Date posted: 2 May 2025

More than 80 people have celebrated the appointment of two new elders at a vibrant evangelical church in Newcastle.

Following a short period with one elder at Welbeck Road Evangelical Church, the pastor David Larmour has now been joined by clinical scientist Andrew Macdonald (photo left), 62 and civil servant Rodney Aiken (right), 38. During a well-attended celebration service to mark the new elders’ appointments, Rodney, Andrew and church members made public promises and declarations. This was followed by a fellowship lunch, enjoyed by young and old alike.

The Board of Edinburgh Bible College are pleased to announce the appointment of Ramone McKenzie to succeed the current principal John Brand as he stands down in 2026.

Brand has served as principal since the college was founded in 2012.

Family, friends and colleagues have gathered together to celebrate Ian Hamilton’s faithful service as President of Westminster Seminary UK.

During the service, he was gifted with the release of a new book, Catholic Calvinism – a collation of essays on ministry published in his honour.

The Railway Mission is appointing Mameri Ese as a new Trustee.

Mameri is a senior project manager at Great Western Railway (GWR), with extensive expertise in finance, project delivery, and strategic leadership.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 26 Apr 2025

Global Christian Relief (GCR), the relief organisation for persecuted Christians, has appointed Brian Orme as its new chief executive officer.

Brian was promoted from his role as chief field operations officer and vice president of communications.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 25 Apr 2025

The humanitarian work of Christian mission organisation Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has been honoured by King Charles.

Representing MAF, CEO Donovan Palmer (pictured left), Trustee Max Gove, Deputy Country Director in Uganda Sam Baguma, and Becky Waterman attended a reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by the King, Queen Camilla and Princess Anne, where the “exceptional” work of approximately 100 humanitarian charities was recognised.

Andrew Cowan has been appointed as Tutor in New Testament and Greek at Oak Hill Theological College from September.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Andrew studied at Cambridge before serving in various ministry roles in London and training for ordained ministry in Oxford.

Famed American boxer George Foreman, who has died, was also a committed Christian.

Known for his famous bout against Muhammad Ali in the so-called “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974, he subsequently became a church minister - retiring from boxing at just age 28.

Luke Randall

Date posted: 18 Apr 2025

Christian astronaut Barry Wilmore, known as “Butch”, has finally returned to earth from the International Space Station (ISS) after an unexpected nine-month stay due to problems with the spacecraft which transported them there.

The man from Texas spent almost 300 days on the ISS with fellow astronaut Sunni Williams despite having only expected to remain there for eight.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 31 Mar 2025

Bethlehem Bible College has appointed Dr Yousef Alkhouri as its new academic dean.

Gaza-born Yousef questioned his faith in his early years, having lived under Israeli occupation. In 2007 he enrolled at Bethlehem Bible College, then did a Master’s degree in Divinity in the US and a PhD in the Netherlands – returning to the College in 2018 as a faculty member.

Simon Medcroft has been appointed to serve as Director for Essex with the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC).

Simon has served as pastor at Danbury Mission for 20 years and will now be seconded to FIEC for one day a week to serve affiliated churches in Essex – one of the fastest growing but least churched counties in the UK.

Evangelical Ashley Null has become Bishop of North Africa.

He has studied at Yale and Cambridge and is regarded by many as a leading expert on Thomas Cranmer and the theology of the English Reformation. He has also worked as a sports chaplain, counselling Olympic and other elite athletes. He was a keynote speaker at the 2023 conservative Anglican movement GAFCON IV in Kigali. Since 2018, Null has been chairman of the board of the Alexandria School of Theology in Egypt.

Influential evangelical minister John Graham Wesson died on 10 February at his home in Abingdon, aged 86.

As a student he was president of the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union and then became curate for students at St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford. Subsequently he joined the staff of All Souls Langham Place, and then held various posts including teaching at Trinity College, Bristol. He met his wife Jeanne while collecting tickets for a Billy Graham rally. They have a daughter, Carolyn.

Former US vice presidential candidate Nicole Shanahan has converted from Judaism to Christianity.

Announcing her baptism on social media platform X, she wrote: “For over a decade, I identified as Jewish. But now, with the New Testament in my hands, I see the world’s spiritual pain in a way I never could before. It’s like a veil has been lifted, revealing a deeper understanding of the struggle between light and darkness. Today, I am a Jew for Jesus.” she wrote.

Emily Pollok

Date posted: 24 Mar 2025

Annie & The Caldwells, a family ensemble from Mississippi creating vibey disco soul music, are releasing their first album this Spring - and they have a message.

“Each song gives a testimony,” said matriarch Annie Caldwell, who heads up the band, which includes her daughters Deborah and Anjessica, goddaughter Toni Rivers, and sons and husband on drums, bass, and guitar. “I hope and pray to God that it bless somebody else like it been blessing me.”

A leading figure in the Protestant Truth Society (PTS), Gordon Murray, has died.

After a ministry in the Church of England, he left it in 1966 in response to the preaching of Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He joined the PTS Council and became chairman in 1998, stepping down in 2010.

Three Cornhill Scotland training course students have enjoyed a placement week at Kilmallie and Ardnamurchan Free Church of Scotland.

The church reported: “The trio [Tim Groves, Glen Glover and Michelle Tlhabologang] showed real enthusiasm and servant-heartedness throughout the placement.” Their activities included broadcasting a “thought for the day” on local radio station Nevis FM, helping with local ministries, and speaking at midweek events.