People

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 30 Sep 2026

Jane Haining, a Scottish missionary who cared for Christian and Jewish children at a Budapest school in the 1930s, has been honoured on a special memorial wall at Auschwitz.

On 3 September, relatives took part in a memorial service at Auschwitz outside block nine, where she had been held prisoner. In November 2025, a brass Stolperstein - “stumbling stone” - in memory of Haining was installed outside the former St Stephen’s Church building in Edinburgh.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 29 Sep 2026

The Evangelical Alliance’s (EA) new advocacy and policy coordinator in Wales says she’s “always prayed for a role like this”.

Inioluwa Longe, a Nigerian-qualified lawyer with a background in human rights law, policy and public affairs, is aiming to strengthen relationships between Members of the Senedd (MSs) and the EA.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 28 Sep 2026

Christ Church Edinburgh has ordained and inducted Will Sanders as its new minister.

Sanders is a recent graduate of Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS), and has served as Minister-in-Training at Redeemer Church Edinburgh. Around 200 people gathered for the induction service in early September, which was led by Alistair Wilson of ETS.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 27 Sep 2026

Author, trainer and broadcaster Andy Peck has died following a short battle with cancer.

Peck wrote or co-wrote 19 Christian books including The Leadership Road Less Travelled: Leading as God Intended, Coached by Christ and Pastoral Care Essentials. He spent four years in student ministry, served in pastoral ministry in three churches, and – after developing training courses looking at the Bible in one of his pastoral roles – later went on to join CWR (the Crusade for World Revival, now known as Waverley Abbey), writing and delivering courses.

Geoffrey Cox, who has died aged 93, was one of the last generation of Puritan clergy in the Church of England who knew both Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Jim Packer through their joint leadership of the Puritan Studies Conference which ran in the 1950s and 60s. Geoffrey was the conference organiser.

Later, after the parting of the ways, he was, with Packer, a member of the Church of England Reformed Fellowship. He exemplified the very best of the Puritan pastor and preacher who represented the once common tradition of the well-read, scholarly Church of England incumbent.

Emeritus Professor Max Turner passed away on Saturday 15 August and a Service of Thanksgiving for his life and ministry was held on 3 September at St Andrew’s Church, Chorleywood.

Martin Maximillian Barnaby Turner, known simply as Max Turner, was born in Stirling, Scotland, moved around the UK as a child, and lived in Cyprus for several years before moving back to the UK. He attended the University of Cambridge to study medicine. However, he had a dramatic conversion experience during a university mission led by the evangelist David Watson. Subsequently, he changed his studies to theology, at which he excelled. This, in turn, led him to study for a PhD degree on the topic of Spirit reception texts in Luke-Acts, also at the University of Cambridge. He was awarded his degree in 1980.

Nicola Laver

Date posted: 29 Aug 2026

Wes Erpen is retiring from Birmingham City Mission (BCM) after 51 years’ service – 30 as CEO. He has also been the pastor at Fatherless Barn Evangelical Church in Halesowen for more than 20 years.

Established in 1966 – BCM celebrates 60 years this year – it is young for a city mission (London City Mission, for example, dates back to 1835 and Glasgow City Mission even earlier, to 1826).

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 22 Aug 2026

National charity Church Urban Fund (CUF) – which works with local partners to help them reach out to their communities – has announced Chris Cummings as its new Chair of Trustees. Cummings succeeds Sue Chalkley, who held the role for 18 months.

Cummings said: “I am honoured to be taking over the role of chair of the CUF board from Sue who is [an] inspirational leader. CUF is going through a period of renewal, where it is right we set bold objectives for the charity given the times we are facing and the needs of our beneficiaries. With God’s grace CUF can be a powerful agent for change, stepping up to meet the challenges that face us.”

Missionary to Belgium and author Clive Every-Clayton (1942-2026) has died in Scotland after a long battle with cancer.

As a young man growing up in London, Clive was brought to faith in Christ by an evangelist on a youth group camp. He and his brother Glenn soon felt a calling to international missions and his involvement with Operation Mobilization led him to Belgium where he met his wife Dorothy.

James Patterson

Date posted: 15 Aug 2026

The Synod of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) has approved the appointment of James Leggett as an Assistant Bishop.

The decision will now be submitted to the Chair of the Global Anglican Council, Archbishop Laurent Mbanda. The Global Anglican Council is a new name for the leadership team of Gafcon, the Bible-based organisation distinct from the existing Anglican Communion. AMiE is affiliated to Gafcon.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 13 Aug 2026

A TikToker known for her tarot content has publicly declared her faith in Jesus, seemingly deleted all her old content, and said she will no longer give readings.

A “TikToker” is a content creator who produces and shares short videos on the TikTok social media platform. Alexandra Ashcroft, formerly known as “Alex Reads Tarot”, has begun to share Christian content. “Over the past nearly a year, my faith has become the most important thing in my life,” she says in a video. “I can no longer ignore what I feel, and where I feel God is leading me,” she adds. “And I feel at peace with taking this next step… Jesus Christ has saved my life”.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 11 Aug 2026

Mark Cartledge is stepping down as Principal of London School of Theology (LST) for health reasons; he will move to being a part-time research professor from September.

“All of the LST community are really appreciative of everything that Mark has contributed in his leadership over what will be seven years of service,” says a statement signed by Chair of Trustees, Peter Oakes. “We particularly value the way in which Mark led us through challenging situations, especially the Covid crisis.” At the same time that Cartledge steps down, his wife Joan plans to retire from LST, where she has worked in academic events and alumni relations.

Lydia Houghton

Date posted: 7 Aug 2026

Tiffany Barrans has been appointed as the new CEO of Open Doors UK and Ireland. She succeeds Henrietta Blyth who has held the position for eight years.

Barrans has worked for nine years as Director of Advocacy at Open Doors International. “Tiffany’s long history of working in the wider Open Doors family to support and stand alongside the persecuted church is an excellent basis for leading Open Doors UK and Ireland into this new season,” the organisation says. Barrans has also worked as an international human-rights barrister, and has served as an independent consultant for several international Christian charities. She is due to start in the position on 7 September 2026.