We are delighted to announce that the Board have appointed the Ven Dr Peter Rouch to the CEO role. Peter is currently working on the transforming effectiveness agenda for the Church of England and until recently was Archdeacon in the Winchester Diocese. Peter has been a long-time supporter of Church Army, having been involved with the Southampton Centre of Mission during his time as Archdeacon of Bournemouth.
After an early career with Barclays Bank, Peter trained for ministry at Westcott House in Cambridge. A curacy in London was followed by a period as a research fellow on the staff of St Stephen’s House in Oxford. Peter was Priest in Charge of two parishes near the centre of Manchester, where people struggled with lots of the challenges that will be so familiar to those who have served in the Church Army mission community. Peter says that this period of ministry was hugely significant in shaping his passions and priorities. After nearly a decade as Archdeacon of Bournemouth, serving across the breadth of Anglican traditions, and a short period at Lambeth, Peter is hugely looking forward to becoming part of Church Army.
Peter is married to Tracey who trained as a youth worker and has created several youth projects, all of which continue to flourish. Tracey has been leading mental health support for young people in a large city-wide youth project in Southampton. Peter and Tracey have two daughters: Rebecca studies flute at the Guildhall School of Music in London and Kezia studies Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Birmingham. The boundless energy of Jaffa, the Brittany Spaniel, completes the household.
Peter says: “There is, of course, understandable interest in what I have done and the places I have ministered until now. It strikes me, however, that when all this has been said, the story’s hardly been told. That story is written in the people with whom I have been privileged to share my life; people too numerous to name individually, whose gifts and wisdom have shaped me. It seems to me that deeply embedded in the heart of Church Army is this very understanding, that it is our lives and the practical love we offer that must join our words as we proclaim the God of love. Lives shape lives and the life of God in Christ shapes all.
I have watched the videos and read the blogs; “We are Church Army”. In the context of the centres of mission, the key projects, those who encourage and enable the evangelism of God’s people and support this mission with research and practical care, that is a wonderful thing to be able to claim. At this point, I would like to thank the trustees, senior staff and especially Des Scott for their leadership and care in this period of transition and discovery for Church Army. I am excited, humbled and challenged that the trustees have invited me to weave my life with yours within the Church Army mission community. I look forward so very much to this and to being able to place my life alongside your own in service of God and say with you, “We are Church Army”.
Peter, together with his wife Tracey, will be moving to Sheffield to take up the post probably in May.
We are delighted to announce that the Board have appointed the Ven Dr Peter Rouch to the CEO role. Peter is currently working on the transforming effectiveness agenda for the Church of England and until recently was Archdeacon in the Winchester Diocese. Peter has been a long-time supporter of Church Army, having been involved with the Southampton Centre of Mission during his time as Archdeacon of Bournemouth.
After an early career with Barclays Bank, Peter trained for ministry at Westcott House in Cambridge. A curacy in London was followed by a period as a research fellow on the staff of St Stephen’s House in Oxford. Peter was Priest in Charge of two parishes near the centre of Manchester, where people struggled with lots of the challenges that will be so familiar to those who have served in the Church Army mission community. Peter says that this period of ministry was hugely significant in shaping his passions and priorities. After nearly a decade as Archdeacon of Bournemouth, serving across the breadth of Anglican traditions, and a short period at Lambeth, Peter is hugely looking forward to becoming part of Church Army.
Peter is married to Tracey who trained as a youth worker and has created several youth projects, all of which continue to flourish. Tracey has been leading mental health support for young people in a large city-wide youth project in Southampton. Peter and Tracey have two daughters: Rebecca studies flute at the Guildhall School of Music in London and Kezia studies Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Birmingham. The boundless energy of Jaffa, the Brittany Spaniel, completes the household.
Peter says: “There is, of course, understandable interest in what I have done and the places I have ministered until now. It strikes me, however, that when all this has been said, the story’s hardly been told. That story is written in the people with whom I have been privileged to share my life; people too numerous to name individually, whose gifts and wisdom have shaped me. It seems to me that deeply embedded in the heart of Church Army is this very understanding, that it is our lives and the practical love we offer that must join our words as we proclaim the God of love. Lives shape lives and the life of God in Christ shapes all.
I have watched the videos and read the blogs; “We are Church Army”. In the context of the centres of mission, the key projects, those who encourage and enable the evangelism of God’s people and support this mission with research and practical care, that is a wonderful thing to be able to claim. At this point, I would like to thank the trustees, senior staff and especially Des Scott for their leadership and care in this period of transition and discovery for Church Army. I am excited, humbled and challenged that the trustees have invited me to weave my life with yours within the Church Army mission community. I look forward so very much to this and to being able to place my life alongside your own in service of God and say with you, “We are Church Army”.
Peter, together with his wife Tracey, will be moving to Sheffield to take up the post probably in May.
We had a vibrant mission in western Washington State founded by a member of the Church Army . Lots of stuff going on with the area youth. Morning prayer each Sunday with Holy Communion once a month with a priest passing through. Those were the days. Haven’t heard much about the Church Army since.
The Church Army USA is alive and well! It is an active member of the Anglican Global Mission Partnership as well as the ACNA Matthew 25 Initiative. Its Director is Rev Greg Miller an REC priest and is headquartered in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh in the Uncommon Grounds Cafe Aliquippa PA.. The Cafe is an outreach in a decimated rustbelt community across the Ohio River from Trinity School for Ministry Ambridge PA. Trinity and Church Army have combined to offer a Certificate of Evangelism training course . The Church Army also has outreaches in Hartford CT, Branson MO, and Ocala FL to mention but a few. “We are Church Army” Rev David Wilson – Church Army Board of Directors
I remember being involved with a Church Army mission in a remote Anglo-Catholic parish where I was living about 60 years ago. It was an interesting place for an Anglican evangelical from Sydney Diocese. Prior to that I got to know in his retirement the man who introduced the Church Army to Australia, John Cowland. He had an unusual approach at times. Apparently when he was taking a service at a gaol for the first trime and the men were noisy and restless, he would shout in his very loud voice “You can all go to hell!” That brought instant silence, and he would add “but you don’t have to!” The Church Army was active amongst servicemen during WWII and I was told that their men were sometimes mistakenly regarded as Salvation Army workers.