Exciting Times for our Staff Team – Welcoming New National Team Members!
By Martin Hodson, General Director, BUS
Over the last couple of years, you have probably heard me talk about the priorities of Transformations, Generations and Innovations. This year, we have had the opportunity to reflect these priorities in a restructuring of the staff team, which was approved by our Council in March. The new staff will begin in September, when both Jim Purves and Peter Dick will be concluding their long and faithful service on the National Team. The new structure will restore staffing levels to more or less the same level they were at the start of 2019.
Below is a short biography of each new team member and we are really looking forward to them joining us in September. Do join with us in prayer as our new colleagues prepare to take up their roles in the coming months.
Finance Director
Brian Windram from Leith Baptist Church will fulfil this role, which includes overseeing the finances of the Union, including financial gifts to churches support for local church treasurers. Brian is a chartered accountant who worked with a large corporate organisation and then went on to teach accountancy at Edinburgh Napier University for many years. He is an elder and worship leader in his local church and has been on the BUS Council for several years.
Leadership Development Lead
Andrew Clarke from Garioch Church will focus on leadership development, exploring new ways of equipping leaders in our churches as well guiding the accreditation programme for ministers and supporting continual ministry development. Andrew’s previous distinguished academic career focused especially on churches and leadership in the New Testament. He has been involved in the formation of ministers for many years as well co-leading a church plant in Aberdeenshire.
Deeper Church Lead
Lisa Holmes, senior minister at Skipton Baptist Church in Yorkshire, will take on this role which focuses on encouraging and highlighting the priority of prayer, spiritual formation and disciple-making across our churches. Lisa has been a pastor for over 20 years, before which she worked for UCCF. She is on the leadership team of Spring Harvest and the council of the Evangelical Alliance. She brings a wide experience as a Bible teacher and a rich understanding of prayer and Christian spirituality.
Communications Lead
Lyndsay Cameron-Ross from Adelaide Place Baptist Church will lead the next phase of the development of our communications strategy, with a special focus on increasing the way we share stories and testimonies from across our network of churches. Lyndsay brings a breadth of experience, having worked with Glasgow City Mission, spent time as leadership development consultant and honed her comms skills in the voluntary sector.
Digital Church Lead
Ali Laing, who is currently our Younger Generation Lead, will give 50% of his time to this new role, supporting churches as we explore the potential of the turn to digital in mission, worship and connectedness. Ali is currently working on postgraduate studies in Digital Theology. Ali will continue as Younger Generation Lead for the other 50% of his time and we will continue to support this with the annual appointment of a Young Leader Support team member.
Future Church Lead
Glenn Innes, Minister of Portobello Baptist Church will be working part-time for Portobello Baptist and part-time for our network of churches as Future Church Lead. Glenn is currently chair of our Mission Initiative Group, has served on Council for a number of years in this capacity and has provided input into a number of our gatherings from a mission perspective. Glenn has a lifelong passion for mission, church planting and developing innovative forms of church. Glenn will be helping us as a network explore innovations in mission and discipleship to enable a greater outreach to our diverse communities in Scotland.
