BISHOP Jonathan has appointed an interim Director of Mission and Discipleship to support our parishes as they share God’s love.

The Rev Andrew Hargreaves will move from his current position as associate leader of Harbour Church, Portsmouth, and Dean of Planting and Revitalisation, to take up this role from October 1. He had previously worked for our diocese as mission development officer for three years before taking up his post with Harbour Church.

Andrew will lead the team that manages training for clergy, Readers and lay ministers; supports candidates through vocations and ordination training; advises on areas such as worship, healing ministry, church planting and pioneer ministry; and inspires our parishes in evangelism and mission.

He will also take on a new role, managing our support for parishes as they embark on the Revive, Revitalisation and Renew strands of our diocesan strategy. That involves leading on our support for areas such as creating new Flourish worshipping communities, planting new congregations and helping parishes to create new pathways to discipleship.

The role contains many elements of the position held by Canon Anthony Rustell as our diocese’s Director of Mission and Ministry. Anthony has now been appointed as interim priest-in-charge at Dorking with Ranmore in Guildford diocese after a decade of service for our diocese in this role.

Andrew said: “It has been my privilege to live and serve in the diocese over the past seven years. Portsmouth diocese is a place full of character and great people where God is on the move in such a range of exciting ways. It's such an honour to continue to join in.

“I am delighted to be offered this exciting opportunity to play my part in helping us with the new diocesan strategy to revive, revitalise and renew under God. The vision we share to be Jesus-centred, Kingdom-seeking resonates deeply with me as we encourage one another to be with Jesus, become like Jesus and do the things that Jesus did.

“This role fits with my life call to help make disciples and renew the church, celebrating and honouring the old as we embrace what God is doing in the new. I am naturally an encourager, enthusiast and change agent, which are all attributes I hope I can bring to the role as I serve with such a wonderful team across every parish and school in the diocese.

“I’m honoured to take on this position in succession to Anthony, whose tireless dedication to enhancing ministry and mission across our diocese was apparent to all.”

Andrew was originally a primary school teacher in Fareham, and then worked in community regeneration in East London for four years before training for ordination at Trinity College, Bristol. He was a curate in Southampton for four years and then vicar in Glossop, Derbyshire, for more than five years before moving back to Portsmouth in 2017.

He served as mission development officer for our diocese, advising parishes on mission and evangelism, and became deputy head of Mission, Discipleship and Mission – the diocesan team that he’ll now be leading.

He switched to work as a member of the leadership team at Harbour Church in 2020, and – among other things – he was interim leader during the vacancy there. He has also been one of our representatives on the Church of England’s General Synod since 2021.