John & Debby Wright have been commissioned as the new National Directors of Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland, taking over from John & Eleanor Mumford, in a service at Trent Vineyard in Nottingham.
Watch
Watch the commissioning service again in full, including:
:: James Rankine interviewing John & Eleanor Mumford
:: Messages from The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, Nicky Gumbel and Jay & Danielle Pathak
:: Sermon from Vineyard USA’s National Director, Phil Strout.
:: Prayers and Commissioning
Read
John & Debby Wright said:
‘We feel very honoured to have been asked to serve the movement as the next National Directors. The Vineyard in the UK & Ireland is in a very strong position and we have much to thank John & Eleanor for.
The two of us will continue to lead Trent Vineyard in Nottingham, dividing our time and energies equally between the local church and the national movement, working especially with the national leadership group as we maintain the momentum of planting and developing healthy churches. We are excited for this next chapter in the life of the Vineyard, as we pursue all that God has for us.’
In the service at John and Debby’s church over 1,000 people attended to hear the outgoing National Directors John and Eleanor Mumford handover to John and Debby, with congratulatory video messages played from church leaders around the world, including words from Nicky Gumbel and The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby.
John & Eleanor Mumford said:
‘We have known John & Debby for 30 years, and consider them to be godly servants of the Lord. Not only do they have a proven track record of leadership, but they also embody and understand the Vineyard’s vision and values inside out. We have no doubt that they have the wisdom, the energy and the gifting needed to be outstanding National Directors. They are dear friends and are much loved around the UK & Ireland movement and beyond.
Regarding our own future, we are planning to focus our time and energy upon the continued development and momentum of the international Vineyard family. As you may know, it is expanding globally, and our role with it, so there is much work to be done !
Leading the Vineyard family in the UK and Ireland for nigh-on 20 years has been an enormous privilege, has afforded us the greatest joy, and leaves our hearts ‘replete with thankfulness. Of course we will miss all that – not to would be unnatural, after all. We are both deeply thrilled at the prospect of John & Debby taking on a ‘charge’ that is so precious, and very conscious that this development is so clearly at God’s direction.’
Under the Mumford’s Leadership, the Vineyard in the UK & Ireland has expanded from just the two of them, to a movement made up of 116 churches, with around 15,000 people attending these on any given Sunday.
