NEW CEO APPOINTED TO GERMINATE

The Revd Claire Maxim, Rector of the villages of Ludgershall and Faberstown in the Diocese of Salisbury, will be the CEO of Germinate after the retirement of Jerry Marshall in 2018.

Claire was originally an engineer, has an MBA from Henley Business School, a Diploma in Applied Theology from The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham, and is studying for a Professional Doctorate at the Centre for Rural Ministry Studies at the University of Warwick.

‘Claire’s appointment was a unanimous decision from a field of exceptionally strong candidates,’ said Chairman Howard Petch. ‘We are thrilled that Claire accepted the offer to be the next CEO of Germinate and to build on the foundations laid under the leadership of Jerry Marshall.’

‘This is an exciting though challenging time in rural mission as churches increasingly move towards lay leadership and work ecumenically with a ‘mixed economy’ of traditional and fresh expressions of church,’ said current CEO Jerry Marshall. ‘Claire’s sense of humour, hands-on experience, ecumenical perspective developed at Queen’s and her understanding of the wide variety of rural context will stand her in excellent stead.’

‘I am excited by the direction Germinate has taken over recent years, and look forward to continuing and extending that trajectory’ said Claire Maxim. ‘There is a wide diversity of rural contexts so, in terms of communicating the Gospel, one size does not fit all. Germinate is ideally placed to encourage the sharing of ideas and to enable the peer support necessary to allow risk and failure as well as success.’