The trustees of the Council for World Mission (CWM) have appointed the Revd Dr Collin Cowan as CWM’s new general secretary at the recent Trustee Body meeting in Hong Kong.

Dr Cowan, general secretary of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI), will start his new role at the beginning of 2011. In his acceptance speech he expressed humility and gratitude for the vote of confidence the organisation had shown in calling him to this role.

Dr Cowan, 52, said he intends to promote a “partnership of peace”, and would be committed to making CWM an “agent of peace-making”. He also welcomed the opportunity to develop a close-knit working team with existing staff at CWM and paid tribute to the present general secretary the Revd Dr Des van der Water, who completes his term at the end of 2010.

CWM is a partnership of churches in mission, mainly from the Reformed sector of the Christian community, and includes the URC.

South Western Synod has links with the  South Middlesex area council area of the UCJCI, and the Revd David Grosch-Miller, moderator of South Western Synod says:  “We congratulate Collin on his appointment and are delighted that his many gifts will now be made available to a much wider audience.  We have always enjoyed our opportunities to meet and share with Collin, in particular his vision for the church in Jamaica and throughout the CWM family.”

Dr Cowan’s appointment comes at a critical time for CWM. The charity is undertaking a major review of its life, work and mission, and its trustees are currently discussing a new strategy that will take CWM forward into the next decade.

CWM works in six regions across the world – Africa, the Caribbean, East Asia, Europe, the Pacific and South Asia.

http://www.cwmission.org/