Although certain people have been appointed to serve the church in specific ways, we actually have around 150 ministers at Magdalen Road. We encourage every person in the church to use their unique gifts and experiences to serve one another and the wider community. In our life together we aim to imitate Christ in speech, love and service, so that we may nurture one another towards Christian maturity.
Staff
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Andrew Sweasey - Pastor
Andrew joined MRC as Pastor in January 2025. He is married to Helen and together they have four children. Before moving to Oxford, Andrew was Pastor of Christ Church Trumpington in Cambridge from its inception in 2014 for just over 10 years. Prior to training for church ministry Andrew was a Chartered Surveyor and worked in project management for a construction consultancy.
Andrew has a heart for sharing the good news of Jesus with people from all backgrounds and is excited by the prospect of serving the church and community at and around MRC. In his spare time he enjoys family walks with their dog, cycling, watching football and cricket, and settling down with a
good book.
Contact Andrew |
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James Hume - Manager & Deacon for the Old Schoolhouse
In 2018 the church moved from its historic home on Magdalen Road into its new home, the Old Schoolhouse, around the corner on Hertford Street. With a vision to share its home with many others in the community. In 2021 MRC brought James onto the staff team part time to oversee the practical running of the building. He also chairs the Old Schoolhouse Development Team which leads the project for the church. Originally from London, James also works for an IT Consultancy specialising in data. He’s married to Liz and together they spend their time trying to keep their son Thaddeus from pushing all his toys under the sofa.
Contact James
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Administrator
The position of Administrator is vacant at present but is covered a few hours a week by Esther Field
Contact: Administrator |
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Elders
The overall leadership and direction of the church is the responsibility of our elders, who meet regularly to discuss and pray for all aspects of the life of the church. The elders are Andrew Sweasey and
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Charlie Currie
Charlie has been in Oxford since studying Physics as an undergraduate from 1998 to 2002, and has been part of Magdalen Road Church since 2003. He teaches Physics A level in a school in North Oxford. Charlie and Ruth live just off the Cowley road, with their daughters Esther and Chloe, and occasional lodgers. Ruth is a Social Worker, based in Abingdon. Outside of teaching Charlie nurtures gentle obsessions with science fiction, board games, and bad cinema.
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Jeremy Fowler
Jeremy studied History in the late 90s here in Oxford and met Joy when she was working at the JR as a nurse. After studying at Oak Hill Theological College, they lived for 11 years with their four children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where Jeremy ran a language consultancy and Joy worked with women and children, especially with the many families displaced and traumatised by war. After relocating to Oxford, Jeremy now works with a Christian organisation, researching and writing on issues related to Kurds and the Middle East, and also helps pay the bills in expensive Oxford with some domestic window-cleaning. You might bump into him either jogging round town with Headington Road Runners or chatting with Kurdish friends at one of Oxford’s 30 or so Kurdish eateries!
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Trustees
The Elders are the main trustees of the charity that is the legal construction of the church, and from time to time others are appointed by the church to help with these charitable responsibilities.
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Deacons
Deacons are usually appointed by the church to oversee specific ministries. They have responsibility for the day-to-day management of their particular ministries under the leadership of the elders. The current deacons are James Hume (Deacon for The Old Schoolhouse) and:
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James Greig - Homegroups
James and his wife Emily have been living in Marston and part of MRC since 2007. James is a partner in an Oxford solicitors and Emily works part time as administrator for a local grant-making charity and is an amateur historian. Their children Alastair and Isabelle are grown-up.
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Martin Groth - Deacon & Trustee
Martin became a Christian in the church where he grew up in the 1970s. He is married to Rosie and separately and together they have served the church in Uganda and Tanzania. They have lived in Oxford for the last 20 years and have been part of Magdalen Road Church for that time; their two now teenage children have also grown up in the church family. Martin is the ICT manager at a Christian mission agency in Oxford and Rosie is a teacher of RE.
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