The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have announced the appointment of the Revd Dr Steven Croft as Archbishops' Missioner. Dr Croft, who is 47, is currently Warden of Cranmer Hall, Durham. The post of Archbishops' Missioner has been created following the conclusion of the successful Springboard project launched by Dr George Carey in 1992.

The main focus of Dr Croft's work will be to be the team leader of the successor project Fresh Expressions. This is intended to build on the previous work and to help churches and parishes develop for a changing future. The project, which will work across the church from its base in Oxford, is to be launched formally later in the year.

Dr Williams said that the work of mission constantly challenged the church to be innovative in its thinking, "As we celebrate Pentecost, we are reminded that the Church's life begins in a moment of outreach, speaking the language of strangers. The Archbishop of York and I are thrilled that Dr Croft is taking up this new challenge. We hope that Fresh Expressions will help churches and congregations explore the excitement of the Spirit's work in reaching out and helping us learn how to speak of the Good News in new languages."

Dr Croft said that mission is a central part of the churches' calling in every generation:

"God calls the church in every time and place to demonstrate love and to share good news. In the present time the church in England needs both a proper confidence and a proper humility in that task combined with a renewed vision of what the church itself is called to be. I am delighted to be invited to take up this new role."