[Church in Wales] An officer responsible for lay training, mission and coaching has been appointed to the new Diocesan post of Director of Ministry and Discipleship.

Canon Richard Lowndes, whose current brief also includes being the Diocesan Advocate for the Church in Wales Review, takes up his new post with immediate effect.

In his new role, Canon Richard will head up key diocesan areas of activity in ministry, vocation, discipleship, mission and lay training – he will also be joining the senior staff team of the Diocese.

The appointment comes three years after Canon Richard returned to Wales to help with lay training, coaching parishioners and supporting the clergy – having spent the previous eight years as senior manager in spiritual care, bereavement care and voluntary services at the University Hospital Southampton.

Originally from Pembrokeshire, Richard served as a hospital chaplain at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, whilst he was a curate of St German’s, Roath, before moving to London as a hospital chaplain in 1996. He also served in the Rhondda as vicar of the parish of Tylorstown and Ynyshir.

Canon Richard, who is looking forward to his new role, said, “We have a considerable challenge ahead of us as a Church. We have all the recommendations from the Church in Wales Review to consider whilst also honouring the culture and heritage of this diocese.

“The aim is to equip the clergy and the lay people, as we set up ministry areas, with the right skills so that we have a church that is dynamic and able to flourish in this new era for the Church in Wales.

“We need to bring the lay people to the fore, we need to recognise and value the ministry that lay people can exercise, whilst not losing the core function of the clergy and our Anglican identity.”

At  the core of the Church’s strategy for growth, called 2020 Vision, following the Church in Wales Review is the creation of ‘Ministry Areas’ replacing the pattern of smaller parishes led by one cleric.

Richard was appointed following an interview panel headed by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, who is also Bishop of Llandaff.

The Archbishop said, “Canon Richard Lowndes has been the Lay Training Officer for the diocese for the last three years and has proved his worth as a teacher, enabler and listener. He will now be responsible for both ordained and lay ministry training in the diocese, having oversight of all its aspects and being especially involved with the Continuing Ministerial training of the clergy. He will bring his considerable gifts to this newly created post and the diocese will benefit greatly from them.”

Richard is a Canon emeritus of Winchester Cathedral.