The Mathetes Trust is an independent UK charity whose purpose is to promote Christian discipleship. The Mathetes Trust is directed by Roger Morgan.
TRUSTEES
Canon Roger Morgan – Chair
Roger was formerly a mathematician in the Engineering Department and head of the Management Studies department at Cambridge University. Whilst in Cambridge he built up a ministry among students and townspeople, and worked in partnership with Daniel Cozens of Through Faith Missions, planning and leading parish missions all over the country. Roger then spent 24 years in parish ministry, serving first as vicar of St Columba’s, Corby and then as vicar of Holy Trinity, Leicester. During his time at Holy Trinity he built up a staff team of 10, planted a new church, developed a multimedia outreach programme, and established a network of cell groups involving over 600 people. During this time he and Alison also founded the Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme which is now in wide use across Africa. After leaving Holy Trinity Roger spent a number of years working with the UK charity ReSource, focussing on mission and mentoring. Roger is the author of many of the books you will find on our Publications page. He now holds Permission to Officiate from the Diocese of Bath & Wells. Roger is a Life Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and in his spare time enjoys chess, walking and cricket (the armchair variety). He and Alison live in Somerset and have three grown up children.
Revd Dr David Archer
Formerly an Earth Observation scientist, David’s doctoral research led to extensive experience working and travelling throughout Africa. He subsequently read theology at Cambridge University and following ordination leads St Mary’s, an Anglican church in Purley on Thames. He also serves as the Area Dean of Bradfield within the Diocese of Oxford. David is a keen Bible teacher with a real heart for Christian discipleship. He is passionate about mission and evangelism, serving on teams both in the UK and overseas. Of particular interest is how the gospel relates to contemporary society. David has been involved in EQUIP groups for many years and is also active in ministry with Rooted in Jesus, most recently leading a team to South Sudan. He also has a deep interest in the Holy Land and experience of leading a tour to Israel and Palestine. David is married to Amelia and they have three children. He is a keen golfer, plays badminton regularly, and whenever he has the opportunity likes to travel and experiment with photography.
Revd Mike Cotterell
Mike spent many years as the Vicar of St Paul’s Church in Slough. St Paul’s is a multi-racial and multi-cultural church which seeks to affirm and equip Christians in personal spirituality, discipleship and witness for everyday life. Mike is an experienced parish priest with particular gifts in the area of pastoral care, helping people to be released from hurts from their past. He enjoys teaching and preaching, he is gifted in healing and deliverance ministry. He has an enabling and encouraging leadership style and appreciates the contribution of all church members. During his time at St Paul’s he used his visionary skills to help s develop the life of the church family and develop plans for the building to meet the future needs of both congregation and community. Mike has long been associated with Rooted in Jesus, leading teams to South Africa, Tanzania and South Sudan. Recently retired from parish ministry, Mike now runs his own carpentry and repair business in Shropshire, where he holds Permission to Officiate from the Diocese of Lichfield and continues to be active in ministry. Mike is married to Barbara, a teacher and artist, and they have four children. He enjoys reading history, walking and cycling.
Canon Andrew Evans
Andrew is the Rector of St Katharine’s Church in Holt, near Trowbridge, and Rural Dean of Bradford in the Diocese of Salisbury. Andrew has been a key member of EQUIP over a number of years, and has been involved both in missions with Roger and with the ministry of Rooted in Jesus in Sudan. Andrew writes: “I am excited by the idea that there is more of God to discover and we never come to the end of what He is able to do. I love Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!” I am hugely encouraged to see how God’s love and favour is changing lives and how the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is becoming very evident in our village churches. What I feel called to do is to seek increasingly to open up our three churches to God’s vibrant life, so that this part of Wiltshire becomes a place that people seek out because they have heard that God’s Presence is here.” Andrew used to be a solicitor before he was called to ordination. He is married to Jo and they have three grown-up children. He paints in oils, escapes to France when he has a chance, and tries to play tennis once a week.
Peter Needle
We are delighted to welcome Peter to our trustee body – watch this space!
ASSOCIATES
Canon John Benson
John is a retired priest living in Chester. Before retirement, he spent 20 years in the Diocese of Singapore where he served as Vicar of St George’s Church, Dean of Cambodia, Director of Training, Dean of Laos and finally as the Vicar of the Chapel of the Resurrection. He continues to make regular visits to Singapore to help with training the clergy. John is actively involved in the ministry of All Saints, Hoole in Chester. He has a wider ministry in the UK that focuses on preaching, teaching, mentoring and writing. He has been leading an EQUIP group based in Chester and he is now developing a new EQUIP group in North Wales. He has been working with parishes that want to move from maintenance to mission. John is married to Anita and they have two grown up daughters and four young grandchildren. Anita has been involved in parish ministry with John – particularly in helping people to discover the relevance of God’s Word in small groups. John was the main speaker at the Diocese of Egypt annual clergy retreat 2017. He holds Permission to Officiate from the Diocese of Chester.
Revd Dr Alison Morgan
Alison has a PhD from Cambridge University and prior to her ordination in 1996 worked as a university lecturer; she is the author of an internationally recognised work on the poet Dante. Following ordination Alison worked for many years alongside her husband Roger in parish ministry, first in Corby and then at Holy Trinity Leicester, where she oversaw the church’s ministry of prayer for healing; and then as thinker and writer for the UK charity ReSource. Alison is the author of many books and course materials, but she is best known for The Wild Gospel, now on its third printing, The Word on the Wind (foreword by Rowan Williams) and Following Jesus: The Plural of Disciple is Church. Alison is also the editor of our Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme for Africa, and of the various training materials which are used to introduce and support it. She holds Permission to Officiate from the Diocese of Bath & Wells. In her spare time Alison enjoys ornithology, walking and photography, and spending time with family. Alison’s website is www.alisonmorgan.uk.
OFFICE MANAGER
Sue Whitehead
Sue is The Mathetes Trust Office Manager. She has lived in Somerset all her life. Sue has been a member of various Anglican churches and is currently a member of her local Methodist church, along with her husband and family. Sue also works part-time for the Diocese of Bath and Wells as an Administrator. She is a keen amateur musician and plays the flute and piano. Sue works part-time for the Trust, usually on Monday afternoons, Tuesdays, Thursday mornings and Friday afternoons.
MINISTRY TEAMS
Our two ministry teams are composed of a wide range of people who travel with and for us on mission.
1. Rooted in Jesus
We have two Rooted in Jesus teams. Our prayer team consists of about twenty dedicated intercessors who support each of our missions in prayer, and our ministry team helps us to deliver the training conferences which introduce and support the Rooted in Jesus discipleship programme within a diocese or denomination in Africa.
Some 280 people have taken part in Rooted in Jesus teams to date. We have a core group of about thirty team leaders, mostly Anglican ministers experienced in the use of small groups within a church context. They are supported by a much wider group of team members – clergy, lay ministers, youth leaders and teachers. A growing number of team leaders and members are drawn from African dioceses where the programme is already in use. We work closely with our African partners, Bishop Stanley Hotay in Tanzania, and Revd Bruce Woolley in South Africa.
To find out more about our Rooted in Jesus partners and teams visit the Rooted in Jesus website.
2. Mission and Ministry in the UK
Within the UK we have a small team of people involved as leaders or team members on our missions and prayer weekends. Each of our church missions involves a small team of people, lay and ordained, who are willing to travel in order to share their faith with others. We also have a growing group of lay ministers who travel with us to help with prayer weekends and mission preparation events.
If you would be interested in joining one of our teams or inviting us to work with you, please do get in touch.
The Mathetes Trust 