Our Team

The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Church Army. Guli is also the Bishop of Chelmsford and a Member of the House of Lords, and she brings a rich tapestry of experience and resilience to her roles.  

Her journey, beginning as a refugee from Iran at the age of 14, weaves a story of determination and faith. Educated at Nottingham and Bristol Universities, she honed her ministry skills at The South East Institute for Theological Education.  

Ordained in 1999, Guli’s service spans across the Diocese of Southwark, London, and Peterborough. Her academic pursuits led her to a doctorate in theology and cross-cultural mission. Beyond her ecclesiastical duties, and as well as chairing the Board of Church Army, she shares insightful reflections on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, enriching listeners with her wisdom and perspectives.

Jude Davis was appointed as Interim CEO in 2024 following Peter Rouch’s departure from Church Army.

Jude has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Church Army Board of Trustees and as the Director of Chaplaincy and Vocations for the last 4 years. She has a wealth of experience across the organisation, with our key partners and the wider Anglican church.

Robin and his wife Diane live in South Yorkshire and they serve in 4 local churches. He first joined Church Army in June 2020 as Chief Operating Officer before moving to Director of Finance and Support Services in June 2023.  

Robin dedicated 15 years of his career to Corporate Banking at Barclays, where he led the UK Regional Community Investment teams for 6 years. Transitioning to the charity sector in 2007, he served as the CEO of a YMCA for 7 years followed by 6 years as a hospice CEO. 

With a rich background in church leadership spanning over 30 years, Robin contributed significantly to the Leadership Team of Christchurch (Baptist) in Welwyn Garden City. Notably, the team initiated a second congregation in town by acquiring a former office building, transforming it into a vibrant community centre and church through a £1.5m project.

John became part of the Church Army Board of Trustees in 2016 after a successful and varied career in Accountancy. Previously, as a partner at a leading accounting firm, he focused on IT audits, training, and innovative audit methods.  

Upon retiring, John and his wife relocated to the picturesque Hope Valley, where they currently manage a holiday rental business. In his leisure time, John has a love of music and is an active member of the Castleton Silver Band who regularly perform together. He is passionate about local churches and often supports them through his expertise in accounting and music.

Bishop Saju’s was born in the state of Kerala, nestled along southern India’s tropical Malabar coast. Growing up in a leprosy hospital in Bangalore, where his mother dedicated her days as a nurse, shaped his compassionate spirit.  

After earning a BA in Theology from the Southern Asia Bible College in Bangalore in 2001, he embarked on an adventure that led him to the UK. It was there that he met his now-wife, Katy, and they began building a life together in the UK while preparing for ordination. Starting from his curacy at St Thomas’ in Lancaster, Bishop Saju’s path took him to St Mark’s in Gillingham before culminating in his consecration as the second Bishop of Loughborough in 2022.  

Bishop Saju has a heart for fostering connections, extending warm hospitality, and inspiring others. He has a passion for sharing the gospel in bright and engaging ways, connecting with people from all ages and backgrounds and whenever the opportunity arises, he loves to encourage people to get involved with his other passion…cricket!

More info to come

Dr Solomon Osagie, a distinguished financial services lawyer, serves as the General Counsel at a leading UK Bank. His remarkable contributions have earned him prestigious nominations for General Counsel of the year and Lawyer of the Year. He has also garnered recognition in the esteemed FT lawyer rankings and the Legal 500.  

Beyond his legal prowess, Dr Osagie is an active member of the Anglican evangelical community and lends his expertise to various advisory boards, including the cross-border payments committee of UK Finance and the governing council of Cranfield University.  

With a rich academic background that includes postgraduate studies at Kings, Solomon holds qualifications as a neuroscientist and is a respected fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health.

Andrew is a Church Army Officer, commissioned in 1998 and elected to the board in 2020, he brings with him a wealth of diverse experience and a wonderfully rich background. He’s served as a Deanery Evangelist in the diocese of London, and he has been a Chaplain with the Mission to Seafarers in both the UK and in Colombo, Sri Lanka where he spent three years.

He has previously worked with the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and is currently licensed in the diocese of Sheffield, where he successfully juggles various part-time roles and training.  

Andrew is happily married to Gemma, a fellow valued member of the Mission Community, and they have a grown-up son, Daniel, who currently lives in Ipswich. Andrew and Gemma are currently enjoying their newest hobby – spending quality time together travelling in their camper van.

More info to come

More info to come

Karen is married to her husband Tim, a retired journalist and they have two grown-up daughters, Amy and Caroline. Karen was commissioned as a Church Army Sister in 2013 after having worked as assistant to Church Army Evangelist, Captain John O’Neil since 2004. 

In November 2017 Karen was appointed to the Board of Trustees along with two other Church Army Evangelists and she is currently the Lead Pioneer Evangelist at the North Belfast Centre of Mission, in partnership with the Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor, where she serves on the Bishop’s staff team. Karen also serves on the newly formed Diocesan Pioneer Ministry Hub. 

As a trained puppeteer and having worked in Children’s ministry for over 45 years, Karen is incredibly passionate about seeing people engage with God, but especially children.

After starting her career in local government career guidance, Karen dedicated fifteen years to the Civil Service College/National School of Government. Subsequently, she spent six years at Lambeth Palace as the pioneering lay Adviser on Bishops’ Ministry to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.  

From 2017 to 2021, Karen ventured into independent work, excelling as a coach, designer, and facilitator of leadership and personal development programmes across public and third sectors. 

Karen holds Masters Degrees in International Development and Learning & Development, reflecting her commitment to continuous growth and knowledge acquisition. In 2021, she was ordained as a Church of England minister, now fulfilling the role of part-time Resident Priest in the north of Hampshire, alongside contributing to the Chaplaincy Team at a local hospice.

Amy is originally from Northern Ireland and has been involved in full time ministry for the last 12 years. She has experience of working in various settings including rural and inner city ministries. For the last six years, Amy has been the Pioneer Evangelist for the Selby Centre of Mission where she has started and grown several initiatives and has developed a supportive and caring local community. 

Amy was commissioned in 2021 and since then she has been appointed on the Board of Trustees for Church Army. She is passionate about journeying alongside people and supporting them through life, no matter what the circumstances. She encourages people through their exploration of faith and supports them as they discover Jesus’ love for them. 

In her spare time, Amy enjoys walks with her dog Fergus who also plays a part in her ministry and she is a keen Manchester United supporter.

Mark is a dedicated individual. He is married to Zoe, and they have two children, Emily and Dylan. With a background leading Pentecostal churches for a decade, Mark also has a wealth of experience in fundraising having worked for a children’s charity and Exeter University Medical School. Mark’s knowledge and experience is truly inspiring.

In 2014, he embarked on a new chapter at Compassion UK, where he made a significant impact as the Senior Director of Partnerships within the Executive Team. Following ten years  of dedicated service at Compassion, Mark now collaborates independently with various Christian ministries and charitable organisations, continuing to positively influence those around him.