The Directors of the Council for World Mission have appointed the Rev Dr Collin I. Cowan to a second term as General Secretary at the annual Council meeting hosted by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Installed in 2011, Rev Cowan has overseen the implementation of CWM’s current mission agenda 2010-2019 anchored on four mission priorities: enabling member bodies to develop missional congregations; deepening partnerships; exercising solidarity and prophetic witness; and reflection and research.  Rev Cowan was commended for his exceptional leadership of the past four years, presiding over major changes and challenges in CWM including governance and management restructuring process, and the relocation of the secretariat from London to Singapore in 2012.

In his acceptance speech, Cowan thanked the council for entrusting the leadership of CWM to him for the next five years, and said with their support and by the mercies and sustaining grace of God, he would lead CWM with renewed resolve to give the best of who he was and of whom he was capable of becoming, for the strengthening of the mission that defined CWM’s understanding of God’s call on their lives.

Rev Cowan is an ordained minister of the said United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Prior to coming to this post he served as General Secretary of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, a union of three denominations. He for the ministry is pastoral theology, with a strong emphasis on unity and inclusiveness. He believes, with passion, that God’s intention is for all creation to live in harmony, the basis of which is justice and peace. To that extent he is committed to follow Jesus in living out the principles of ‘community’ where no one is excluded and everyone is given space to participate and contribute.  In his role as General Secretary of CWM, this passion finds full expression in pursuing mutual accompaniment with each of the member churches to be well positioned to serve God’s mission in their respective contexts.