Hodsons on the Move

Margot and Martin Hodson

Margot and Martin Hodson will be moving in the summer to West Oxfordshire to take up a new ministry. The Hodsons have been looking for a way to give more time to their environmental work while keeping their roots in local parish ministry. They are delighted to announce their move to the Shill Valley and Broadshire Benefice, where Margot will be licensed as half-time Associate Minister in early September. Alongside this post, she will be taking up the part-time (self-supporting) role of Theology and Education Director for the John Ray Initiative (JRI).

St Matthew's Church Langford

Shill Valley and Broadshire Benefice covers a group of parishes south of Burford and is led by the full-time Rector, Revd Harry MacInnes. Margot is delighted to join Harry on his team and will be looking forward to meeting everyone in the benefice. The Hodsons will be moving to the vicarage in the village of Filkins in the summer.

Margot will continue to support JRI, A Rocha and the wider church with her environmental work in theology and education across the UK and beyond. She plans to help to develop courses and educational initiatives to resource church leaders and wider church members in caring for God’s earth as part of Christian mission and discipleship. The JRI office is in Gloucester and much of the Hodson’s teaching is in and around Oxford. So the new location will be very positive.

St Mary's, Haddenham

Margot is currently Rector of Wychert Vale Benefice, leading a team serving parishes between Thame and Aylesbury. She has been in ministry there for ten years and in that time has overseen a major benefice merger. Each church has a special identity and she has loved seeing each one flourish in its own way. Margot has also appreciated getting to know the wider communities. The Hodson’s home has been in the village of Haddenham and they have enjoyed being involved in many aspects of village life, including local environmental initiatives. They will really miss Haddenham, Kingsey, Cuddington, Aston Sandford, Stone, Dinton and the other villages!

Wheat Phytolith

Martin’s work will not change very much. He will carry on teaching for both universities in Oxford, and with his academic research. Martin works one day a week for JRI as their Operations Director, is Principal Tutor for Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES), a distance learning course that is based at Ripon College Cuddesdon, and speaks and writes widely about faith and environment. He may also continue with a little preaching.

About JRI: The John Ray Initiative is an educational charity with a vision to bring together scientific and Christian understandings of the environment in a way that can be widely communicated and lead to effective action. JRI's mission is to promote responsible environmental stewardship in accordance with Christian principles and the wise use of science and technology. Much of the environmental work the Hodsons intend to pursue will be carried out through JRI, and if you would like to support the work of JRI please go HERE.

This is the start of a new venture and the Hodsons will value the good wishes of all who know them and prayers from those of faith as they embark on a new stage of life and ministry.