The Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson has been elected Moderator-elect for the Free Churches Group. Tessa will serve in that capacity for a year before becoming Moderator in spring 2025.
The Free Churches Group said: “We are delighted to welcome Revd Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson as the new Moderator-elect of the Free Churches Group. Tessa will support the current Moderator, Revd Canon Helen Cameron, in her first year before assuming the Moderator’s role in April 2025. The Free Churches eagerly anticipate working with Tessa over the coming months.”
Tessa said: “I welcome this opportunity to work cooperatively and collaboratively in an ecumenical capacity. My background and ongoing engagements within the United Reformed Church (URC), which is itself an ecumenical union of churches, have uniquely prepared me for this role, emphasising my leadership capabilities as well as my commitment to ecumenism, inclusivity, and justice.”
Tessa has just completed her year as Moderator of the URC General Assembly and continues to have pastorate responsibility for four URC congregations in east London. Her work as the Moderator of the URC General Assembly involved engagements both in the UK and internationally. She has significant experience in church operations, making her well-placed to navigate and lead complex discussions and initiatives across denominations. Her ministerial and professional journey includes significant milestones that align closely with the values and objectives of the Free Churches Group. As the first Black and/or ethnically minoritized woman to serve in her current roles, she is committed to diversity, empowerment, and racial justice.
“I am deeply honoured to become the Moderator-Elect of the Free Churches Group,” add Tessa.
“I look forward to supporting the current Moderator, Revd Canon Helen Cameron, during the first year of a four-year term and to learning more about the work of the Free Churches before assuming the role of Moderator in April 2025.
“As a committed ecumenist, I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with the 27 Free Churches denominations and groups that are members of the Free Churches Group. I see this role as a calling and feel deeply connected to our diverse and vibrant Free Churches community. My extensive experience within the URC has shaped my commitment to ecumenism, inclusivity, and justice.
“I believe that, by working together, we can significantly contribute to the common mission of sharing the love of Jesus Christ and the hope that this love brings to our world.”