THE Diocese of St Asaph has opened a second centre of mission in partnership with The Church Army.

The new North Coast of Wales Centre of Mission is based in Canolfan Dewi Sant in Pensarn, near Abergele.

It follows the success of the first Centre of Mission in Caia Park in Wrexham.

A new lead evangelist, Jo Leslie, was licenced by the Archdeacon of St Asaph, the Venerable Andy Grimwood, at a special service on April 3. Jo will begin work next week.

Andy said: “We are delighted to welcome Jo to North Wales and look forward to supporting her as she builds on and develops the existing ministry along the North Wales coast.”

Church Army centres of missions are hubs that build relationships, support those living in poverty, and grow creative, accessible church communities.

They run in partnership with existing churches, and in this case will support the work of congregations in the Aled and Aber-Morfa Mission Areas.

The Church Army’s regional development officer for Wales, Leoni Oxenham, added: “We are delighted to welcome Jo Leslie as the new lead evangelist at the North Wales Coast CoM.

“Jo was commissioned as a Church Army evangelist last summer and she has moved to us from her current role as a community worker, evangelist and missional leader at Communities of Hope in Hartlepool.

“Please pray for Jo and her cat Zach as they move to the area, and pray for Jo’s ministry as she moves into this exciting new role.

“We will be recruiting a pioneer evangelist to work alongside Jo later on in the year.”

Canolfan Dewi Sant is both a church and community centre offering a base to local services such as Citizens Advice Conwy, Abergele Stroke Club and various martial arts and fitness groups.

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It is part of the Aled Mission Area which covers the communities of Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-Sea, Abergele on the coast and Llansannan, Betws y Rhos and more rural communities along the river Aled.

Aled Mission Area and Aber-Morfa Mission Area are part of the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses in the Church in Wales.

The North Coast centre of Mission will the Church Army’s seventh centre of mission in Wales.