John & Debby Wright said:

‘We feel very honoured to have been asked to serve the movement as the next National Directors.  The Vineyard in the UK & Ireland is in a very strong position and we have much to thank John & Eleanor for.  We will continue to work closely with them during these next few months of this long-planned transition, which will culminate in our commissioning on Saturday 19th September 2015.

The two of us will continue to lead Trent Vineyard in Nottingham, dividing our time and energies equally between the local church and the national movement, working especially with the national leadership group as we maintain the momentum of planting and developing healthy churches.  We are excited for this next chapter in the life of the Vineyard, as we pursue all that God has for us.’

John & Eleanor Mumford said:

‘We have known John & Debby for almost 30 years, and consider them to be godly servants of the Lord. Not only do they have a proven track record of leadership, but they also embody and understand the Vineyard’s vision and values inside out. We have no doubt that they have the wisdom, the energy and the gifting needed to be outstanding National Directors.  They are dear friends and are much loved around the UK & Ireland movement and beyond.

Regarding our own future, we are planning to focus our time and energy upon the continued development and momentum of the international Vineyard family.  As you may know, it is expanding globally, and our role with it, so there is much work to be done !

Leading the Vineyard family in the UK and Ireland for nigh-on 20 years has been an enormous privilege, has afforded us the greatest joy, and leaves our hearts ‘replete with thankfulness.’. Of course we will miss all that – not to would be unnatural, after all.  We are both deeply thrilled at the prospect of John & Debby taking on a ‘charge’ that is so precious, and very conscious that this development is so clearly at the God’s direction.’

Under the Mumford’s Leadership, the Vineyard in the UK & Ireland has expanded from just the two of them, to a movement made up of 116 churches, with over 15,000 people attending these on any given Sunday.  Plans for the Commissioning will be announced in due course.

John & Debby have been serving together in pastoral ministry since 1989. John initially trained and worked for a number of years as a jeweller before studying at London Bible College. Debby lived in Chile until she was 13 and later moved to Nottingham to train as a dancer and artist, her father is the Anglican bishop, David Pytches, who founded the New Wine network.

They first got involved with the Vineyard movement in 1982 and in 1987 they spent 8 months as interns at Anaheim Vineyard (under John Wimber, the leader of the Vineyard Movement in the USA). Following their time at Anaheim they returned to England to help John and Eleanor Mumford start the first UK Vineyard (SW London Vineyard.)

Will John & Debby continue to lead Trent Vineyard?

Yes. John & Debby remain fully committed to Trent Vineyard, and to serving the City of Nottingham. They will continue to lead Trent, which the Lord has been very clear about, dividing their time and energies equally between the local church and the national movement. They will also be very present on Sundays at Trent.

Is that similar to how John & Eleanor have divided their time?

It’s very similar. For some time now John & Eleanor have been dividing their time between National and International commitments, without disruption to the day-to-day running of the UK & Ireland movement.

John & Debby will follow a very similar pattern, sharing their time between local and national commitments. They will especially be working closely with the national leadership group as they maintain the momentum of planting and developing healthy churches.

What is the significance of John & Eleanor taking on an International role?

It has become apparent that the Vineyard is growing rapidly Internationally and a new role is emerging for John & Eleanor, which, with the blessing of the other National Directors around the world, allows them to use their experience and knowledge to help progress the growth and development of the Vineyard globally.
Simultaneously, they have felt that God has spoken to them about having achieved what he intended them to do in the UK & Ireland and it being the right time to transition their existing role.

John & Debby are ideal successors for the UK & Ireland and take on an established movement which is on a very strong footing.

What was the process of choosing John & Debby?

It has been clear for some time that John & Debby would be the natural choice for the role of National Directors. However, before approaching them John & Eleanor ‘sounded out’ several leaders of other movements and denominations, asking who they thought would be the ideal candidate. Unanimously and without exception, they all came back with the same names – those of John & Debby Wright.

John & Debby are widely regarded as being godly servants of the Lord; fulfilling the criteria contained in 1 Timothy 3; embodying and understanding the Vineyard’s vision and values inside out, as well as having a proven track record of leadership. Additionally, they are visionaries, and gifted and effective communicators.

They have developed increasing respect nationally and internationally, both inside and outside of the Vineyard.

This sounds well planned, how long has the transition been in the pipeline for?

For years John & Eleanor have been praying and talking about the movement’s future – they have always seen an important final task of this particular role (you might even call it an important way of serving the movement) to oversee the transition of the national leadership.

As part of this planning, several years ago the Leadership Group and Trustees formed a national transition process, ready for use when needed and which we’ve since implemented fully.

John & Debby accepted John & Eleanor’s proposal in January 2013, committing themselves to the lengthy process of a healthy transition. The Leadership Group unanimously gave their full support to this decision in September 2013 and the Vineyard Trustees approved this shortly afterwards.
The transition will culminate in a commissioning service in September 2015.

Are John & Eleanor moving away from the UK?

John & Eleanor will still be located in the UK, but will need to provide hands-on support in different parts of the world as well. They have every intention of attending National events and supporting John & Debby in whichever way is most helpful, which may include attending or speaking at various events.

Can you explain the episcopal model, which the Vineyard operates under?

Much like the Church of England and the Catholic Church, the Vineyard follows the episcopal model of church rather than ‘congregational’ or ‘presbyterian.’
It is clear in the New Testament that there was a system of oversight over people and churches. The terminology seems to be interchangeable i.e. deacon, bishop, overseer and the exact function shows that they were to look after the people in their care and offer direction and counsel and leadership in the church.
We believe that God appoints leaders to lead, and where God is leading in a certain direction our leaders who, as ‘overseers’ of the movement, will follow in that direction.

This has always been the process in the oversight of the Vineyard movement and was also the case in the matter of choosing the new National Directors and transitioning the leadership of the Vineyard.

What happens next?

The commissioning is planned for September 19th 2015. In the months until then John & Eleanor and John & Debby will continue to work closely together.
In addition to this, John & Debby will take some time out in the summer to seek the Lord, before fully taking on the role in September.

Plans and ticketing for the commissioning will be announced in due course. Although it is already decided that part of this service will be a celebration of all that John & Eleanor have achieved and a commissioning of them and their International role; alongside the commissioning of John & Debby for the role of National Directors of Vineyard Churches UK & Ireland.