Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope

During this session, Rob will share some of his life experience and learning as written about in this incredibly open and honest book “Broken by Fear, Anchored in Hope: Faithfulness in an Age of Anxiety” published by SPCK. Rob will explore what it means to lead and serve when our past pours into our present, and the ways in which we can know the hope of Jesus that sustains us each day.

Rob Merchant is Dean of Mission, Ministry and Education for the Diocese of Chelmsford. His role is one that links together different aspects of the life of the diocese, including learning and development programmes for ordinands, clergy and lay leaders, vocations, ministerial development reviews, the work of our education team supporting 139 church schools, the Mustard Seed team, our Strategic Development funded projects, and supporting the growth of new worshipping communities across Essex and East London.
Rob’s background is as varied as his role. He has worked as a care worker for people with learning difficulties and his ordained ministry has included being parish priest in urban and rural settings. He has worked as an academic, and more recently as Director of St Mellitus College, Chelmsford, Essex. His interests include ageing, mental health and trauma.
He is married to Tamsin, a vicar in the Diocese of London, and has two sons, aged 13 and 15. His passion in life is to see people flourish in the ministry to which they are called, in whatever walk of life that may be.