Claire and Mark both trained at Spurgeon’s College in London, and served in Italy with BMS from 1994 until 2010, in Liguria. Initially Mark was pastor in Genoa and Claire was pastor of a Filipino congregation in Rapallo. They then became joint pastors of the Baptist church in Genoa and over ten years the church grew significantly into a diverse multi-cultural community. They also had pastoral oversight of the other Baptist churches in Liguria.

Since their return to the UK they have served as co-pastors at Burton Latimer Baptist Church and Claire has served as a trustee of BMS World Mission.

Claire and Mark have three children, Elizabeth 20, Naomi 17 and Lewis, aged four.    

Commenting on their appointment, Mark and Claire said, 'We feel very blessed by God to be back with BMS: it feels like coming home. It will be a great privilege to work with people who are responding to God's call and going to serve and follow Christ in places of need. 

'We are really excited about being involved in the formation of mission personnel going to a variety of places and occupying such a wide range of roles.'

David Kerrigan, general director of BMS, added, 'We are delighted by this joint appointment, a first for BMS at director level, and we look forward to Claire and Mark joining the team in the summer of 2014.

'They bring so much to this role including their years of mission experience, rich theological insight, a commitment to justice in all its forms, and a proven ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus in such a way that lives are transformed.'