Chester Diocese
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Christian witness in a ‘confused’ world
JANICE Mason, the new Diocesan Director of Social Responsibility, feels her department’s work is crucial in “a changing, confused world”. She brings to the post a wealth of experience from the social and voluntary Christian work sectors. Born in Liverpool, Janice moved to Wirral aged five and grew up in faith at Moreton Baptist Church. Her first job was as a social work assistant at a Liverpool children’s hospital. She later became a full-time volunteer in the Midlands, teaching English and supporting Asian families (then) recently expelled from Uganda. Later, she completed a course in community and youth work. She and her husband Howard moved to south Manchester in the late 1970s. The couple have twin sons, now aged 21 and a daughter aged 14. Janice worked as a neighbourhood care worker, and also piloted a skills exchange. During a spell running Age Concern, Stockport, she became very interested in oral history and published older people’s memories. She and her husband are active member of St Anne’s with St Francis’, Sale Moor, where they edit the parish newsletter and support Traidcraft. Janice started to work as a community projects officer with the Diocese in 1996. She worked alongside urban churches and encouraged them to set up social action projects. In 2000 her job title changed to Urban Officer. The role became focused more on supporting, resourcing and networking Urban Priority Area parishes. In her new post, Janice succeeds the Revd Canon Bob Powley, who has retired. She will continue to be responsible for administering Church Urban Fund grants locally in her new job. Janice told CDN: “We have so much to learn about mission and ministry from our urban churches.” And she added: “Social responsibility is an integral part of our mission as Christians today. But it’s a changing, confused world and therefore we need to remain constant to the values of equality, justice and inclusiveness.”
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Janice Mason
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