Friends, meet Reverend Mike Thomason, the newly appointed moderator of the Northwestern Synod. In this episode Mike recounts his journey from Salford and army chaplaincy to local church leadership, sharing stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, and community ministry.

He outlines his pastoral, presence-centred approach to leadership, the synod’s challenges and plans for review, and a call to shift from maintenance to mission—urging churches to engage their local communities and pray for his ministry.

Friends, welcome to another edition of the Synod podcast, where Reverend David Ireland reflects on a remarkable life of ministry, architecture, and leadership in children’s palliative care. From designing Francis House to establishing international pain clinics and pioneering care for teenagers and young adults, this episode explores how faith, innovation, and community transformed the hospice movement.

David shares personal stories — including the tragedy that called him to ministry, the growth of Francis House, global projects in Chernobyl, Sarajevo, and Japan, and the heartwarming Easter Chick campaign. Tune in for insights on compassionate leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a lifetime dedicated to serving families in crisis.

This episode introduces a new partnership between the Northwestern Synod and Place for Hope offering free mediation, facilitated conversations, and one-to-one conflict coaching to help churches handle disputes, long-standing hotspots, and difficult conversations constructively.

Listeners learn how the service works, how to refer a case (contact the Synod clerk Claire or Programme Lead Martha), the confidential process, and the benefits of early intervention to restore relationships and strengthen church communities.