Tribute to Mark Harding

There are few relationships more important to the success of a charity than that between the CEO and the Chair.

They need to have more than a friendship because the Chair holds the CEO accountable and has the authority to dismiss him if necessary. They can never be rivals because the CEO has responsibility for the strategy of the charity and the Chair will often need to provide wise counsel and support to help bring that strategy to reality.

This is where Christians have a massive advantage over others. On the London City Mission board of Trustees we have something better than friendship or rivalry, we are brothers and sisters in Christ and know that we must all give an account to our heavenly Father for our use of funds and so we come to our roles with a humility not often seen in the private sector.

I have been blessed to have been able to work with some remarkable Trustees in my ten years at London City Mission, and no one more so than my Chair, Mark Harding. Through two sets of restructuring, the painful loss of my son, Harry, and the pandemic, Mark has been a faithful older brother who watched over the Mission and my family, steadied the ship and kept me on track.

There should always be people who can say, “NO” to any leader and Mark has had to do that once or twice. Mostly though he has been a wonderful sounding board, a wise counsellor, a prayer partner, a cheerleader, a guide and a source of deep encouragement. The CEO ends up with some of the thorniest pastoral problems on his desk, and it is a relief to be able to share them with a thoughtful Chair rather than shouldering them alone.

On the day of the London Bridge attack or the Grenfell Tower fire or the news that Omicron had broken out amongst staff in our homeless day centre, what a relief to be able to pick up the phone to my Chairman and know I would have the wise counsel and prayers of Mark Harding at the end of the line.

Mark was always delighted to hear testimonies of lives transformed by the good news of Jesus. This was always much more than a business role. We both fervently wanted to see countless people come to a saving knowledge of Christ, one by one. In our private discussions we would talk about missionaries in Dagenham and outreach in New Addington as well as grand new strategies for London. Mark could immediately see how the mobilised church in Wood Green fitted in to the big picture of winning London for Jesus.

I had thought that the grieving process for Mark’s retirement would be hard for me because he has been such a support through so many difficult time, but in fact I feel greatly encouraged by my new Chaiman Richard Montgomery. His godliness and heart for the gospel is obvious and it seems clear that he has been praying about this role for a prolonged time. Like me, he has also worked in a large multi-national before entering Christian ministry and we share a similar vision for ministry that seeks to proclaim the gospel while loving people without separating word and deed. We are both submitting to the same heavenly Father and in Richard we have another Chair who will help to guide us into fruitful pastures.

Please join me in praying for Richard and his wife Caroline as he begins his new role, that the Lord will equip him with every spiritual gift he needs to fulfil his duties and that he will have wisdom, strength, integrity and courage to do all that is required to lead the Mission for God’s glory and the salvation of souls.

Graham Miller, Chief Executive