Michael Rees, with his welcoming smile, will be remembered by generations of Cambridge students as the vicar of Holy Trinity Church (1972 –1984).
Michael stayed close to the CICCU, and after the Sunday evening service dispersed, the CICCU would take over the building for its weekly evangelistic address.
Church Army
In 1984 Michael was appointed as Chief Secretary of the Church Army, where he restructured to devolve more responsibility to regions, and oversaw the early planning to relocate its training school in Sheffield. In 1990 he and his wife Yoma moved to Chester, where he was appointed as the first Diocesan Missioner, under Bishop Michael Baughen, an old friend.
Michael always had an eye to gospel events, and to encouraging personal evangelism. His father and uncle, Dick and Tom Rees, were well-known evangelists and his daughter is married to the evangelist J. John.
Each of his callings was demanding, requiring spiritual leadership, strategy for growth, and clear administrative skills. He had developed these gifts early, as Secretary to the OICCU while at St Peter’s Hall, Oxford, where he read theology and rowed for the college. Aged 21 he launched (and for 12 years edited) Missionary Mandate, which for 40 years, until the 1990s, would be the major prayer guide of the Evangelical Missionary Alliance. He served on General Synod (1975-85).
The Reeses retired to Kings Lynn in 2000. Michael is survived by Yoma, his wife and his son and daughter, Tim and Killy.
