Getting to know USPG's Global Theologian
The Rev'd Dr Peniel Rajkumar recently joined USPG, having worked at the World Council of Churches for a number of years. In the process, he moved from Geneva to London. However, this is not Peniel's first time in the UK. He says:
"I studied theology at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Subsequently, I joined the Parish of St John the Evangelist in Upper Holloway, London, as a Lay Assistant Pastor and was eventually ordained as a Curate. I played for the Diocese of London’s team in the Church Times Cricket Cup in 2005/2006 – we used to have our net practice at Lord’s cricket ground! While I was on the team, we won one final and lost the other to the Diocese of Southwark. My favourite cricketer is Sir Vivian Richards, which probably shows my age”.
Peniel did not make the move to London alone. He explains, "My wife Rebecca works as a consultant for the Lutheran World Federation on a project concerned with developing conviviality across churches. She is now actively engaging with the discernment process in the Church of England. My elder son Ebenezer was born in London but my younger son Cleon has never been to the UK before. They have been loving the experience so far, despite the initial ten days of quarantine. Now that we are in the UK, we hope to go hiking as much as we can. Cleon loves tennis. As we are based in Croydon, we can get the tram direct to Wimbledon, so we are looking forward to going to watch the tennis in years to come".
So, you may well find USPG's new Global Theologian watching the cricket at Lord's or the tennis at Wimbledon. If you do, be sure to say hello!
You will be able to read our full interview with Peniel in the next edition of Koinonia.
Above: The Rev'd Dr Peniel Rajkumar speaking at a World Council of Churches event.