Canon Huw Thomas, MBE, served as Canon Treasurer of Liverpool Cathedral in the 1990s and out of the rich pastoral ministry he developed in this city forged links with the Church in Africa. So began a ministry which has taken him across the world, into places where his life and the lives of those he served were often in real danger. With an urbane, deep faith he has followed wherever Christ led. Throughout he has brought great warmth, humour, and a limitless fund of tales, typically told at his own expense.
“The Reverend Canon Huw Thomas, MBE – the Cross of St Augustine for Services to the Anglican Communion For outstanding and selfless service to Churches of the Anglican Communion. Canon Huw Thomas joined USPG in his 50s, having served in both the Church in Wales and the Church of England (latterly as Canon Treasurer of Liverpool). He went first to Addis Ababa, where his generous response to the plea by Sudanese refugees for support for establishing Anglican congregations in Gambella laid the foundations for tremendous church growth. Characteristic of his cultural sensitivity, he first obtained the blessing of the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarch for this mission. The region now forms a vibrant Diocese within the Province of Alexandria. In 1997 he was called to be Provost of All Saints Cathedral, Cairo, continuing ground-breaking work with Sudanese refugees and providing essential support to (and winning the affection of) the newly ordained Bishop. When Edwardes College in Peshawar needed a Principal, he responded to the call, staying in post when others left after the 9/11 attacks and working for better East-West understanding. Returning to the UK at 70, he continued service to his former Province, chairing first the Egypt Diocesan Association and then the Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association until an appeal was made for him to help resolve a complex situation in Algiers for ‘some months.’ He went with just a suitcase and, five years later, leaves local Algerian Anglicans nurtured through theological studies, and licensed as Lay Ministers. Throughout these years of service, Canon Huw’s ministry has demonstrated a commitment to serving others, standing selflessly in 30 solidarity in challenging circumstances and tirelessly promoting deeper understanding between peoples and cultures.”