Plenty of Christians have been included within the New Year Honours List 2025.
They include the previous Dean of Carlisle, the Very Rev Mark Boyling, was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Carlisle Cathedral.
He was dean of the cathedral for 18 years before retiring in 2022. During his tenure he steered the cathedral through the pandemic and oversaw the event of the multi-million pound Fratry education and events project, in addition to celebrations for the cathedral’s 900th anniversary that was marked in the identical 12 months as his retirement.
The Very Rev Jonathan Brewster, current Dean of Carlisle, said, “Mark’s considerable ministry left the cathedral with a robust foundation on which to construct and it is correct that he has been recognised on this approach to honour the service he gave to the town and county. On behalf of the Cathedral Chapter we provide our sincere congratulations.”
John Nixon, Chair of the Cathedral Development Trust, was awarded an MBE for his significant contribution to football and community development across England and Wales.
Roger Evans, chair of Friends of Friendless Churches, a charity that rescues and repairs disused churches, was made an MBE for services to ecclesiastical heritage in England and Wales.
Rev Andrew Paget, Senior Force Chaplain for Avon and Somerset Police was appointed an MBE for services to policing and to the community in Avon and Somerset. In 2024 he marked 28 years as a force chaplain with Avon and Somerset Police and greater than 22 years as lead chaplain.
Michael Harris, organist at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh since 1996, received an MBE for services to music. He said it was “humbling” to be recognised on this 12 months’s list.
Rev Stephen Redman, a volunteer with cancer charity Candlelighters, was awarded an MBE for services to the families of kids with cancer.
