Revd Christopher Mark Jones was born in Shropshire in 1954 and following state education (Abraham Darby Comprehensive) went to Oxford to read PPE at St Peter's College. He then went to Ridley Hall for Ordination training and also did an MPhil in Christian Doctrine at Selwyn college. Two Southwark Diocese parishes followed (where he met and married Jenny) and in the second he was Chaplain of the Remand Centre following John Sentamu. He then was appointed Chaplain and Doctrine Tutor at St John's College Durham/Cranmer Hall. Here he was Chaplain to Justin Welby. Libby Lane, Peter Moger, and many others!
On leaving St John's he wrote the hymn "Faith Overcomes", first sung in Durham Cathedral in 1993. It became the College Hymn. He went back to his old College in Oxford (with two young children) to be Chaplain and Fellow (Theology) Here he wrote the hymn "Lord, who by your lakeside word" dedicated to the Master of St Peter's John Barron, who died in 2008.Christopher's final move was to Church House, where he was Home Affairs Policy Advisor focussing on Criminal Justice and Mental Health, as well as advising Bishops in the House of Lords. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2009 and died peacefully after a courageous period, in May 2012. His work was his life, but he was fanatical about cricket, impersonations, and music - sacred choral, Bach organ music and Gilbert and Sullivan!