In this article, the latest St Andrew’s Hall graduates share about themselves and their training. Find out more about the new CMS missionaries and how you can partner with them! 

“We’ve valued the opportunity to think deeply about mission, crossing cultures, and what it means to serve God faithfully.”

For 60 years, St Andrew’s Hall (SAH) has facilitated training for culturally sensitive, locally partnered, cross-shaped and long-term ministry. All CMS missionaries train at SAH for one semester before their first Home Assignment. This week, four families graduate from SAH and officially join the fellowship as missionaries! 

We are so encouraged by these people choosing to go for a world that knows Jesus. Read on to find out more about these new missionaries, and use the links to prayerfully and financially support them.  

Andy & Rachel Carden
with Imogen and Samuel

CMS TAS  |  Preparing to serve in Vanuatu  |  Partner with the Cardens

What led you to pursue serving as missionaries?   

We both were inspired and encouraged towards mission from an early age. Growing up, Andy was blessed to have parents and grandparents who shared stories and news about missionaries and their work for the gospel in other locations with him. His desire to serve as a missionary was solidified after participating in short-term mission. Rachel’s parents hosted missionaries and blessed her with cross-cultural experiences. This, combined with her own exploration of mission through study and experience, fuelled her desire to see a world that knows Jesus and serve cross-culturally.  

What have you valued about training at SAH?  

St Andrew’s Hall has equipped our family to prepare for long-term service and make the most of our cross-cultural relationships as we serve alongside Ni-Vanuatu and other workers. Our time here has helped equip our family to better anticipate and manage the challenges of cross-cultural ministry. 

What is something you are looking forward to about being on location?  

Rach is looking forward to sharing life with Ni-Vanuatu people and equipping women and children in the gospel, all while enjoying the warm climate! Andy is excited to teach the Bible with Ni-Vanuatu leaders and try ocean fishing. Imogen and Samuel are excited for coconuts.  

What is a challenge you are expecting on location?  

Aside from more extreme weather like cyclones and earthquakes, the Pacific Islander lifestyle will be a significant adjustment from our lives in Australia. We both thrive on structured timelines, which is quite the opposite of the more relaxed and flexible ‘Island Time.’ 

What are Australian foods that your family will miss most while on location? 

Andy will miss all forms of red meat and Rach will miss La Milicia with gnocchi from our local Italian restaurant. Imogen will miss Pick and Mix lollies from Coles. Samuel will miss chicken nuggets. 

Michael & Ashlynne Davis
with Korah and Raina 

CMS WA  |  Preparing to serve in the Solomon Islands  |  Partner with the Davises 

What led you to pursue serving as missionaries?   

We can both remember distinct times in our lives when God has convicted us of the worth of living and serving as missionaries. For Ashlynne, these moments were reading mission biographies as a child and partnering with missionaries through her churches. For Michael, God used the faithful teaching and life example of a youth leader who opened scripture and encouraged him to engage with it himself.  

What have you valued about training at SAH?  

We’ve valued the opportunity to think deeply about mission, crossing cultures, and what it will mean to serve God faithfully in the Solomon Islands. We’ve especially appreciated the intentionality of how SAH training is structured and delivered.  We’ve cherished getting to live in community with the staff and fellow trainees. It’s been a joy to do life with them and learn from them all.  

What is something you are looking forward to about being on location? 

We’ve both been preparing for this for a long time, so we’re excited to simply be going to the Solomon Islands soon (God willing)! We’re looking forward to learning to do life and ministry in a new culture and language and with new brothers and sisters in Christ.  

What is a challenge you are expecting on location?
We are sad to be leaving our family and friends in Perth. We expect that one challenge will be balancing staying connected with them while building and investing in relationships in the Solomon Islands.  

What are Australian foods that your family will miss most while on location?  

Korah does love a good lamington and packet of Tiny Teddies! We are so grateful for the level of choice and variety we are blessed to have in Australia. 

Simon & Sam Graham
with Lucas and Jemima 

CMS NSW & ACT  |  Preparing to serve in Germany  |  Partner with the Grahams

What led you to pursue serving as missionaries?
We had the privilege of family, church members, and kids’ and youth leaders raising us to know Jesus and live with him as Lord. God has shown us the power of the gospel at work in the lives of kids, youth and families as we served in Sydney churches and trained in ministry. We were both challenged while studying to consider whether we might be able to do the family ministry we have been doing in Sydney somewhere else in world. 

What have you valued about training at SAH?
We have appreciated the way that SAH runs in community with other missionaries in training, the teaching team and the support staff. We have particularly valued the training’s emphasis on our formation as followers of Jesus who are going to serve him in a new context, rather than days filled purely with learning practical skills and CMS processes. From arriving at SAH after hours of driving to find our apartment’s cupboards stocked, to one-on-one mentoring, to spending time with our kids in the playroom and community meals together – we’ve been so encouraged by the generosity and care shown to us by the CMS fellowship.  

What is something you are looking forward to about being on location?
We are excited and daunted by going to serve in Leipzig, Germany. We are a family who love carbs, so it will be a privilege to fuel up with German bread and pastries! Leipzig is also a city of parks and playgrounds, so we are keen to spend time exploring them with our kids. Most of all, we’re excited to share Jesus with the rapidly growing population of young families in Leipzig. 

What is a challenge you are expecting on location?
As many Germans have little regular connection with religion, we anticipate that people may be apprehensive about Jesus, although we are encouraged by a cultural openness to meaning, purpose and community. There is also a shortage of Bible-based teaching in eastern Germany, where decades of state atheism during the era of the German Democratic Republic have left a lasting mark. Life in Germany also means living away from our family and friends, which changes the ways we can stay connected with them. 

What are Australian foods that your family will miss most while on location?
We (Sam and Simon) will miss Australian-grown fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as the dishes each of our mums cook. Our kids tell us they will miss Vegemite toast (Lucas) and Rice Bubbles (Jemima). We will all also really miss visiting the coffee shop run by our friends in Sydney. Ask us where it is!

Jesse & Amy Morrison
with Solomon and Elijah 

CMS NSW & ACT  |  Preparing to serve in Zimbabwe  |  Partner with the Morrisons 

What led you to pursue serving as missionaries?  

We met while working at a school for missionary kids. We felt challenged by the missionaries’ sacrificial service and were prompted to prayerfully reflect about serving in a similar way. We are both passionate about serving Christ and discipling others, particularly in resource-poor settings. 

What have you valued about training at SAH? 

It has been so encouraging to live in community and be encouraged by our brothers and sisters, both the other MiTs and the staff team. We have felt deeply loved and cared for during our time at SAH. 

What is something you are looking forward to about being on location?   

As we teach at the Institute of Bible Teaching in Bulawayo, we are looking forward to learning from our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters while growing in our love and knowledge of Christ together. We are also excited to see what God does as men and women are equipped at IBT and sent out to continue leading the local church and reaching people for Christ. 

What is a challenge you are expecting on location? 

We are aware that we will face both expected and unexpected challenges of living cross culturally! Please keep praying that we will be gracious and kind as we grow in our understanding of language, culture and Christ, and that people will be patient with us. We will need to, by God’s grace and strength, keep being curious and learning, even when it is difficult. 

What are Australian foods that your family will miss most while on location? 

Cheese! The Morrisons love their cheese, all types of cheese.

PRAY

Praise God with these new missionaries upon their graduation from SAH! Give thanks for their answer to Jesus’ call to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28). Pray for these people as they go for a world that knows Jesus. 

These new CMS missionaries appear in the 2026 Prayer Diary!
Contact your local branch to receive a copy.