New FoSE Development Officer - Rachel Hu

Rachel Hu October 2026

I came to Oxford to do a MPhil degree and really valued the community of Christian postgrads I found at Thesis – St Ebbe’s Central’s Postgraduate Student Ministry – a community that shared the joy and challenges of academia in Oxford and supported each other on the journey. 

I was greatly blessed by the centrality of God’s word in Student Ministry, and ministry in general, at St Ebbe’s. In the face of academic pressure and demands of time and energy from various directions in a place like Oxford, truth from God’s word was what ultimately was able to provide grounding for my study and everyday life. I came to Oxford having just finished a year of training as a Ministry Intern at Christ Church Mayfair (CCM) in London, and was blessed by the opportunities I had at St Ebbe’s to keep growing in character and skills in serving God and his people.

In the few years since graduating, I worked at the Oxford Students’ Union coordinating student representation in academic policies, and then as Development Coordinator in the Development and Alumni Relations Office at Nuffield College, Oxford. Since this March, I have been working as Church Assistant at St Ebbe’s Central and FoSE Development Officer. One of the blessings of having stayed on in Oxford is continuing in the community and ministries at the church, including Thesis. 

A key impact of my student days at St. Ebbe’s, following on from my student days at CCM, is simply a deepened understanding of God – his awe-inspiring character and amazing grace through Jesus Christ. This has resulted in a deepened conviction to follow Jesus and live for him. There has been no shortage of opportunities, in work and life beyond graduation, to practice turning again and again to Jesus, in light of who he is and what he has done and will do for sinners, for every moment of need. 

For me, Student Ministry at St Ebbe’s is of great value. It meets many from across the world at a key stage of life with its unique opportunities and challenges, and is crucial for making life-long disciples of Jesus who live out the Gospel and bring it to those around them.

This ministry has been and continues to be a significant part of my life. It is therefore a privilege and joy to be part of the work of FoSE in this role. I look forward to, by God’s grace, helping to further build the community of alumni and other supporters who share the vision of Student Ministry at St Ebbe’s, and to facilitate connections among alumni across generations. 

I am also expectant of God’s ongoing work in me. I’m grateful for how God has prepared me for this FoSE role through my time at Nuffield College in the field of development and alumni relations, and for the role of Church Assistant through my past experiences and involvement at St Ebbe’s. As I depend on him in these roles, I look forward to seeing how God will continue to grow and equip me for his service in the years to come.