From the Number10 website.
Monday 22 March 2010
Diocese of Chelmsford
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell, BA, Suffragan Bishop of Reading, for election as Bishop of Chelmsford in succession to the Right Reverend John Warren Gladwin, MA, on his resignation on the 31st August 2009.
Stephen Cottrell (aged 51) was born and brought up in Essex. He was educated at the Polytechnic of Central London where he took a BA in Media Studies in 1979. He then worked in the film industry and for a year at St Christopher’s Hospice in South London. He trained for ordination at St Stephen’s House, Oxford. From 1984 to 1988 he was a Curate at Christ Church Forest Hill, Southwark. From 1988 to 1993 he was Priest-in-Charge at Parklands St Wilfrid’s, Chichester and Assistant Director of Pastoral Studies, Chichester Theological College. From 1993 to 1998 he was Diocesan Missioner, in Wakefield and Bishop’s Chaplain for Evangelism. From 1998 to 2001 he was Missioner with Springboard the Archbishop’s initiative for evangelism and Consultant in Evangelism in Wakefield. From 2001 to 2004 he was Canon Residentiary at Peterborough Cathedral. Since 2004 he has been Area Bishop for Reading in the diocese of Oxford.
Stephen Cottrell is married and has three teenage children. His interests include music, he plays the guitar and tries to play the ukulele banjo, writing, he is the author of many books on evangelism, catechesis and spirituality and one book of short stories for children, cooking, poetry and film.
The diocese of Oxford has a press release: Bishop swaps Reading for Chelmsford.
And so does the diocese of Chelmsford: Next Bishop of Chelmsford comes home “hungry for us to be a Church that connects with every person and every community”.
As does the Church of England: Next Bishop of Chelmsford comes home “hungry for us to be a church that connects with every person and every community”.
The first for many a moon not to be called John!
‘I am hungry for us to be a church that connects with every person and every community’.
That sounds promising.
The first for many a moon not to be called John!
Posted by: RPNewark on Monday, 22 March 2010 at 8:44am GMT
Yes a real break with that tradition going back over 30 years !
Yes with his Staggers background he should be well place to embrace lesbian and gay people and communities and so follow in the steps of the last John.
Interesting appointment – Cottrell turned down Coventry two years ago as he apparaently wanted to stay in Reading until his children had finished their education. But a bigger diocese comes a calling……
“What sustains me in ministry is the joy and beauty of the Gospel. I want us to be a Church that is gospel-centred, servant-hearted and mission-focused. I am hungry for us to be a Church that connects with every person and every community.” – Bishop Stephen Cottrell – Sounds very encouraging! From what I’ve heard – over here in New Zealand – he has been a very good Bishop of Reading, and with his doughty ‘Staggers’ background, no doubt ‘Firm in The Faith’ without necessary claiming to be ‘forward in faith’. All we need now is for Jeffrey John to… Read more »