It has been announced that the Bishop of Huntingdon (a suffragan see in the diocese of Ely), the Rt Revd David Thomson, is to be the ‘interim bishop’ for the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The See will be vacant as a result of Bishop Nigel Stock’s appointment to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s staff as bishop at Lambeth. Bishop David’s appointment will take effect in October 2013 and will continue until a new diocesan bishop is selected.
An announcement from the diocese of Ely quotes Bishop David as saying, ‘It’s a great privilege to be asked to work as a shepherd for Christ’s people in the diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich as they wait for a new diocesan bishop. I pray that I will be able to help them to continue to grow in faith, deepen in discipleship, and share richly the good things God has given us with the communities we serve.’
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, said, ‘I am delighted to have commissioned Dr David Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon, to care for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich during the period until a new diocesan bishop is chosen and arrives. Bishop David combines the gifts of a bishop with long experience as a parish priest and archdeacon.’
The announcement from the diocese of Ely appears below the fold.
The Announcement from Stephen Conway, the Bishop of Ely reads in full:
Bishop of Huntingdon appointed to Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich
Bishop David has been appointed interim bishop for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, following the appointment of the Rt Revd Nigel Stock as Bishop at Lambeth. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has invited Bishop David to serve in Suffolk until a permanent bishop is selected.
Bishop David will take up his new role at the beginning of October and step aside from most of his duties in the Ely diocese during the secondment, but will keep up his personal work in public engagement and historical projects and continue to serve as Vice-chair of the National Society.
I am delighted and honoured that the Archbishop has invited Bishop David to care for our neighbouring Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich during its forthcoming vacancy. He will be a wise and trusted bishop next door as he is among us. We shall miss him; but we know that we shall get him back in a year or so.
He and I will continue to support one another, and David will continue to participate in our senior staff residential meetings. As he enters the lively story of life and mission in Suffolk, he will still be part of our story under God, too. David will continue to be the Bishop of Huntingdon and I understand that Bishop Nigel will make me an assistant bishop in Edmundsbury & Ipswich, so that David and I can actively help one another.
Bishop David will remain in office as Bishop of Huntingdon and he and his wife Jean will continue to live in Ely, but will have use of a flat in the Bishop’s House at Ipswich, from which David will also work. His office in Ely will remain open to support the work of the Warden of Readers and to facilitate future diary planning.
While Bishop David is immersed in Suffolk, I shall have access to some money from the episcopal budget which I intend to invest in advancing our clergy wellbeing initiative. My diary will alter to ensure that pastoral access to a bishop will not diminish and I shall be adding to our company of assistant bishops in the diocese.
Please pray for David and for Jean, and thank God for our partnership in the gospel with our fellow Anglicans across the region. Please also pray for Bishop Nigel and for Carolyne as they prepare for their move to Lambeth Palace. I have always been a keen supporter of the importance of having a bishop at Lambeth. I am delighted that we can contribute to making it possible.”
Speaking about his appointment Bishop David said: “It’s a great privilege to be asked to work as a shepherd for Christ’s people in the diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich as they wait for a new diocesan bishop. I pray that I will be able to help them to continue to grow in faith, deepen in discipleship, and share richly the good things God has given us with the communities we serve.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, said: : “I am delighted to have commissioned Dr David Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon, to care for the Diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich during the period until a new diocesan bishop is chosen and arrives. Bishop David combines the gifts of a bishop with long experience as a parish priest and archdeacon.”
This blog carries a vast amount of information about the appointment of Church of England bishops. I mean, we get to know the inside of a gnats rear end when it comes down to episcopal – who, how and whens.
The synodical affairs of the Church of England are also explored in minute detail and we even get the parish magazine inserts ….
Is this an historical peculiarity of this blog? If so, it could do with being reconsidered. It is beyond tedious.
Man, we used to be able to buy some great used books from Ipswich. Got my copy of Bicknell there.
“Is this an historical peculiarity of this blog? If so, it could do with being reconsidered. It is beyond tedious.” The characteristics of this blog are the decision of the very kind people who put in their time and effort to run it, who post things they think will be of interest and information to those who read it. It is not up to us to tell them that their blog needs reconsidering. There are plenty of other blogs around and I am sure that many of them cover the areas you would wish to see focused on. (If not,… Read more »
‘It is beyond tedious.’
If you don’t like it, don’t read it – simple! No need to go to the lengths of writing such a derogatory comment to the good people who work hard on this blog. Keep up the info giving and good work please TA editors!!
Just because you aren’t interested, doesn’t means others aren’t interested. I am, for example.
Thinking Anglicans is an excellent resource and all thanks are due to the team who run it.
I agree with Anne, the TA team should be given medals.
Not only for the comprehensive information and archives they offer but for having developed a forum where people with different views can engage with each other constructively and without lapsing into toddler tantrums, as happens on so many other religious blogs.
Simon was right of course, I should just ignore it!
But one does get the impression this blog is edited only by MEN and that thy are all of a certain age …..
As to not telling people the blog needs a shake out, that is nonsense. A blog that allows the sort of critical comments we see against a fairly wide range of targets can hardly expect to remain unnoticed.
Besides, the editors here had the opportunity to review my post and indeed delayed a little before posting it so, take what you will from that.
There are plenty of other blogs around which might well suit Fr Alan-bury better. But for the rest of us TA provides both an excellent and unique news service and a place to engage constructively with the issues that concern us. It also provides and invaluable space where ideas and opinions can be shared and I forone gain sustenance in the continuing struggle against the ignorance, indolence and folly of the Church of England.
Fr Alan-Bury “Besides, the editors here had the opportunity to review my post and indeed delayed a little before posting it so, take what you will from that.” I have often found that some of my posts have ended up in TA’s SPAM and it took a while for them to appear (if they appeared at all). As far as I know posts are never edited (although Simon has extremely kindly removed some of my worst typos before) and never not published. What I’m really confused about is why you object to posts about appointments. Why are they so tedious… Read more »
Perhaps Richard Ashby might publish a list. I made my comment because I think there is too little news provision from a UK liberal perspective Anglican or Catholic and what there is, is often written by male anoraks with an interest in steam engines.
This is a lot better than nothing, I happen to think it could be a lot better. No offence intended.
Fr Alan-Bury,
do you have examples of news that you would have liked to have seen covered but that TA did not include?
Well, Erica Baker I am feeling that perhaps the liberal bent of this blog might bend a little further in the radical direction – a little less tea and Battenburg and a little more grass roots chaos as Giles Fraser usefully opines above.
“the church lies not in its prince bishops but in its congregations”
I can say categorically that I have no interest in steam engines (other than as a scientific discovery and historical means of providing industrial power).
Without commenting on appointments generally, I simply note that this particular one concerns someone who has been a regular contributor to TA, and especially to the ‘just thinking’ reflective pieces that appear here from time to time.
Fr Alan-Bury, yes, but this isn’t really specific enough. For those of us who find Giles Fraser wonderfully radical an are delighted that he gets coverage here, what stories would you like to have read here that did not get posted? Would they be factual, like most TA posts are, with opinions limited to 1 round-up a week? Would you want to see completely different Anglican issues covered that TA is not covering? I get the point of wishing things were a little different, but you’d have to be able to be a little more concrete about it. What actual… Read more »
Sorry I am not concrete enough for you Erica Baker, but I am glad you grasp my point, I think your suggestions by way of questions, are meritorious.
I am sure Simon Kershaw knows I have my tongue very firmly in my cheek!
I return to the antipodes Friday and leave my Anglican priest host and the hallowed halls of Thinking Anglicans, maybe I’ll look in from time to time ……….
“I return to the antipodes Friday”
And with one bound he was free!
I return to the antipodes Friday
Heck! which bit of the antipodes??? I will have to be careful about whom I bump into.
Can Fr Alan-Bury name the contributors he desccribes as male anoraks with an interest in steam engines? I have to say that I am amazed at his perspicacity in being able to identify such attributes from the contributions here. As for his request that I supply him with a list of other sources of information, I suggest that he does his own research and comes up with his own tailor made list to provide him with what he wants. May be he could then share it with the rest of us.
I might add that, were I the editor of a parish magazine (which, thank God, I am not), I would have been very pleased to have learned from here that there was an insert about the goings on at Synod published since I am not sure where else I might have discovered that. The Church doesn’t communicate very effectively with its members and TA helps overcome that failure.