Press release from the Prime Minster’s Office.
Suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke: David Grant Williams
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
History: Published 26 June 2014
Part of: Arts and cultureThe Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon David Grant Williams to the Suffragan See of Basingstoke.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon David Grant Williams, BSc, Vicar of Christ Church, Winchester, in the Diocese of Winchester, and Honorary Canon of Winchester Cathedral to the Suffragan See of Basingstoke, in succession to the Right Reverend Peter Hancock, MA, on his translation to the See of Bath and Wells on 4 March 2014.
Reverend Canon David Williams
The Revd Canon David Williams (aged 53) studied Social Policy at Bristol University and after some years working with CMS in Kenya, trained for the ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his curacy in the Diocese of Sheffield at All Saints, Ecclesall from 1989 to 1992 after which he became Vicar of Dore, an adjacent parish. He was made Rural Dean of Ecclesall in 1997 and served in this role until moving south in 2002. During these years he was also a Chaplain at Aldine House Secure Children’s Home.
Moving to the Diocese of Winchester in 2002, he became Vicar of Christ Church Winchester and was made an Honorary Canon of Winchester Cathedral in 2012. He was elected to General Synod in 2010 and became Chair of the House of Clergy of Winchester Diocesan Synod in 2012.
David grew up in Uganda and retains strong links with East Africa. He is married to Helen and they have 2 children, Sarah (25) and Mark (22). David owns a small racing yacht and spends days off sailing in the Solent. Together with his son, Mark, he also completed 2 long motorbike journeys across Eastern and Central Africa in 2010 and 2012.
The Bishop-designate said today:
“During the 13 years Helen and I have lived and worked in Winchester, we have grown to love the church and its people and are very much looking forward to serving in a wider context across the diocese. We look forward to welcoming many to our new home and to sharing in the life and ministry of the people of God here.”
The Winchester diocesan website has A new Bishop for Basingstoke in which it is stated that “The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury has decided that David’s consecration as Bishop of Basingstoke will take place at Winchester Cathedral, the first consecration in the city for many years.”
Consecrations in the Canterbury province normally take place in London at St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey or Southwark Cathedral. Readers may know where and when the last one was held elsewhere.
I wonder whether we’ve any indication as to Williams’ thoughts on “headship” – I know Christ Church is pretty solidly Evangelical, so I wonder.
The Rt Revd John Bone was consecrated as Bishop of Reading in Christ Church Cathedral Oxford in 1989. But there may have been others since.
Bishop Mark Sowerby was consecrated in Chichester Cathedral by +++ Rowan
Headship? Those curates he has trained who happened to be women speak very highly of him. One of them, Emma Inseon, is now Principal of Trinity Theological Bristol.
Does anyone know whether Bishop elect David will be able to ordain women to the Priesthood? I remember that we have been advised that a Bishop who takes the traditional male headship line will be appointed soon?.
Have any bishops serving in the Northern Province been consecrated anywhere other than in York Minster? It strikes me that Durham cathedral would make a marvellous venue and setting for an episcopal consecration.
++Rowan ordained John Ford in Exeter Cathedral in 2005
I spent the evening in a pub after the November 2012 women bishop vote with David and TA readers can rest assured that he is solidly supportive of women bishops. He voted for in 2012 and is completely on side.
The new Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe will be commissioned and consecrated on the 20th July 2014 at Canterbury Cathedral.
York Minster hosts all the consecrations in the Northern Province (including, recently, that of +Glyn as PEV). It is not just the cathedral of the Diocese of York and thus the seat of the Archbishop, but its full title is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter, so the Minster has its own particular ecclesiological identity. The consecrations allow the Province to gather, and many think that the strong sense of Provincial identity here is beneficial.
I was deaconed in York Minster and priested in Durham.Both cathedrals are beautiful in their own way and I love them both.Nevertheless York Minster is the Metropolitical Cathedral of the North and it is the right place to ordain Bishops. In the Northern Province the ordination of a Bishop is a family affair and as many as possible Northern Bishops flock to it.They stand on the ‘hill’ on which the altar stands and all take part in the consecration. The Cathedral is open and spacious and a good view is possible for all. After the consecration there are lunch parties… Read more »
Am I the only person to notice that our new suffragan down here is Wycliffe Hall, CMS, served in Africa, a conservative-leaning evangelical, and that this looks not unlike a mirror image of the diocesan bishop? Surely Tim Dakin would not be so myopic as to attempt to create a senior staff team in his own image and likeness would he?
Coming myself from the Northern Province I have a great interest in what goes on there. York Minster is indeed a fine location for episcopal consecrations but as far as cathedrals and their settings go Durham beats York hands down! Bill Bryson hit the nail on the head when he described Durham as “The best cathedral on planet earth, bar none”.
Or it might just be that someone has been appointed on merit. That’s two former curates of All Saints Ecclesall made suffragans in quick succession, with John Thompson going to Selby. Nice to see my old parish church doing its bit for the CofE.
A diocesan rep to the CNC is then selected for preferment by the diocesan bishop he himself previously nominated for preferment. Does anyone know when this last happened?
A ‘blast from the past’ maybe, but Ronald Bowlby was consecrated Bp of Newcastle in Durham Cathedral in the mid-70s, and I was there.
Jeremy Walsh (Tewkesbury) and Nigel McCulloch (Taunton) were consecrated at Gloucester in January 1986.
Appointment of David to this office is one of the clearest signals that the Church is still alive and strong. Amen. When te enemy floods like a river, the Spirit of God lifts a standard.
Paulson in Uganda
Thank God for David Williams, a breath of fresh air in our boring C. of E . churches.Never changing, if a whisper of the Holy Spirit should enter their doors, He is soon swept out!!
I agree with Paulson in Uganda. David is a welcome Church leader and I hope He makes everyone feel thoroughly uncomfortable in their little comfort zones.