The Bishop of Stafford, the Right Revd Geoff Annas, announced yesterday that he is to retire from his role at the end of November. There are details on the Lichfield diocesan website.
As pointed out in a comment on this post, the Bishop of Doncaster, the Right Revd Peter Burrows, announced his retirement some time ago. I have been unable to find an online announcement, but the Sheffield diocesan website does have details of his retirement service in September.
Shrewsbury returns to rural ministry in Devon, now Stafford departs – from the Diocese of Lichfield.
I’m not sure I see the connection, here, Fr David. I may be wrong to detect a whiff of a conspiracy theory in your comment, but the Bishop of Stafford has reached the usual age of retirement, and has served for almost ten years. I think that’s enough for any Bishop, to be honest. May be he (and his family) just want to ‘get a life’ and enjoy the future without endlessly managing decline. I wish him well. It’s pity that the Bishop of my own Diocese didn’t follow his example, instead of clinging on like grim death so that… Read more »
BB is correct I think. I’m a priest in +Stafford’s area, and see no hidden agendum. He is 65 and has been bishop in an area that’s bigger than some dioceses, and includes Stoke on Trent, remote villages in the dales, and all stations between. I could not have wished for a better father-in-God. Geoff is a parish priest at heart: it shows in all sorts of ways, not least the genuine care he has for his clergy. And delightfully and robustly human with it. May he and Ann live long and prosper.
No conspiracy theory intended, Bill, just thinking of misquoting Oscar Wilde’s theory on parents. “To lose one Area Bishop may be regarded as a misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness.” I too wish the Bishop of Stafford and his wife a long and happy retirement.
I echo Stanley Monkhouse’s comments about +Geoff. He has been everything I would hope for from a bishop from even before my family and I moved to the Stafford episcopal area. To share some examples which he wouldn’t talk about but which I think deserve recognition: 1) When we were first exploring moving to the diocese, we visited his home for a first meeting, and he not only ensured there were toys available for our then 3-year-old son, he also spent a few moments playing trains with him. The visit made it abundantly clear that he would care for the… Read more »
This is why comments on TA are so important. Thanks for sharing, Chris
Incidentally two of the last wearers of blue-purple episcopal shirts.
It matches Mrs Annas’ blue dress beautifully but personally I prefer the rich dark shade of purple worn by the last Bishop of London.