Thinking Anglicans

Bishop of Coventry

Press release from 10 Downing Street. See also this announcement on the Coventry diocesan website, and here on the Sheffield site.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Sophie Jelley, Suffragan Bishop of Doncaster to be appointed as Bishop of Coventry.

Appointment of Bishop of Coventry: 4 November 2024

From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 4 November 2024

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Sophie Jelley, Suffragan Bishop of Doncaster to be appointed as Bishop of Coventry, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth following his appointment as Dean of Windsor.

Background

Sophie was educated at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford and trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. She served her title at St Peter’s, Shipley, in the former Diocese of Bradford (now in the Diocese of Leeds) and was ordained priest in 1998.

She took up the role of Mission Partner with the Church Mission Society in 2000, serving at Uganda Christian University in Mukono, before returning to the UK in 2003 to take up the role of Resident Minister of St John the Evangelist, Churt with Rushmoor, in the Diocese of Guildford. In 2010, Sophie was appointed Vicar of St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill, in the Diocese of Chichester, and from 2013 was additionally Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands. In 2015, Sophie was appointed Canon Missioner of Durham Cathedral and Diocesan Director of Mission, Discipleship and Ministry, in the Diocese of Durham.

In 2020, Sophie took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Doncaster, in the Diocese of Sheffield

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

10 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Paul
Paul
13 hours ago

I don’t think they’re ready for this Jelley.

Paul
Paul
Reply to  Paul
8 hours ago

There are now at least two of us called “Paul” commenting.

Cheryl Collins
Cheryl Collins
13 hours ago

Sheffield’s loss is Coventry’s gain.

Michael H
Michael H
10 hours ago

This is brilliant news. I’m glad my prediction hasn’t come true – that it would be the bishop of Taunton.

Rural warden
Rural warden
Reply to  Michael H
7 hours ago

How unkind.

FrDavid H
FrDavid H
7 hours ago

I’m sure Coventry will be very happy {clappy).

Michael H
Michael H
Reply to  FrDavid H
2 hours ago

Fr David the diocese of Coventry is in sharp decline. As the Church Times noted: 1.6 per cent of the population attend a C of E church, with an average weekly attendance of 10,600 — a figure that has fallen by one third (32 per cent) in the last ten years. Around 40 people work in the diocesan office. Even though there is a continued plan to establish 150 mission hubs by 2030, Bishop Jelley will have to manage the closure of a significant number of churches as the downward trend seems irreversible.

peter kettle
peter kettle
3 hours ago

To the first three comments here:

Paul: I don’t understand what you mean; or am I missing some irony?

Cheryl: why?

Michael: why is it ‘brilliant’?

Fr Dean
Fr Dean
2 hours ago

Straight into the House of Lords too.

Peter Owen
Admin
Reply to  Fr Dean
1 hour ago

Not quite. Once she has been elected and her election has been confirmed, she will go to the head of the queue for a seat in the Lords. She will then have to wait for the next vacancy.

10
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x