The installation of Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will take place in Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday 25 March, starting at 3.00 pm. The service will be broadcast on BBC1 from 2:30pm, and live-streamed on YouTube. You can download the order of service to follow the proceedings.
Here are some previews.
The Church of England Watch the Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, at Canterbury Cathedral
Diocese of Canterbury Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury
Church Times Mullally prepares for installation in Canterbury Cathedral
The Saint John’s Bible First Female Archbishop of Canterbury to be Sworn in with Modern Bible, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition
7 CommentsThe Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, has announced that he is to retire in July 2026. He has been the dean since 2017, and before that he was Dean of Wakefield from 2007 to 2017.
10 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. The London diocesan website has more details in New Bishop for East London announced.
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Roderick (Rod) Ernest Alexander Green, BA, MA, MTh, to the Suffragan See of Stepney, in the Diocese of London
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
Published 20 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Roderick (Rod) Ernest Alexander Green, BA, MA, MTh, Archdeacon of Llandaff, in the Church in Wales, to the Suffragan See of Stepney, in the Diocese of London, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Joanne Woolway Grenfell, MA, DPhil, following her translation to the See of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
Rod was educated at the University of Reading and the London School of Theology, and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at Christ Church, Spitalfields, in the Stepney Area of the Diocese of London and was ordained priest in 2008.
In 2011 he took up the role of Associate Rector at St Paul’s, Shadwell, also in the Stepney Area of the Diocese of London. In 2014 he was appointed Vicar at St. Peter’s, West Harrow, in the Willesden Area of the Diocese of London.
He has served in his current role as Archdeacon of Llandaff, in the Diocese of Llandaff, in the Church in Wales, since 2021.
37 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the St Albans diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of St Albans: 19 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr. Andrew Paul Rumsey, for election as Bishop of St. Albans
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 19 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr. Andrew Paul Rumsey, Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury, for election as Bishop of St. Albans, in succession to The Right Reverend Alan Smith, following his retirement.
Background
Andrew was born and raised in the Diocese of St Albans, where his father served as a parish priest. He was educated at the University of Reading and Kings College, London, and trained for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at Trinity St. Michael, Harrow, in the Diocese of London, and was ordained priest in 1998.
Andrew served as Vicar of Christ Church, Gipsy Hill, in the Diocese of Southwark, from 2001 and was appointed Rector of Oxted & Tandridge (later Team Rector of Oxted) in 2011.
In 2019, Andrew took up his current role as Bishop of Ramsbury, in the Diocese of Salisbury. He is also lead bishop for church buildings.
Andrew is a singer-songwriter and the author of Parish: An Anglican theology of place (Books, 21 July 2017) and English Grounds: A pastoral journal (Books, 11 March 2022).
31 CommentsThe Bangor Diocesan Board of Finance and the Bangor Diocesan Trust published the findings of an independent governance review on 6 March. There is a press release here, and the report itself is here. The Church Times published an article on the report under the title Weak financial controls and ‘disempowered’ trustees were background to Bangor débâcle, review says.
6 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the Carlisle diocesan website.
Appointment of the Suffragan Bishop of Penrith: 11th March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Michael John Leyden, BA, MA, MSt, PhD, to the Suffragan See of Penrith, in the Diocese of Carlisle.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 11 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Michael John Leyden BA, MA, MSt, PhD, Dean and CEO of Emmanuel Theological College, to the Suffragan See of Penrith, in the Diocese of Carlisle, in succession to the Right Reverend Robert James Saner-Haigh, MA, MPhil, following his translation to the See of Carlisle.
Michael grew up in Merseyside and was educated at Oxford University and Chester University and trained for ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham. He served his title at St Ann’s, Rainhill, in the Diocese of Liverpool. Following a secondment to St Mellitus College, North-West, Michael was appointed half-time Incumbent of the Benefice of Weston with Shavington in 2014, in the Diocese of Chester, alongside working half-time as Lead Academic Tutor at St Mellitus College. In 2018, Michael was appointed full-time Director of St Mellitus College, North-West, and in 2019 he was licensed as Associate Priest of St Peter’s, Chester.
In 2021, Michael took up his current role as Dean and CEO of Emmanuel Theological College.
16 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the Truro diocesan website.
Suffragan Bishop of St. Germans: 9 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend James Treasure BSc, to the Suffragan See of St. Germans, in the Diocese of Truro.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 9 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend James Treasure BSc, Vicar and Resource Church Leader at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s and Team Rector for Dudley, in the Diocese of Worcester, for appointment as Suffragan Bishop of St. Germans in the Diocese of Truro, in succession to The Right Reverend Hugh Edmund Nelson BA, following his translation to the See of Worcester.
Background
James was educated at the Roehampton Institute, University of Surrey. He trained for ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon and served his title in the Kidderminster West Team Ministry, in the Diocese of Worcester. He was ordained Priest in 2017 and was previously a leader in a free church before his move back to the Church of England. He brings with him a wealth of experience in community engagement and growing congregations.
From 2018, James served as Vicar and Resource Church Leader at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s (commonly known as “Top Church”) in Dudley. In this capacity, he spearheaded a major redevelopment and mission project, supported by significant grant funding, to revitalise the historic Grade II* listed building and expand its community outreach.
In 2023, James was also appointed Team Rector for the wider Dudley parish. In this role, he maintained responsibility for four additional churches while continuing his leadership at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s.
49 CommentsThe Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Dr David Walker, has announced that he will retire in the summer of 2027. He has been given a short extension in office beyond his 70th birthday, and the see will become vacant as from 31 July 2027.
41 CommentsThe death has been announced this evening of the Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Revd Andrew Watson.
A post on the Guildford diocesan website says
Bishop Andrew died peacefully on Tuesday 3 March surrounded by family, less than a month after he received a terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
In a letter to the diocese, the Rt Revd Paul Davies, Bishop of Dorking and Acting Bishop of Guildford, commended the following prayer to be used by parishes on Sunday.
Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for Andrew,
our brother and bishop:
for his faith and faithfulness to you
in life and in leadership.
As we mourn his death
and commend him to your everlasting arms,
give us the same faith, hope and love,
rooted in the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus.We pray especially for Beverly,
Hannah, Sam, Joe, Lydia and the whole family.
Comfort them with your Holy Spirit and protect them in their grief.
And bring us, at the last, with Andrew and all your children,
to that eternal joy where you live and reign in glory forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
3 Comments
The Bishop of Lichfield, the Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, has today written to clergy and readers in the diocese to announce that he will retire at the end of September 2026. His last day of active ministry in the diocese will be Sunday 27 September.
Updated (Wednesday) Lichfield diocesan website has this story: Bishop Michael to retire in September 2026. Bishop Michael’s letter can be read here.
3 CommentsAnthony Pierce was Bishop of Swansea & Brecon between 1999 and 2008. He was jailed for four years in March last year after admitting separate sexual offences against a boy aged under 16, committed between 1985 and 1990, when he was a parish priest in the West Cross area of Swansea. The Church in Wales has published the findings of a detailed review into the way in which he was appointed to senior church roles in the 1990s despite senior clergy knowing of sexual abuse allegations against him.
There is a press release.
The full text of the review is here.
There was also a Disciplinary Tribunal: its Decision is available here.
There has been some coverage of this in the media:
BBC: Child sex abuse allegations covered up by Church in Wales for decades, report reveals
Church Times: Review confirms first episcopal deposition in Church in Wales
26 CommentsThe Archbishop of Wales issued the message below to the diocese of Bangor on 20 February 2026. I wrote about the proposal to appoint an interim bishop here and here.
Interim Bishop of Bangor: Message from the Archbishop of Wales
Dear friends,
Today, we have held interviews of an Interim Bishop of Bangor. I am very grateful for all those, from the diocese and the province, who have been involved in this discernment process.
Any process of discernment has to be open to an outcome that it is not right to proceed in the way we hoped. This is what has happened on this occasion and so we will not be proceeding with the appointment of an interim bishop.
Instead, I am going to ask the Governing Body’s Standing Committee to recommence the electoral college process.
The diocese remains in my prayers.
Archbishop Cherry
10 CommentsUpdated Monday 23 February
The Diocese of Lincoln published the statement below today, 20 February”
Diocesan Statement Regarding the Status of The Bishop of Lincoln
20th February, 2026The Bishop of Lincoln, The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, has been suspended from ministry while a complaint made to the National Safeguarding Team is responded to according to House of Bishops Code of Practice. This includes referral to the appropriate statutory authorities.
The Bishop of Grantham, The Rt Revd Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, will be performing the function of the Diocesan Bishop during this period.
Support is in place for those affected and there will be no further comment while the process is ongoing.
We understand that this will be a deeply unsettling time. The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is available for anyone who wishes to contact them. They can be contacted via email: safeguarding@lincoln.anglican.org or by phone: 01522 504070.
Alternatively, Safe Spaces is an independent and confidential support advocacy service. Contact their free helpline: 0300 303 1056.
And there is also support from ThirtyOneEight, a safeguarding support line. Their number is 0303 003 1111.
The BBC has subsequently reported that the bishop has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
Update Monday 23 February
24 Comments
The Prime Minister’s Office issued the following press release this morning. There is more on the Durham diocesan website.
Appointment of the Bishop of Durham:
19 February 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Richard Simpson, for election as Bishop of Durham.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 19 February 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Richard (Rick) Simpson, Archdeacon of Auckland in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Durham, in succession to The Right Reverend Paul Roger Butler, following his retirement.
Background
Rick was educated at Keble College, Oxford, and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at St. Gabriel’s Heaton, in the Diocese of Newcastle, and was ordained Priest in 1994.
From 1997, Rick served as Priest-in-Charge, and then Vicar, Holy Trinity, Jesmond, and St. Barnabas and St. Jude, Sandyford, in the Diocese of Newcastle. In 2006, he was appointed IME 2 lead for the Dioceses of Durham and Newcastle, supporting curates and training incumbents, and Priest-in-Charge, St. Brandon’s, Brancepeth, in the Diocese of Durham.
In 2018, Rick took up his current role as Archdeacon of Auckland.
68 CommentsThe Diocese of Edinburgh, in the Scottish Episcopal Church has announced the election as its next bishop, of Dr Dagmar Winter, currently suffragan Bishop of Huntingdon in the diocese of Ely, and acting Bishop of Ely.
90 CommentsNew Bishop Elected for the Diocese of Edinburgh
The Right Reverend Dr Dagmar Winter was elected yesterday, 14 February 2026, as the new Bishop of Edinburgh. She will take up her new post later in the year.
Bishop Dagmar becomes the Bishop-Elect of Edinburgh following the retirement in August 2025 of the Rt Rev Dr John Armes who served as Bishop of Edinburgh for 13 years.
The Bishop-Elect accepted the post following a meeting of the Electoral Synod in St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, where she received over half of the votes in each house, with clergy and lay representatives from congregations across the diocese voting.
Bishop Dagmar currently serves as the Bishop of Huntingdon, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Ely. Since 2023 she is also Acting Bishop of Ely.
She is Vice-President of the Conference of European Churches which runs a number of projects, especially Pathways to Peace, a coordinated response of the European church fellowship to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With a particular interest in New Testament scholarship, she has contributed to a number of English and German books and journals.
Bishop Dagmar studied at the Universities of Erlangen, Aberdeen and Heidelberg. She was ordained as deacon in 1996 and as priest in 1997. From 1995 to 1999 she served as curate at St Mark’s, Bromley, Kent, and was Assistant Chaplain at Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust. From 1999 to 2006 she was Associate Vicar at Hexham Abbey and Deanery Training Officer in the Diocese of Newcastle. From 2006 to 2015 she was Priest-in-Charge of Kirkwhelpington with Kirkharle & Kirkheaton, and Cambo in Northumberland, and the Officer for Rural Affairs for the Diocese of Newcastle. In 2010 she became Area Dean of Morpeth and in 2011 Honorary Canon of Newcastle Cathedral. From 2012 to 2019 she was Bishop’s Adviser for Women’s Ministry, returning in 2015 to Hexham Abbey as Rector and Lecturer. She was consecrated as a bishop in 2019.
Following the election, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Mark Strange, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Bishop Dagmar as Bishop-Elect into this new season of ministry in the Scottish Episcopal Church, and I am looking forward to welcoming her to the College of Bishops. The gifts she brings will enhance the life and mission of the Church.
“I would also like to thank everyone who took part in the process — those who offered themselves and tested their discernment, as well as members of the Electoral Synod, Diocesan Officers, Preparatory Committee, diocesan staff and Bishop Andrew, Convener of the Electoral Process, for their prayerful work.
“Please keep Bishop Dagmar in your prayers as we plan her installation and new beginnings in Scotland.”
The Bishop-Elect said:
“I am hugely honoured to have been elected as the next Bishop of Edinburgh and would like to thank most warmly all those involved in the thorough process, indeed, in electing me.
“I rejoice in the diversity and inclusivity of the Diocese of Edinburgh and can’t wait to get to know all the clergy and people in the charges from the Tweed to the Firth of Forth — your joys, your challenges, your opportunities. I firmly believe that the Scottish Episcopal Church has a unique voice to share in today’s world, and I am committed to supporting and encouraging all who contribute to its mission and ministry and to raising its profile further. I also look forward to joining the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
“As I pray for you, please pray for me as I prepare to leave Ely and join you in Edinburgh.
“Only last night I confirmed some young people, preaching on John 20:19-end, and told them ‘as Jesus was sent, so he sends us’. It will be exciting to discover with you where God will lead us. The one who calls us is faithful — this is our joy, our hope and our strength.”
David Holdsworth, the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, has written a letter to the editor of the Church Times, responding to Andrew Brown’s column of 30 January Viewpoint with Andrew Brown: When everything is ‘safeguarding’ no one is safe.
…Andrew Brown appears to doubt (Viewpoint, 30 January) that some bishops consider that their diocesan boards of finance are ultimately responsible for ensuring the proper handling of safeguarding concerns of which diocesan officers or trustees are made aware.
That misunderstanding is precisely the concern that the Charity Commission raised in its recent regulatory decisions regarding the dioceses of Chelmsford and Liverpool, where trustees were seemingly not aware of their duties and were not appraised to any extent about allegations made against an influential member of the clergy with a leadership role in their region.
Whether an investigation is labelled by the Church as conduct or safeguarding is rather beside the point: diocesan trustees — just like PCC members — have a duty to take reasonable steps to keep safe from harm all who come into contact with their charity…
The full text of his letter is here.
There is also a related letter (scroll down) from Gavin Drake.
19 CommentsThe Bishop of Chichester, the Rt Revd Martin Warner, has announced that he will retire at the end of May 2026. Details are here.
44 CommentsUpdated Saturday 7 February
The Church Times recently reported: President of Tribunals finds no case to answer for Archbishop of York in David Tudor case.
The full decision by Sir Stephen Males is here. (Also his supplementary decision on publication.)
In response the Archbishop of York issued this statement.
This is not the only outstanding process relating to the David Tudor case. As Gavin Drake explains:
The Church of England is currently engaged in two distinct processes arising from the David Tudor case. One is a disciplinary complaint brought under the Clergy Discipline Measure against the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, which was halted at a preliminary stage by the President of Tribunals under section 17 of the Measure. The other is a national, independent Safeguarding Practice Review, still ongoing, examining the Church’s handling of the case over many years and intended to identify learning to improve safeguarding practice and outcomes for victims and survivors.
The Safeguarding Practice Review (SPR) was commissioned by the National Safeguarding Team and the dioceses of Chelmsford and Southwark to examine the Church’s handling of the David Tudor case over many years. Its terms of reference make clear that Stephen Cottrell’s actions will be part of the review. The review began work in March 2025 and was originally expected to conclude within six months. A final call for evidence was issued in September 2025, after that initial timetable had already elapsed, and in November the Church announced a further delay, citing new police information.
The review is now expected to report in early 2026. Its stated purpose is not to re-litigate disciplinary findings, but to identify learning, assess safeguarding practice and decision-making, and improve outcomes for victims and survivors. At the time the Archbishop issued his statement, this review was ongoing and unfinished.
Gavin has further commentary on this.
He also has criticism of the president’s decision and of the archbishop’s statement over here and also here.
Update
Ian Paul has also written about this: Do we have safeguarding leadership in the Church of England? This article, like Gavin’s, is also worth reading in full.
19 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of Ely is to be the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, currently suffragan Bishop of Jarrow. Ely diocese has this item about the appointment and Durham has this.
89 CommentsAppointment of Bishop of Ely: 27 January 2026
The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Elizabeth Clark, for election as Bishop of Ely.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 27 January 2026The King has approved the nomination of the Right Reverend Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Ely, in succession to the Right Reverend Stephen David Conway, following his translation to the See of Lincoln.
Background
Sarah was educated at Loughborough University and prior to ordination worked as a civil servant within the Department of Employment. She trained for ministry at St. John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at St. James Porchester, in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, and was ordained Priest in 1999.
In 2002, Sarah was appointed Rector of the United Benefice of Carlton-in-Lindrick and Langold with Oldcotes and, from 2009, she served as Team Rector of the Clifton Team Ministry in Nottingham. In 2011 Sarah became an honorary Canon of Southwell Minster and took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry. From 2014 she served as Archdeacon of Nottingham.
In 2019, Sarah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow and, since 2024, she has additionally served as Acting Diocesan Bishop of Durham since The Right Reverend Paul Butler’s retirement from that See.
Updated Monday
St Albans diocese recently (19 January) announced a grant of £2.3 million from the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB): £2.3m awarded to equip leaders and revitalise churches in our diocese and there are links from that page to further details about this.
The Church Times reported this on 22 January: St Albans diocese plans to put faith and funding in Soul Survivor.
This report, and in particular the headline, provoked negative reactions from many people who were shocked that apparently Soul Survivor was to benefit in some way as part of this. The diocese then issued on 23 January a “clarification”, sent by email to all diocesan clergy and readers, the full text of which is copied here below the fold. (At the time of writing it has not appeared on the diocesan website.)
Updates
Religion Media Centre has a report (scroll down) : Soul Survivor named ‘engine of mission’ despite safeguarding scandal, which includes a link to the diocesan proposal for funding: DS-25-11v.2 – SMMIB Funding Application
Media coverage:
Telegraph Church at centre of abuse scandal ‘rewarded’ with new role and Church of England to overhaul internships after Soul Survivor abuse scandal
Watford Observer C of E to tighten rules after Soul Survivor Watford scandal
Premier Christian News Church of England to revise mission rules to avoid another Soul Survivor
22 Comments