Bishop of Hertford
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the St Albans diocesan website.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Hertford: 24 November 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, Archdeacon of St Albans, in the Diocese of St Albans, to the Suffragan See of Hertford, in the Diocese of St Albans.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 24 November 2022
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Dr Jane Mainwaring, Archdeacon of St Albans, in the Diocese of St Albans, to the Suffragan See of Hertford, in the Diocese of St Albans, in succession to The Right Reverend Dr Michael Beasley following his appointment as Bishop of Bath and Wells.
Background
Jane was educated at Leeds University and Trinity College, University of Wales, and trained for ministry on the East Anglian Ministerial Training Course. She served her title at St Gregory’s Sudbury, in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, and in 2001 she was ordained Priest
In 2003, Jane was appointed Team Vicar of St Mark’s Hitchin, in the Diocese of St Albans, and from 2015 she also served as Rural Dean.
Jane took up her current role as Archdeacon of St Albans in 2020.
26 CommentsDean of Lincoln
The Very Reverend Christine Wilson, the Dean of Lincoln, recently anounced that she will retire on 31 March 2023. Her leaving service will be on 2 February. The announcement is in a chapter letter; you will have to scroll down to find it.
0 CommentsBishop of Thetford
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Winton, the suffragan Bishop of Thetford in the diocese of Norwich, has announced that he will retire in April 2023.
1 CommentDean of Chelmsford
The Dean of Chelmsford, the Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, has announced that he is moving to be Parish Priest of St Thomas the Apostle, New Groombridge in the Diocese of Chichester. The Dean has written this letter about his move.
I failed to notice it at the time, but the Dean of Newcastle, the Very Revd Geoff Miller, announced his retirement some time ago, and his farewell service was last Sunday.
12 CommentsMore about Christ Church Oxford
Last Saturday the Diocese of Oxford diocesan synod discussed (in a Zoom meeting) its response to the Christ Church Independent Governance Review.
Updated Monday 21 November
We reported on the terms of reference for this review last April and on Dominic Grieve’s appointment last June.
There are two papers:
These papers had been prepared well before last week’s announcement from the Charity Commission.
At the time of writing, there has still been no mention of the Charity Commission’s Official Warning on the Christ Church website.
Surviving Church has published this critique of the college by Martin Sewell: The Christ Church Malcontents gambled “The House”, they should bear the loss.
Update
And now also this critique, by the same author, of the Church of England: The Church of England has a case to answer for its role in the institutional bullying at Christ Church
Charity Commission issues Official Warning to Christ Church, Oxford
Updated again 15 November
Press release from Charity Commission:
Charity regulator issues Official Warning to Christ Church, Oxford
The Charity Commission has issued an Official Warning to Christ Church, Oxford, after finding that the trustees failed to manage the charity’s resources responsibly
Christ Church has been involved in long and costly disputes involving its former Dean, who left his role earlier this year following a mediation process. In 2020 the Commission had told the parties to the dispute to enter into formal mediation.
The Commission has found that trustees failed to act on its previous advice, given between 2019-2020, to continue to have “close oversight of costs” in the dispute. In December 2021, the Commission asked the trustees to provide information about the costs of the actions connected to the former Dean and how these costs were being managed. The trustees were unable to provide the information in a timely manner. The Commission was later informed that the trustees had not set a fixed budget for the costs associated with the dispute, and instead that the full trustee body agreed expenditure retrospectively. Between August 2018 and late January 2022 the college had spent over £6.6m on legal and public relations fees in various actions related to the former Dean, of which over £5.3m appears to have been approved retrospectively.
The regulator is also critical of the trustees’ failure to ensure the college was accountable for its expenditure on legal and public relations fees during the dispute. The Commission has found that the charity’s published accounts (for years ending 2018-21) categorised costs associated with the charity’s actions involving the former Dean as “other direct costs – teaching, research and residential”. The Commission says that this has the potential to mislead the readers of the accounts. The trustees had been advised by the charity’s auditors to consider reporting on actions related to the dispute specifically, and to seek advice on its reporting.
The regulator has determined that these failures and omissions amount to misconduct and/or mismanagement in the charity’s administration.
The Official Warning sets out the actions that the Commission considers should be taken by the charity to rectify the misconduct and/or mismanagement and to address its concerns, including:
- Completing a full independent Governance Review and taking all reasonable steps to implement its recommendations. This work is already underway.
- Keeping the Commission informed of the progress and implementation of the Governance Review at key milestones.
- Ensuring that the charity’s accounts and Trustee Annual Report for the year ending 31 July 2022 comply with the legal requirement to ensure the charity is accountable.
Failure to take steps to remedy the misconduct and/or mismanagement may lead to further regulatory action being taken against the charity’s trustees.
Helen Earner, Director of Regulatory Services at the Charity Commission, said:
These long and protracted disputes risked undermining the reputation of Christ Church and harming wider trust in charities.
It is not for us as regulator to take sides in disputes. Our role is to ensure that charities are governed effectively and that charitable funds are properly accounted for. All trustees must demonstrate sound financial stewardship, regardless of the level of resources available to them.
We consider that the actions of the trustees at Christ Church amount to mismanagement and/or misconduct, after they failed to manage the charity’s resources responsibly or ensure that the charity is accountable in the context of a costly dispute.
The Commission welcomes the fact that an independent governance review is now underway at the charity, led by the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC, and we expect the trustees to keep us updated on its progress.
94 CommentsGood governance should be a priority for all trustees, especially those involved in important national institutions such as Christ Church, Oxford”
Primates criticise appointment of Canterbury dean
The Church Times reports: New Dean of Canterbury comes under fire from GAFCON Primates
PRIMATES allied to the Global Anglican Futures Conference (GAFCON) have condemned the Archbishop of Canterbury for “refusing to prevent” the appointment of the Very Revd David Monteith as Dean of Canterbury Cathedral (News, 14 October). They have urged Archbishop Welby to repent. Lambeth Palace has responded by saying that the statement is inaccurate.
The subject of Dean Monteith’s appointment takes up a large section of the communiqué issued by the Primates of North America (ACNA), Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, All Nigeria, and the Indian Ocean after a meeting of the GAFCON Primates Council meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, which ended on Wednesday…
And it concludes:
…A spokesperson from Lambeth Palace on Friday described the statement as “inaccurate in a number of ways including the nature of the Anglican Communion, the appointment of the Dean of Canterbury, and the understanding of civil partnerships in England”.
Lambeth also confirmed, in answer to a question from the Church Times, that the Archbishop was engaged in ongoing WhatsApp conversations with Primates. These are described as “closed and private groups and as a matter of policy, all conversations remain private and confidential”.
Christ Church review – A statement from the ISB
Editor’s note: The college at Oxford is, of course, Christ Church and not Christchurch. I have not corrected this error in the ISB’s statement.
The website of the Church of England’s Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) was finally launched yesterday.
Today the ISB has published a statement saying that it was pausing its review into the quality of earlier safeguarding investigations at Christ Church. This is copied below.
Christchurch review
A statement from the ISB
The ISB has upon invitation from the Diocese of Oxford and the Archbishops Council agreed to undertake a review into the quality of earlier safeguarding investigations at Christchurch. A copy of the published TOR is available here. A call for evidence has gone out and a timetable published. To date ISB has not started a qualitative review of the submitted evidence. The current constitution of the ISB, with the Chair currently stood down, places considerable additional capacity restraints on the limited resources of the ISB. The wider ISB work undertaken to date is in part set out in the newly launched website.
The question of independence is quite rightly a regular challenge to the ISB. The ISB does not currently operate as a stand-alone separate legal entity and this is something actively under consideration ahead of embarking upon the second phase of the ISB’s work in developing a pathway to embedding long lasting independent scrutiny and oversight of safeguarding within the COE.
The ISB is aware that other independent Reviews into Christ Church have been concluded and as such the ISB wishes to analyse those reviews to determine whether the ISB can usefully add to the body of independent work completed to date when weighed against the ISB’s finite resources and its current workload particularly directed towards the survivor community.
For these reasons the ISB has decided to pause the work on the Review pending consideration of other ISB priorities and the extent to which the ISB can usefully add to the work carried out by others and recommendations made.
One of the very clear functions of the ISB is to hold the COE to account for implementation of safeguarding best practice. To the extent the ISB endorses the recommendations made independently by other responsible bodies relating to Christ Church, they will seek assurance that those recommendations are implemented.
Survivor Advocate
Independent Safeguarding Board
[The review’s terms of reference are attached to the statement.]
10 CommentsIICSA publishes final report
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has published its final report. There are three documents:
- Rapid Read (7 pages)
- Executive Summary (18 pages)
- Full Report (459 pages)
And a very short press release which links to a media pack which in turn links to a one page summary.
I will add links to media reports, and responses from other organisations as they become available.
The UK Government has responded:
The Church of England has responded:
Bishop of Newcastle
Press Release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the Newcastle diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Newcastle: 20 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Suffragan Bishop of Ripon, for election as Bishop of Newcastle.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 20 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, Suffragan Bishop of Ripon, for election as Bishop of Newcastle, in succession to The Right Reverend Christine Hardman following her retirement.
Helen-Ann Hartley was educated at the University of St. Andrews and Worcester College, Oxford. She trained for ministry on the St Albans & Oxford Ministry Course and was ordained Priest in 2006. She served her title at St Mary the Virgin, Wheatley, in the Diocese of Oxford, and was appointed Curate at St Mary the Virgin and St Nicholas, Littlemore, in 2007. During this time she was also Director of Biblical Studies and Tutor in New Testament at Ripon College, Cuddesdon.
In 2012, Helen-Ann moved to New Zealand where she was Dean for the New Zealand Dioceses at the College of St John the Evangelist, Auckland, and in 2014 she was consecrated Bishop of Waikato, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
Helen-Ann returned to the UK in 2018 when she was appointed to her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Ripon in the Diocese of Leeds.
16 CommentsBishop of Liverpool
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more on the Liverpool diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of Liverpool: 18 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Area Bishop of Bradwell, for election as Bishop of Liverpool.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 18 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr John Perumbalath, Area Bishop of Bradwell, for election as Bishop of Liverpool, in succession to The Right Reverend Paul Bayes following his retirement.
Background
John hails from the ancient Syrian Christian community in Kerala, India, and trained for ministry at Union Biblical Seminary, Pune. He worked as a youth worker for university students and as a theological educator before his ordination in the Diocese of Calcutta, Church of North India.
He was Curate at St John’s Church, Calcutta, from 1994 and was appointed Vicar at St James’ Church in 1995. John then served as Vicar of St Thomas’ Church in 2000, as well as Chaplain at St Thomas’ Secondary School.
In 2002, John moved to the UK and was appointed Associate Rector at St George’s Church, Beckenham, in the Diocese of Rochester. He then served as Team Vicar of Northfleet and Rosherville in addition to Diocesan Advisor for Thames Gateway Regeneration. In 2008, he was appointed Vicar at All Saints Perry Street and served also as Diocesan Urban Officer.
John was appointed Archdeacon of Barking in 2013, in the Diocese of Chelmsford, and took up his current role as Area Bishop of Bradwell in 2018. He chairs the Churches Refugee Network for Britain and Ireland and is the Church of England’s lead bishop for Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
9 CommentsBishop of Dorking to become Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion
Press release from the Anglican Communion Office
Bishop for Episcopal Ministry appointed to build on successful Lambeth Conference
A new post of Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion has been created to build on the success of this year’s Lambeth Conference. The Right Revd Dr Jo Bailey Wells, currently Bishop of Dorking in the Church of England’s Diocese of Guildford, has been appointed to the post and will begin her new role in January 2023…
46 CommentsBishop of Beverley
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office: the Bishop of Beverley is the provincial episcopal visitor (PEV) for the Province of York. There is more on the York diocesan website. The new bishop will be consecrated on St Andrew’s Day.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Beverley: 12 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Stephen Race to the Suffragan See of Beverley, in the Diocese of York.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 12 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Stephen Race, Incumbent of the Benefice of Central Barnsley and Area Dean of Barnsley, in the Diocese of Leeds, to the Suffragan See of Beverley, in the Diocese of York, in succession to The Right Reverend Glyn Webster following his retirement.
Background
Stephen was educated at St Hild and St Bede College, Durham. He trained for ministry at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, and was ordained Priest in 2003.
Stephen served his title at St Mary’s Wigton, in the Diocese of Carlisle, and in 2005 he was appointed Vicar of St John the Baptist, Dodworth, in the Diocese of Wakefield. He was additionally appointed Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO) in 2008 for the Diocese of Wakefield (and subsequently the Diocese of Leeds), having served as Assistant DDO from 2005.
Stephen was appointed Priest-in-Charge of St Mary’s Barnsley in 2014, and additionally Priest-in-Charge of St Edward the Confessor Barnsley and St Thomas Gawber in 2017. Following this, he was licensed as Priest in Charge of St George’s Barnsley in 2018 and with the pastoral reorganisations completed, he was licensed as Incumbent of the Benefice of Central Barnsley in 2019. Stephen has served as Area Dean of Barnsley since 2009 and has been an Honorary Canon of Wakefield Cathedral since 2011.
33 CommentsDean of Canterbury
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office
Appointment of Dean of Canterbury: 11 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, Dean of Leicester, for election as Dean of Canterbury.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 11 October 2022
Her Late Majesty The Queen approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, Dean of Leicester, for election as Dean of Canterbury, in succession to The Very Reverend Dr Robert Willis following his retirement.
Background
David grew up in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He was educated at St John’s College, Durham, and trained for ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham. He served his title at All Saints’, Kings Heath, in the Diocese of Birmingham, and was ordained Priest in 1994.
In 1997, David was appointed Curate at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in the Diocese of London, and in 2000 he became Associate Vicar. From 2002, David served as Priest-in-Charge at Holy Trinity, Wimbledon, in the Diocese of Southwark, additionally serving as Area Dean of Merton from 2004.
In 2009, he was appointed Team Rector for Merton Priory Team Ministry and additionally went on to serve as Canon Chancellor of Leicester Cathedral. He took up his current role as Dean of Leicester in 2013. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws in 2016, from the University of Leicester, which acknowledges his role in the community including overseeing the re-interment of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral in 2015.
As Dean of Leicester, David has chaired the St Philip’s Centre for Interfaith Dialogue and led and chaired the Bishop of Leicester’s Rural Commission. He currently chairs the Church of England College of Deans.
David shares his life in a Civil Partnership with David Hamilton, a palliative care and bereavement counsellor.
Update
There is more on the Canterbury Cathedral website. This includes the date of the new dean’s installation: Saturday 17 December at 15.00.
21 CommentsBishop of Aberdeen & Orkney update
I reported here in August that the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney had been suspended, and that the suspension had been lifted when she appealed against it. The Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church has now refused the appeal by a majority of three to two. The bishop’s suspension from office now resumes with immediate effect until further notice, while the next stage of the process takes place.
1 CommentHouse of Bishops – 26 September 2022
Press release from the Church of England
House of Bishops – 26 September 2022
26/09/2022
The House of Bishops met by Zoom for its September meeting.
The meeting began with a series of reflections on the passing of the Queen, with the Bishop of Coventry offering condolences and a vote of thanks on behalf of the House.
An update was then given by the Enabling Officer of the Living in Love and Faith project. The paper updated the House on current timelines and changes, following the cancellation of the College of Bishops in September, due to the death of the Queen. The paper, outlining the proposed approach over the coming months was noted by the House.
The House was then addressed by the Secretary of the House on the inflation and energy crisis, and how it was affecting churches and the wider community. The House discussed work under way on how the national Church institutions may be able to contribute to helping dioceses and churches deal with the extra costs in the coming winter.
The Bishop of Guildford then gave an update on the work of the national governance Review Project Board. Since its formation in February 2022, the National Church Governance Project Board (NGPB) has been developing its proposals in relation to the governance of the National Church Institutions (NCI). The paper shared the Project Board’s proposals so far and sought guidance and assurance from the House on the current direction of travel. The House provided comments on issues such as the future board composition of the Church of England National Services (CENS) and the creation of a Nominations Committee.
The House was then addressed by members of the Independent Safeguarding Board (ISB) updating the House on the work of the Board which provides independent oversight and scrutiny to the work of the National Safeguarding Team and the broader safeguarding culture across the Church of England. The lead bishop for safeguarding updated the House more generally on safeguarding matters.
The meeting then concluded in prayer.
30 CommentsMpho Tutu denied permission to officiate at a funeral
Updated yet again, Wednesday 28 September
Numerous recent news reports have described how The Revd Mpho Tutu van Furth, the daughter of Desmond Tutu, was not allowed to officiate in a Church of England building at the funeral of her godfather, Martin Kenyon. Here is a selection of such links:
- Guardian Church of England bars Desmond Tutu’s daughter from officiating at funeral
- Telegraph Desmond Tutu’s daughter ‘banned’ from Church of England funeral because of marriage to woman
- The Times Church of England bans Desmond Tutu’s gay daughter from officiating at funeral
- Daily Mail Church of England BANS Desmond Tutu’s Anglican priest daughter from officiating at her godfather’s funeral because she is married to a woman
- BBC Church of England bars Desmond Tutu’s daughter from leading funeral
- Hereford Times Desmond Tutu’s daughter ‘banned’ from leading funeral at Hereford Diocese church
- Shropshire Star Church bans Desmond Tutu’s daughter from taking Shropshire funeral due to same-sex marriage
- New York Times Church of England Stops Desmond Tutu’s Daughter From Officiating Funeral
- Episcopal News Service Church of England bars Desmond Tutu’s daughter from presiding at funeral over her marriage to a woman
- IOL.Tutu van Furth writes a letter to God expressing dismay at homophobia in the church (full text of letter from Marceline is in the comments below)
Monday’s newspapers contain letters to the editor about this, see
- The Times here (scroll down to FUNERAL SERVICE BAN FOR TUTU’S DAUGHTER) and
- Guardian Church of England’s homophobic cruelty risks making it a laughing stock
Tuesday’s Church Times contains a lengthy report, Hereford bar on Canon Tutu van Furth over marital status sparks widespread reaction. Note this paragraph:
Lambeth Palace refused to comment, and directed all press enquiries to the diocese.
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation has issued this press release:
Tutu Legacy Foundation dismayed at the callous position of the Church of England
A message from the Bishop of Hereford to his diocese has been published on Twitter by The Campaign for Equal Marriage in the CofE, which has also posted this article: “Churlish and hurtful”. This message is also copied below the fold.
The procedure for clergy outside the British Isles obtaining the relevant archbishop’s permission to officiate is described in detail on this CofE web page: scroll down to the heading Overseas (“Archbishop’s”) Permissions to Officiate (OPTO)
The Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967 can be found here.
The House of Bishops Pastoral Guidance on Same Sex Marriage dated 2014, can be found here.
167 CommentsLiturgical resources on the death of HM The Queen
The Church of England has made available a number of resources for churches and schools to remember Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. These include:
- Guidance for parish churches on the death of HM The Queen
- Guidance for Prayer and Worship
- Prayers for Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer
- Service of Prayer and Reflection
- Special Commemorative Service
- Holy Communion during the period of mourning
There are further resources for collective worship and other activities in schools.
Gracious God,
we give thanks
for the life of your servant Queen Elizabeth,
for her faith and her dedication to duty.
Bless our nation as we mourn her death
and may her example continue to inspire us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Dean of Norwich
Press release from the Prime Minister’s Office. There is more information on the Norwich Cathedral website.
Appointment of Dean of Norwich: 6 September 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Andrew Jonathan Braddock, Interim Dean of Gloucester, to be appointed Dean of Norwich.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 6 September 2022
The Queen has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Andrew Jonathan Braddock, Interim Dean of Gloucester, to be appointed Dean of Norwich, in succession to The Very Reverend Jane Hedges following her retirement.
Background
Andrew was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title in the parishes of Ranworth with Panxworth, Woodbastwick, South Walsham and Upton, in the Diocese of Norwich and was ordained priest in 1999.
In 2001, Andrew was appointed Rector of Cringleford and Colney, also in the Diocese of Norwich, taking up the additional role of Rural Dean of Humbleyard in 2004. In 2008, Andrew was appointed Diocesan Missioner in the Diocese of Gloucester and in 2013, he became Canon Missioner of Gloucester Cathedral and Diocesan Director of Mission and Ministry.
Andrew was commissioned as Interim Dean of Gloucester in April 2022.
29 CommentsDean of Truro
The Very Revd Roger Bush, the Dean of Truro, announced earlier this month that he will retire at the end of September. The Bishop of Truro has subsequently announced that he is appointing Fr Simon Robinson SMMS as Interim Dean of Truro for the period of one year from 9 October.
“It is intended that he will fulfil this role for a full year, with the process of the appointment of a new Dean, in succession to the Very Rev. Roger Bush, taking place in parallel.”
Announcement from the Dean
Bishop Philip thanks Dean of Truro
An Interim Dean for Truro Cathedral