The formal process for the appointment of a new Bishop of Ely is now under way.
The Diocesan Vacancy in See Committee (put in place by Bishop’s Council before the announcement of Bishop Anthony’s retirement) has now met for the first time. It’s membership is listed below, and I am sure any of its members will be glad to speak with you.
They have two basic jobs:
(1) To agree the text of a diocesan statement which, like a ‘parish profile’ gives a picture of the diocese and the area it serves, and outlines the qualities it is felt an incoming bishop should therefore have.
A drafting group has been set up to work on this. They are interested to receive a wide variety of submissions, which can be sent c/o the Diocesan Secretary, Matthew Lavis.
(2) To elect the 6 diocesan representatives to sit as part of the Crown Nominations Commission who will make the nomination for the new Bishop to the Crown. These are elected from the membership of the Vacancy in See Committee. At least 3 must be lay people and only 1 can be a member of the Senior Staff.
In order to do this business meetings have been arranged at 7.30pm on 3rd November and 1st December, and your prayers are asked for these.
The Prime Minister’s and Archbishops’ Appointment Secretaries will be in the diocese on 30th November and 1st December meeting a wide variety of people to take soundings of their own. They will also hold a public meeting (open to all) in Ely Cathedral at 7.30pm on the 30th, and attend the Vacancy in See Committee meeting on the 1st.
Looking ahead, the Crown Nominations Commission will meet on 23rd March and 20/21 April nest year. We can hope for an announcement in July, and all being well our new Bishop will be with us before the end of the year.
Though the dates of the meetings of the Vacancy in See Committee and Crown Nominations Commission are public, their business is confidential. Nevertheless, the Vacancy in See Committee has affirmed the value of being open and transparent wherever possible, and I will keep readers informed of any developments which I can.
I am not looking myself either to be a member of the Crown Nominations Commission or a name considered by it, but will rather be concentrating on keeping the home fires (of the Gospel and the Spirit) burning, and providing pastoral support to the process and those involved in it.
The members of the Vacancy in See Committee are :
The Venerable John Beer (Chairman)
The Revd. Rhiannon Jones
The Revd. Will Adam
Miss Jane Logan
Mrs. Gill Ambrose
The Venerable Hugh McCurdy
The Revd. Michael Banyard
Mr. Richard Morgan
The Very Revd. Dr. Michael Chandler
Mrs. Janet Perrett
The Revd. Canon Richard Darmody
Dr. Catherine Pickstock
Miss Shirley Dex
Mr. Dennis Sadler
Professor David Ford
Dr. Elaine Storkey
The Revd. Canon Alan Hargrave
The Rt. Revd. Dr. David Thomson (vice chair)
Dr. Peter Harland
Mr. Stephen Tooke
The Revd. Alan Jesson
The Revd. Canon Jonathan Young
To access the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments’ Breifing click here: VIS Briefing Booklet
Here is the Press Release from the Vacancy in See Committee on how to submit your views: VIS Press document
