We reported earlier this month that the Governing Body of the Church in Wales was to meet to consider rule changes to allow the appointment of an interim Bishop of Bangor. The meeting took place yesterday and it agreed, with a slight amendment, the proposed changes. Details are in a press release, which is copied below.
Governing Body approves motion enabling interim Bishop of Bangor appointment
Provincial news Posted: 25 November 2025
The Governing Body of the Church in Wales met today to vote on proposed, time-limited constitutional changes that would allow an interim Bishop to be appointed to the Diocese of Bangor.
The motion, brought forward following the Electoral College’s decision not to proceed with an election at this stage, sought temporary amendments to the Constitution so that an experienced bishop may be invited to serve in Bangor for a period of one to two years. The interim appointment is intended to provide leadership and stability while work continues to strengthen governance, management, finance, and diocesan structures in preparation for a future episcopal election.
After an amendment which extended the maximum expiration date of the arrangements to a month following the first ordinary Governing Body meeting in 2028, members voted as follows:
With a majority in favour, the amended motion was passed.
The Governing Body’s approval now enables progress toward inviting an interim bishop to take up leadership in Bangor following the retirement of Bishop Andrew John at the end of August.
My best wishes for good episcopal service to the fondly remembered St. Peter’s Penrhosgarnedd where I attended while working in Bangor 1969-70
What about the assistant Bishop of the diocese?
He was assistant bishop to the archbishop, and that post came to an end when the archbishop ”retired”. He was never assistant bishop of Bangor. It must be pointed out also that he has very little experience of ecclesiastical administration – never having been even a local ministry area leader. Neither does he speak Welsh. In fact, it seems unlikely that anyone but the now retired archbishop would have thought of him as being at all qualified for the post to which he appointed him. I think it fair to say that this appointment was met with a considerable amount… Read more »
Kitten..you sound more like a lion!
Surely the assistant bishop is a bishop. Some of the worst ones are the most experienced and professional.The first bishops were fishermen.
Yes, he’s a bishop, but he was the assistant to the then archbishop – not assistant bishop of Bangor – and that post came to an end when the then archbishop retired. I understand that the intention of the present archbishop is that an experienced interim bishop be appointed to try to sort out the dreadful mess in the diocese of Bangor. The former assistant bishop would hardly seem to be a strong candidate for the post. Apart from the points I made in my previous message, I would have thought that he is also too much part of the… Read more »
An “experienced bishop” is unlikely to be a Welsh speaker. Isn’t that likely to be a problem in a Welsh speaking area ?
Reading between the lines the appointment of an Interim bishop for two years must indicate that the problems in Bangor Diocese must run very deep. We must all pray that there is a speedy resolution.