The process to identify the next Archbishop of Canterbury is underway and the Diocese of Canterbury’s Vacancy in see Committee – the group that manages and oversees the Diocese’s role in the process – has published its Statement of Needs.
The document incorporates views which were gathered as part of a public consultation as well as explaining what life in our diocese is like for those who live, work and worship here.
The online consultation had responses from people across Kent, including the views of children and young people in the Diocese who took part in consultation activities in schools and youth groups.
The Statement of Needs will be read by candidates as well as the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC), the body that is meeting to pray, reflect and ultimately nominate someone to be the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. The CNC will make its nomination to the Prime Minister who, if he accepts will advise His Majesty the King, who will formally appoint the next Archbishop of Canterbury.
The document states: ‘The Archbishop is ‘our’ Archbishop alongside their responsibilities in the Church of England, the nation, the Anglican Communion and on the world stage. We offer in the Diocese of Canterbury and in the Cathedral Precincts a home, where the Archbishop will feel they belong.’
The Chair of the Vacancy in See Committee, the Venerable Dr Will Adam, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took part in our diocesan consultation to help the process of discernment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The responses gathered have helped us put together a Statement of Needs that captures the opportunities and challenges in our diverse corner of the country, reflecting the coastal, urban and rural communities and the church in all its variety in this diocese. The document will be enormously helpful to the Crown Nominations Commission and to candidates as we continue to discern who God is calling to be our next Archbishop.”
The process of identifying the next Archbishop of Canterbury began after Archbishop Justin Welby announced his intention to resign in November 2024.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Bishop in the Diocese of Canterbury alongside their national and global roles. The candidates and CNC will be informed by the themes from a wider consultation that took in the views of 11,000 people. It will sit alongside the Statement of Needs as well as other information provided by the National Church and Anglican Communion.
First published on: 5th June 2025
Page last updated: Friday 6th June 2025 10:31 AM
Bishop of Worcester
The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of Worcester is to be the Right Reverend Hugh Edmund Nelson, currently Suffragan Bishop of St Germans. The Worcester diocesan website has more information here, and the diocese of Truro has this.
3 CommentsAppointment of Bishop of Worcester: 29 July 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Hugh Edmund Nelson, for election as Bishop of Worcester
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 29 July 2025The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Hugh Nelson, Suffragan Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro, for election as Bishop of Worcester, in succession to The Right Reverend John Geoffrey Inge, following his retirement.
Background
After a theology degree at Worcester College, Oxford, Hugh spent 13 years living and working with adults with learning disabilities in one of the L’Arche communities. He trained for ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, was ordained Deacon in 2009 and Priest in 2010, serving his title at The Six group of Churches in the rural area around Sittingbourne in the Diocese of Canterbury. He was appointed Vicar of Goudhurst and Kilndown, also in the diocese of Canterbury, in 2012.
In 2020 Hugh took up his current role as Suffragan Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro and was in addition appointed Bishop to the Armed Forces in 2021. Since 2023 he also served as Acting Bishop of Truro until the installation of the Right Reverend David Williams on 17th May.
General Synod electronic voting results – July 2025
The electronic voting results from this month’s meeting of General Synod are now available online. These contain the names of voting members and how they voted.
- Item 008
- Item 012
- Item 025
- Item 028
- Item 030
- Item 031
- Item 501
- Item 503
- Item 507
- Item 508
- Item 511B
- Item 516B
- Item 543
- Item 550
- Item 553
- Item 554
- Item 555
- Item 556
- Item 557
The full text of motions can be found in the official record of Business Done.
- Friday, 11 July (Afternoon)
- Saturday, 12 July (Morning)
- Saturday, 12 July (Afternoon)
- Sunday, 13 July (Afternoon)
- Sunday, 13 July (Evening)
- Monday, 14 July (Morning)
- Monday, 14 July (Evening)
- Tuesday, 15 July (Morning)
Bishops confirm replacement of ‘Issues in Human Sexuality’ in discernment process
The House of Bishops yesterday agreed to replace Issues in Human Sexuality in the process of discerning new candidates for ordination with a requirement for candidates to live in line with the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy. Details are in a Church of England press release which is copied below.
Bishops confirm replacement of ‘Issues in Human Sexuality’ in discernment process
23/07/2025
The House of Bishops has agreed to replace the outdated document Issues in Human Sexuality in the process of discerning new candidates for ordination with a requirement for candidates to live in line with the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy.
The change does not alter the Church’s doctrine or canonical requirements, which remain in place, but is intended to ensure the discernment process is both theologically robust and pastorally sensitive.
The decision, at an online meeting of the House of Bishops this morning, follows a near-unanimous vote at the General Synod in York last week, and is an interim step while a longer-term approach is developed.
Synod supported an amended private member’s motion calling on the House to remove any requirements relating to Issues – as it was widely known – from the process and replace it with the interim requirement relating to the Guidelines.
When it was first published in 1991, Issues aimed to be sensitive, but the tone, language, and some of the assumptions are now considered inappropriate and offensive to many people.
Originally intended as a teaching document, Issues had assumed a more definitive role within the Church’s discernment and vocations process with candidates required to confirm that they would shape their lives within the boundaries outlined within it.
Bishops also agreed to remove the document from the House of Bishops website.
Work is now getting under way to update materials used in the discernment process such as online forms which reference Issues and documents used in the Candidates Panel. All existing guidance documents for Candidates, Diocesan Directors of Ordinands and Bishops’ Advisers will be reviewed and changed where necessary and new guidance will be issued. The Ministry Development Team, in collaboration with the Ministry Development Board, will report back to the House in October on this process.
This interim procedure will remain in place while the Church continues its work on the broader package of proposals for the Living and Love and Faith process. This work is ongoing, with the aspiration that proposals will be brought to the House of Bishops in the autumn and then to the February 2026 General Synod.
The House heard a presentation on the work undertaken so far on a review of regulations for Reader Ministry and the findings of the second Anglican Giving Survey carried out earlier this year.
The survey found that over 75 per cent of Anglicans had been thanked for their giving in the last six months, up from less than a third five years ago.
It also highlighted the generosity of givers, with average giving exceeding inflation over the last five years, and suggested that more than two thirds of Anglicans had heard a sermon on giving in the last year, with 60 per cent of those saying the sermon changed their thinking on giving.
The meeting closed in prayer.
Notes
- First adopted in 2003, the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy were substantially revised and declared an Act of Convocation by the Convocations of Canterbury and York in 2015. Work is currently underway to develop a revised version for consideration by the Convocations.
- The House of Bishops resolved today to:
- Remove Issues in Human Sexuality from the Vocations (Shared Discernment Process) and the House of Bishops website immediately and agree to replace it immediately with an interim requirement of living consistently with the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy during the period of discernment and training.
- Commission the Ministry Development Team, working with the Ministry Development Board to develop the details needed to implement this well, reporting to the House in October 2025.
- The Synod motion agreed on July 15, 2025 was:
- “That this Synod request that the House of Bishops remove any requirements relating to Issues in Human Sexuality from the Vocations (Shared Discernment) Process and replace it with an interim requirement of living consistently with the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy (GPCC) during the period of discernment and training, and complete work on the package of the Pastoral Guidelines, Code of Practice, and Bishops’ Statement, as agreed at General Synod in July 2024.”
General Synod – 11-15 July 2025
This post will be updated as the meeting proceeds.
The Church of England’s General Synod is meeting this weekend. The timetable is here, the agenda is here and the papers are here.
Live video etc
All sessions are streamed live on YouTube and remain available to view afterwards. Links have been provided in advance.
- Friday afternoon 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- Saturday morning 9.00 am – 12.45 pm
- Saturday afternoon 2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
- Sunday afternoon 2.15 pm – 7.00 pm
- Sunday evening 9:00 pm – 10.00 pm
This appears to be a mistake as there is no session of Synod scheduled for Sunday evening.
Update: an extra session has been added – see notice paper 7. - Monday morning 9.00 am – 12.45 pm
- Monday afternoon 2.00 pm – 7.00 pm
- Tuesday morning 9.00 am – 1.30 pm
There is an official X/Twitter account.
Order papers
- OP I – Friday, 11 July (Afternoon)
- OP II – Saturday, 12 July (Morning)
- OP III – Saturday, 12 July (Afternoon)
- OP IV – Sunday, 13 July (Afternoon)
- OP V – Sunday, 13 July (Evening)
- OP VI – Monday, 14 July (Morning)
- OP VII – Monday, 14 July (Afternoon)
- OP VIII – Tuesday, 15 July (Morning)
Notice papers
- NP01 – Deadlines
- NP02 – York Security
- NP03 – Progress of Measures
- NP04 – Errata
- NP05 – Financial Statement
- NP06 – Worship
- NP07 – Motions and Amendments
- NP08 – Errata
- NP09 – Welcome to new members
- NP10 – Errata
- NP11 – Motions and Amendments
- NP12 – Financial Statement
Questions Notice Papers
Business Done
- Friday, 11 July (Afternoon) (revised version)
- Saturday, 12 July (Morning)
- Saturday, 12 July (Afternoon)
- Sunday, 13 July (Afternoon)
- Sunday, 13 July (Evening)
- Monday, 14 July (Morning)
- Monday, 14 July (Evening)
- Tuesday, 15 July (Morning)
Official press releases
- Archbishop of York’s Presidential Address to General Synod
- Pray for Armed Forces amid ‘uncertain’ times, General Synod hears
- Friday at Synod
- Synod approves transformation of Church governance
- Synod welcomes national spending plans for next three years
- Saturday at Synod
- Sunday at Synod
- General Synod approves redress scheme for survivors of Church-related abuse
- Monday at Synod
- Gaza food system ‘like Hunger Games’ – Archbishop Hosam
- Synod unanimously backs licensing changes for forces chaplains
- Synod approves changes to Vocations Process with removal of ‘Issues in Human Sexuality’
- Fund palliative care instead of ‘unworkable and unsafe’ assisted suicide law – Synod
- Tuesday at Synod
Press reports and comment etc
The Guardian
Independent
- Authority over death belongs to God alone, Church of England leader warns
- Gaza aid hubs ‘like hunger games’ for Palestinians, says archbishop
Church Times
- Hope for the Church in both tradition and diversity, Archbishop of York tells Synod
- Synod votes against radical measures to redistribute Church Commissioners’ wealth
- Synod approves Measure to reform of Church’s national governance structures
- Church’s redress scheme for abuse survivors given final Synod approval
- Relief expressed after Synod approves Church’s redress scheme for survivors
- Synod welcomes higher clergy pensions
- Synod urges Government to scrap assisted-dying Bill and fund ‘desperately needed palliative care’
Civil Society
Third Sector
Anglican Communion News Service
35 CommentsGeneral Synod Questions – July 2025
The Questions (and answers) for this weekend’s meeting of the Church of England’s General Synod were issued today. They can be found online here:
Questions will be taken on Friday evening (11 July).
27 CommentsDean of Carlisle
The Dean of Carlisle, the Very Revd Jonathan Brewster, has announced that he is to step down from his role.
5 CommentsBishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich
The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich will be the Rt Revd Joanne Grenfell, currently Area Bishop of Stepney in the diocese of London. Details are in the press release copied below. The diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich has more here, and the diocese of London has this.
30 CommentsAppointment of Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich: 27 June 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Joanne Woolway Grenfell, Area Bishop of Stepney, in the Diocese of London, for election as Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
Published 27 June 2025The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr Joanne Woolway Grenfell, Area Bishop of Stepney, in the Diocese of London, for election as Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, in succession to The Right Reverend Martin Alan Seeley, following his retirement.
Background
Joanne Grenfell was educated at Oriel College, Oxford and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. She trained for ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge. She has a DPhil from Oxford and was Lecturer in English at Oriel College before ordination.
She served her title in the Kirkby Team Ministry in the Diocese of Liverpool and was ordained Priest in 2001. In 2003, Joanne was appointed joint Priest-in-Charge of Manor Parish in the Diocese of Sheffield with responsibility for Ripon College Cuddesdon’s urban theology placement programme. In 2006, Joanne became Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Residentiary Canon of Sheffield Cathedral, and in 2008 she took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry.
From 2013, Dr Grenfell served as Archdeacon of Portsdown in the Diocese of Portsmouth. In 2019, she took up her current role as Area Bishop of Stepney, in the Diocese of London. She has been the lead Bishop for safeguarding since May 2023.
General Synod Papers – July 2025
The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in York from 11 to 15 July. The agenda and papers for the meeting were released today.
- Outline of Business (updated 25.06.2025)
- GS 2400 Agenda July 2025
- GS 2401 Report from the Business Committee [a helpful guide to the business before Synod]
There are links to the papers below the fold, grouped by the day on which they are due to be debated. There are also a number of GS Misc papers and items of deemed and contingency business.
Also available are these two zipped files.
16 CommentsPre-synod press release
The Church of England’s General Synod will meet in York next month. The papers were released today along with the following press release. I will publish a detailed list of papers later today.
Christian responses to war, people coming to faith, and measures to support clergy on Synod agenda
A major package of proposals to support clergy; signs of growth in church attendance, and how Christians can respond to potential for armed conflict are among topics on the agenda at the upcoming General Synod.
Members of Synod will gather in York for their annual residential meeting from July 11 to 15, with a wide-ranging agenda of legislation, topical debate and discussion.
There will be several items of financial business including debate on the Church of England’s recently announced £1.6 billion three-year national spending plans and a request for Synod to approve proposals to increase clergy pensions.
Significant time will be set aside for the final stages of the legislation to set up the National Redress Scheme for victims and survivors of Church-related abuse.
Amid war in Ukraine and the Middle East and tensions around the world, Synod will be hearing from a senior member of the Armed Forces reflecting on the current global context and how churches can respond to armed conflict. Synod papers published today also include a reflection by the Church of England’s Bishop to the Forces, Hugh Nelson, on how parishes can support members of the armed forces and their families in their communities and addressing questions of how the Church can serve its mission in times of conflict. (See GS Misc 1428)
Following four years of overall growth in church attendance, Synod will spend some time considering church growth and outreach, drawing on research by the Archbishops’ Council on factors which help churches grow.
A paper by the Rev Kate Wharton, a member of Archbishops’ Council and Prolocutor of the House of Clergy, explains: “This is a moment of opportunity. Churches are revitalising, starting new services, planting, and reaching people in new ways.
“The Church is rediscovering its calling to be younger, more diverse and rooted in every community.
“All of this reminds us: growth is God’s work. Our task is to pray, prepare, and respond with faith.”
23 CommentsAlternative Ordinations in England
Law & Religion UK has this exclusive report:
Alternative Anglican Ordinations: seven South African deacons
46 CommentsSeven lay ministers from dioceses across the Church of England were ordained in May 2025 by a visiting Anglican bishop from South Africa. In this guest post, Andrew Atherstone provides the first report of this event, based on interviews with several of the leading participants.
On Wednesday 21 May 2025, the Archbishop of York received notification from the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH SA) of their plans to ordain “missionary clergy” for ministry in England…
House of Bishops – minutes for March 2025
These are now available online. Earlier minutes are here; scroll down to “Documents”.
4 CommentsStill no answers to safeguarding questions
TA readers may recall that in 2023 and 2024, letters were sent to both the archbishops by Richard Scorer, on behalf of his Client ‘Gilo’, asking questions about the involvement of William Nye, members of the National Safeguarding Team, and others in a meeting with Ecclesiastical Insurance held in 2016. To date, no substantive reply has been received.
Yesterday, a third letter was sent. This time it has been sent to the Church Commissioners, since the Archbishops’ Council has now failed repeatedly to answer. No doubt the topic will yet again by raised at the General Synod next month.
- A PDF of the most recent letter is here.
- For reference the two earlier letters were also included:
2023 letter
2024 letter
All of this has been rehearsed on Thinking Anglicans before. Here are some of the earlier articles:
Elliot Review Redux
Safeguarding Bishop admits that survivor was misled
Getting answers to safeguarding questions is slow
1700 years since the Council of Nicaea
The Council of Nicaea met in the summer of the year 325, so that this year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council, the first such gathering.
To mark the anniversary, the Church of England has published a small book, We Believe: Exploring the Nicene Creed which “explores the theological depth and contemporary relevance of the Nicene Creed — one of the most enduring and universal expressions of Christian faith”. It contains 24 reflections and prayers, one on each statement of the Nicene Creed, and can be used daily, 6 days a week across 4 weeks, though the reflections are not dated and can easily be used at other times. It is all also being included over the next few weeks in the Everyday Faith app. There’s a press release here, and for further information scroll down this page at the Church of England website.
The booklet of reflections was produced by a small subgroup of the Liturgical Commission, and the accompanying page (linked above) has extra resources that can be used to shape a study course or a sermon or sermon series or other activity. There’s also an article on the use of the Nicene Creed in the liturgy.
The Council of Nicaea met to resolve two major controversies, creating the statement about how it understood the relationship between God the Father and God the Son (a statement extended and revised at the Council of Constantinople in 381 to form what we call the Nicene Creed, give or take a word or two). And it agreed that Easter should always be kept on a Sunday rather than on the spring full moon itself.
In addition to this Church of England material, Transforming Worship (formerly called Praxis) in its June newsletter, available to subscribers, also included a couple of articles by two of the booklet writers: Jo Kershaw on the Nicene Creed and me on the Date of Easter, which is a canter through the history and significance of the date, from the first century to the twenty-first.
45 CommentsChurch of England responds to House of Commons votes
There have been two instances this week of votes in the House of Commons on issues where members have been free to vote in line with their personal opinions. The Church of England has issued press releases in each case.
First, a change to the law on abortion was approved, by way of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. As Law and Religion UK explains:
“For the purposes of the law related to abortion, including sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 and the Infant Life (Preservation) Act 1929, no offence is committed by a woman acting in relation to her own pregnancy.”–(Tonia Antoniazzi.)
This new clause would disapply existing criminal law related to abortion from women acting in relation to her own pregnancy at any gestation, removing the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment. It would not change any law regarding the provision of abortion services within a healthcare setting, including but not limited to the time limit, telemedicine, the grounds for abortion, or the requirement for two doctors’ approval.”
The Bishop of London made this comment:
“Women facing unwanted pregnancies are confronted with the hardest of choices. Ultimately, they require compassion and care in order to support them fully in the heart-wrenching decision they must take. They should not be prosecuted.
“However, decriminalising abortion can at the same time inadvertently undermine the value of unborn life. The amendment passed to the Crime and Policing Bill[*] may not change the 24-week abortion limit, but it undoubtedly risks eroding the safeguards and enforcement of those legal limits. Women suffering from coercion, or those who are victims of sexual or domestic abuse, would be the most vulnerable to the proposed change, which does not consider improvements to abortion care, nor address the inadequacies of the ‘pills by post’ assessments. These concerns are well set out in the letter signed by over 200 clergy published in the Telegraph this morning.
“Considering any fundamental reform to this country’s abortion laws should not be done via an amendment to another Bill. There should be public consultation and robust Parliamentary process to ensure that every legal and moral aspect of this debate is carefully considered and scrutinised. We need a path that supports women, not one that puts them and their unborn children in the way of greater harm.”
The actual text of the letter mentioned above can be found by scrolling on this page.
Second, MPs in the House of Commons voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, with 314 votes in favour and 291 against, a majority of 23. The Bishop of London’s full comments were contained in this statement:
49 CommentsChurch Commissioners Annual Report for 2024
The Church Commissioners published their annual report for 2024 last week, and a press release which is copied below.
Church Commissioners for England endowment fund delivers 10.3% return in 2024
06/06/2025
The Church Commissioners for England, which manages the Church of England’s endowment fund, delivered a 10.3% return in 2024, marking the sixteenth consecutive year of positive returns, with the fund now valued at £11.1bn at the end of 2024. (more…)
5 CommentsChurch of England national spending plans
The Church of England has announced its national spending plans for 2026-2028, in particular how it will use the funds made available by the Church Commissioners. The text of this morning’s press release is copied below; there is also a helpful video.
Major investment in local churches and parish clergy as £1.6bn three-year national spending plans unveiled
09/06/2025
- Church Commissioners’ funding towards work of the church set to leap by 36 per cent in the three-year period 2026-28, amounting to the biggest distribution in Church’s history.
- Indicative distributions of £4.6 billion over nine years from 2026 to 2034.
- Typical stipend set to rise 10.7 per cent next year under new proposals as clergy well-being put at centre of spending plans. Boost in support for churches in lowest income communities.
The Church of England today unveils plans to invest more than £1.6 billion towards sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving local communities over the next three years – a 36 per cent rise on the national funding made available in 2022 for the current three-year period. (more…)
23 CommentsCanterbury Statement of Needs published.
The Diocese of Canterbury’s Vacancy in See Committee has published its Statement of Needs. There is also an article with background information on the diocesan website; it is copied below.
Diocese of Canterbury publishes document to help discern next Archbishop
Martyn Snow steps down as lead bishop of LLF
Martyn Snow, the Bishop of Leicester, has stepped from his role as Lead Bishop for Living in Love and Faith. He published the following statement on his Facebook page earlier this afternoon.
157 CommentsWith a very heavy heart, I have decided to step down from my role as Lead Bishop for Living in Love and Faith. I am hugely grateful to the staff team that I have worked with over the last 18 months and similarly the Working Group members who have given hours of their time to seek an agreed way forward in the Church of England on matters of sexuality, relationships, and marriage. I hope it may yet be possible to reach such an agreement, but I don’t think that can happen under my leadership. I will not be making any further comments.
Next stage of Makin Review CDMs announced
The Church of England issued the following press release this morning.
Next stage of Makin Review CDMs announced
05/06/2025
Following the conclusion of the work to review all clergy under the authority or oversight of the Church of England who are criticised in the Makin review, it was announced in February that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) would seek to bring disciplinary proceedings under the Clergy Discipline Measure (CDM) against 10 clergy including two bishops. In all cases, the complaint was ‘out of time’ and so the permission of the President of the Tribunals needed to be sought to initiate proceedings. The President has now considered the applications and granted permission in seven of the 10 cases. This is an independent judicial process, and the National Safeguarding Team entirely respect the decisions.
The NST will now initiate proceedings under the CDM against the following individuals:
- Bishop Paul Butler
- Revd Roger Combes
- Revd Sue Colman
- Revd Andrew Cornes
- Revd Tim Hastie-Smith
- Revd Nick Stott
- Revd John Woolmer
No further action under the CDM will be taken against the following individuals:
- Bishop George Carey
- Revd Paul Perkin
- Revd Hugh Palmer
The decision to bring CDMs was undertaken in line with the process announced in December and concluded in February with recommendations of an independent panel and reviewed by an independent barrister.
Victims and survivors and all those criticised in the Makin review have been informed and support offered. The National Safeguarding Team will make no further comment on these cases whilst the CDM proceedings are under way.
36 CommentsAppointment of Suffragan Bishop of Crediton
The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Suffragan Bishop of Crediton will be the Venerable Moira Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate; details are in the press release copied below. There is more on the Exeter diocesan website here, and on the Southwark diocesan website here.
18 CommentsAppointment of Suffragan Bishop of Crediton: 3 June 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Moira Anne Elizabeth Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate, in the Diocese of Southwark, to the Suffragan See of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 3 June 2025The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Moira Anne Elizabeth Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate, in the Diocese of Southwark, to the Suffragan See of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
Background
Moira was educated at Clare College Cambridge and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall Oxford. She served her title at St Nicolas, Newbury, in the Diocese of Oxford, and in 1996, she was ordained Priest. From 1999 Moira served as Team Vicar of Thatcham Team Ministry and Lead Minister of Dunston Park Ecumenical Partnership and in 2005 she was appointed Team Vicar, later Vicar, of St James Woodley.
From 2011, Moira served as Priest-in-Charge, then Vicar, of Frodingham and New Brumby, Scunthorpe, in the Diocese of Lincoln, additionally serving as Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese and Area Dean North Lincolnshire.