Cathedral News

A personal message from the Dean

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Today at 10.30am I will be at St Paul’s Cathedral for the public announcement that I have been appointed the next Bishop of Stepney. My new role represents a return to my roots in urban ministry, and while I will relish the opportunity to work in one of the most challenging and exciting parts of the country, I will be very sad to leave the Cathedral, Rochester, and Medway. These last six years have been a great privilege, and I will carry with me an enormous number of precious memories.

My final Sunday here will be 3 July. In the afternoon at evensong (3.15pm) there will be a formal farewell and I hope that you might be able to set that date aside in your diary.

After being consecrated (as a Bishop) on 22 July we will move from the Deanery to our new home in Mile End at the beginning of August. The Bishop will appoint Phil Hesketh as Acting Dean once I have gone, so you can be confident that the Cathedral is in good hands, and will continue to serve the community with energy and commitment.

The Church of England will initiate an appointments process for a new Dean, but these things move very slowly and it is likely that it will be the Summer of 2012 before the next Dean of Rochester arrives.

There will be plenty of time for goodbyes in due course. For now I am fully focused here, and will look forward to meeting up with you once the dust has settled from today’s announcement!

Adrian