The process for choosing the next Bishop of Chester has begun.
The Vacancy in See Committee, the group responsible for holding the initial discussions, held its first meeting on Monday 01 July.
A list of those people on the Vacancy in See Committee
The Committee is responsible for two key tasks:
- to prepare a brief description of the diocese and a statement setting out the desired profile of the next bishop;
- to elect the diocesan representatives to the Crown Nominations Commission.
Establishing the needs of the diocese is the first stage of the process and involves holding discussions within the diocese to agree what the challenges and priorities are for the ministry of the next diocesan bishop and, in the light of these, the skills and gifts that he or she is likely to need.
Because of the variety of roles which diocesan bishops have, not only within the Church of England but also in the local community and the nation at large, the choice of the next Bishop of Chester is not made by representatives of the diocese alone.
Six diocesan representatives will be elected to work with representatives of the Church of England as a whole, under the presidency of the Archbishops. They will form the Crown Nominations Commission, the body that will ultimately decide who will be the next Bishop of Chester.
An announcement is expected in Spring 2020.
Bishop Peter Forster officially retires on 30 September. A farewell service will be held on Saturday 20 July at Chester Cathedral.