"God is in this place"
The Bishop-designate of Ramsbury, the Reverend Dr Andrew Paul Rumsey spent the day in Wiltshire as his appointment was announced by Downing Street.
Bishop-designate Andrew at Ramsbury Brewery reed beds
The Bishop of Salisbury, Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, began the day with prayers beside the font at Salisbury Cathedral, where he said that “it was a true blessing” that the author of the highly acclaimed “Parish – An Anglican theology of place', currently serving as Team Rector of St Mary, Oxted in Surrey, was joining the Diocese.
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“He comes as a story teller, he has unusual breadth and depth and is an outstanding communicator of the Gospel.
"I very much look forward to Andrew’s arrival in the diocese, helping us develop what it means to Renew Hope across the Diocese of Salisbury.”
After meeting the Dean of the Cathedral and senior staff, Dr Rumsey visited Church House in Salisbury, before traveling to the village of Ramsbury for prayers in Holy Cross Church with parishioners and local clergy and laity.
The Bishop-designate told those gathered:
“I am committed to the place of the Church of England in our communities and so I am thrilled to be coming and worshipping and working with you all.
"God is in this place.”
He was given a tour of the Church, including the Bishop of Ramsbury’s seat, which is placed next to a list of the Bishops of Ramsbury, an ancient title first used in 909 AD.
Over lunch, Dr Rumsey chatted enthusiastically with members of the Whitton team as well as representatives from Bradford, Devizes, Malborough and Pewsey Deaneries.
He was then taken on a tour of the Ramsbury Brewery, where he learnt about the sustainable culture of the local business that farms over 19,000 acres and produces beer and spirits, contributing greatly to the local economy.
Dr Rumsey will be ordained to the episcopate as the new Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Friday 25th of January 2019. He and his family will live in Marlborough.
He succeeds the Right Reverend Edward Francis Condry, who resigned on the 12th May 2018.
Biography:
He is married to Rebecca, who works as an executive coach, and was born in Marlborough where the new Bishop and his family will be living. They have three children, Grace (16), Jonah (14) and Talitha (Tali for short,12).
Dr Rumsey is 50 and comes from a long line of parish clergy. He was educated first at the University of Reading and then at Kings College, London. He trained for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge.
He served his title at Harrow in the Diocese of London and was Vicar of Gipsy Hill in the Diocese of Southwark. In 2011 he was appointed Rector of Oxted and Tandridge in the Diocese of Southwark before becoming Team Rector in 2014.
As well as being an author, whose writing centres on themes of place and local identity, he is also a musician with a longstanding interest in songwriting & popular music.
Both he and his wife have been involved in the Greenbelt festival for many years; and have also attended New Wine with the family in recent years.
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