Have your say over Ramsbury

The aim is to provide a report to the Bishop which will help him decide whether there should be a new Bishop of Ramsbury.

There have been bishops of Ramsbury since 1974 who, alongside the bishops of Sherborne, have assisted the Bishop of Salisbury in his ministry.

The last Bishop of Ramsbury, Stephen Conway, left in December 2010 to become Bishop of Ely.

Under a new nationally agreed Church of England process, when a suffragan or area see becomes vacant, a diocesan bishop must first consult his own diocese before making a decision to reappoint. But if he does wish to proceed he must now make an application to the national Dioceses Commission.

The process seeks to assess the roles of the archdeacons in the Diocese as well as the suffragan bishops of Ramsbury and Sherborne. This is especially appropriate in the light of the recent announcement that the Archdeacon of Wilts John Wraw is to leave the Diocese in December to become Bishop of Bradwell.

Consultees will include community and council leaders, politicians, businesspeople, the health, education, emergency and armed services, and representatives from the voluntary sector.

There will be five consultations for licensed ministers and laity in September throughout the Diocese, to which all are welcome.

Questions will include:

• How do you encounter bishops and archdeacons?
• In what way does a bishop or archdeacon add to the life of Wiltshire and Dorset, and to national life?
• What more might you want from them?
• Should a Bishop of Ramsbury be appointed?

The Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Lucinda Herklots, would also welcome written responses and invites them either by letter or email by 29 September 2011 to lucinda.herklots@salisbury.anglican.org

Dean Osborne said today, ‘This consultation aims to give both the diocesan and civic communities a full opportunity to express its hopes about the future of the ministry of bishops and archdeacons in this diocese. This work is of great importance to the future life of the Diocese.’ 

More information can be found by clicking here.