Sunday, May 30, 2010

New Dean announced

The Revd Canon Dr Frances Ward has been named as the new Dean of St Edmundsbury. Currently a Residentiary Canon and Canon Theologian at Bradford Cathedral, Frances is responsible for liturgy and worship, and for developing engagement with the Muslim communities in the multi cultural city. She is currently writing about the Church of England and Islam.

Previously she was a vicar in Manchester Diocese, at the other Bury in Lancashire, and she has done various jobs in parishes and as an educator since she was ordained in 1989. This includes teaching for the United Reformed Church at the Northern College in Manchester.

"Suffolk holds real attractions for me," says new Dean. "As a child I sailed the estuaries of Suffolk and North Essex, and will relish rediscovering this beautiful part of Britain, and serving the town of Bury St Edmunds and the diocese as Dean. The diocese and cathedral will celebrate their centenary in 2014, and already all sorts of ideas are shaping to make that a year to remember," she says.

"I am delighted that we are welcoming a person of real spiritual depth with an ability to relate well to all the communities the Church serves," says the Bishop of St Edmundsbury, the Rt Revd Nigel Stock. "This is an exciting time for the Cathedral, and I very much look forward to this next phase of ministry."

Frances is married to Peter, who is a Consultant Paediatrician, and they have four children, Matilda (23), Jonty (21), Theo (18) and Hugh (12) and a dog called Phoebe. She will move in late summer, to take up the position Saturday 16th October.

Canon Ward replaces the Very Revd Neil Collings who retired as Dean in August 2009 due to ill health.

Source http://www.stedmundsbury.anglican.org/

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