The ninth Bishop of Birmingham will be the Rt Revd David Urquhart. He will succeed the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu who is now Archbishop of York. Bishop David, 54, who comes to Birmingham from the Diocese of Chester where he is Bishop of Birkenhead will take up his new office later this year, probably in the autumn.
As a Suffragan Bishop, assisting the Bishop of Chester, Bishop David already has six years’ experience of bishop’s duties. In addition to his duties in the Archdeaconry of Chester, he chairs the Chester Diocesan Board of Education, the Diocesan Urban Mission and Ministry Group and Wirral Local Strategic Partnership. He also chairs the trustees of the Church Mission Society and has recently been appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Episcopal Link with China.
He became a follower of Jesus Christ, aged 18, while working with the physically less able in Uganda in 1971. After 10 years in commercial management with BP he trained for ordination in Oxford. He then served in two inner-urban parishes in Hull before moving to Coventry where he was vicar of Holy Trinity Church, in the city centre, from 1992-2000.
He said, “It is a great honour to have been chosen to serve as the ninth Bishop of Birmingham. I know there are many exciting challenges ahead, particularly in the areas of church growth and community regeneration — both of which, I believe, are at the heart of our Christian life. I am very pleased to be returning to the West Midlands and to becoming part of a vibrant, forward-looking, international city at a very important time in its history. I look forward to joining a diocese which is positioned so strategically for God’s mission in the 21st century.”
Bishop Michael Whinney, Acting Bishop of Birmingham said, “I am delighted that Bishop David is coming as our new Bishop and he will receive a warm welcome from us all. He brings with him wide experience, which includes time in such an urban environment as ours but also first hand knowledge and understanding of ministry and life in rural areas; and that too is important in our Diocese. His concern for the mission of the Church is evident from his valued contribution in all his previous posts and that is matched by his commitment to justice and tolerance in our multi-cultural community. He is a friendly, outgoing and caring person, who will, I am sure, very quickly win our hearts. I am so glad he is coming to lead us forward in our service for God.”
Archbishop Sentamu, former Bishop for Birmingham said, “I am delighted Bishop David is to be the next Bishop of Birmingham and feel confident he will lead the diocese with wisdom and generosity from strength to strength. I was pleased to hear that he first became excited about the Gospel of Love, Joy and Justice while working in Uganda where he experienced the living faith of Christians. My prayers will be with him as he begins his ministry in the place I will always think of, with much affection, as Middle Earth. I know the people in Birmingham will welcome and support David over the coming months and years. I certainly will!”
News of a change of bishop is significant for Birmingham and the surrounding region. Primarily, the Bishop of Birmingham leads the Church of England across the city and surrounding areas including Solihull, Sutton Coldfeld and parts of Staffordshire, Sandwell and Bromsgrove, and therefore it is the most senior appointment in a Diocese. A bishop will also be required to advise and consult with key people and organisations involved with the well-being of all communities in this region, and will have national responsibilities too. Bishop David’s new ministry in Birmingham will begin with a service of inauguration in Birmingham Cathedral later this year. The date for this has not yet been set.
Postscript: With the arrival of a new Bishop, we continue to pray for our Parish during this interregnum as we await for a new Priest in Charge to lead St Mary’s and St Anne’s into the future.