The Right Revd Graeme Knowles, Acting Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, is delighted to announce that The Revd Canon Samantha Brazier-Gibbs has been appointed Archdeacon of Ipswich and Director of Inspiring Ipswich.
Samantha will be Collated on Tuesday 24 June, 6.00pm at Ipswich Minster and Installed at St Edmundsbury Cathedral on Sunday 20 July at 3.30pm.
She is currently parish priest for three rural churches: Blackmore, Stondon Massey, and Fyfield in the Chelmsford Diocese. She also leads a team of ministers responsible for 14 parishes around the market town of Chipping Ongar.
Her appointment was welcomed by the Acting Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Rt Revd Graeme Knowles.
Bishop Graeme said: ‘‘We are delighted to welcome Sam to our Diocese and she will bring with her a wealth of experience gained from working across urban and rural settings from east London boroughs to the Suffolk border, where she has worked to balance tradition with growth. She is looking forward to building relationships with fellow ministers and churches and play an important part in developing the Anglican church in Ipswich so that it is well placed for the future.’’
One of her responsibilities will be to support the diocese’s Inspiring Ipswich Project in its final stages and help embed the inspirational stories of growth and faith and Bishop Graeme added: ‘‘This has been an exciting project through which we want to continue to grow our churches, bring in younger people and strengthen our impact in the local communities.”
Revd Canon Samantha said: ‘‘Suffolk has held a special place in my heart since my childhood, when I holidayed there every year. I am excited to join the team in Ipswich and look forward to building relationships with fellow ministers and churches. I am eager to see how this next phase of ministry unfolds and hope to build on the excellent work already accomplished, fostering growth and developing sustainable new projects while nurturing innovative ideas.’’
The 46-year-old mother with a teenage son says she lost both her parents when she was aged in her teens, and this led her to faith and Christianity.
Samatha will be part of the senior management team supporting Bishop Graeme and the currently vacant role of suffragan Bishop of Dunwich.
Archdeacons provide pastoral care for clergy and they link the bishops with the wider church in Suffolk – there are more than 480 churches and 440 parishes in the diocese. Their role is to ensure smooth church operations and includes responsibilities for clergy discipline, filling vacant posts, building works and a wide range of other tasks.
The Venerable Rich Henderson, Archdeacon of Suffolk, said: “I am excited to be welcoming Samantha as a colleague and as a member of the senior staff of the diocese. “I have had the privilege of serving the Ipswich Archdeaconry during this interim phase, Samantha joins us at a time of change and transition and will be well supported and encouraged by the clergy, lay ministers, churchwardens, and worshipping communities across Ipswich and the wider diocese.”
The previous Archdeacon of Ipswich was the Rt Revd Rhiannon King who became suffragan Bishop of Southampton.
This appointment is subject to legal formalities.