The date has been set for the welcome service for Bishop Joanne in Suffolk - Saturday 24 January. The service of welcome, which will be attended by up to 800 people, will be at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds starting at 2.00pm.
Invitations to the service will be issued and the aim is to ensure that every parish, Bishop's Mission Order, or chaplaincy setting is able to have a representative there, alongside local community leaders, ecumenical leaders and leaders of other faiths, and representatives of partner dioceses.
The enthronement service follows Bishop Joanne paying Homage to His Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 2 December, where a Bible passage she has chosen will be read, and the King will pray with her.
Bishop Joanne is this month moving from London from her previous role as an area bishop in Stepney in the Diocese of London. She is also Lead Bishop for Safeguarding for the Church of England. This month she is in the process of moving to Suffolk and said:
“At the moment, we are surrounded by packing boxes as we try to sort through and pack up all our worldly goods in preparation for the move.
One of our dogs keeps running off with the sticky tape, so we have to keep bribing her with dog treats to bring it back and let us seal up the boxes!
I am very much looking forward to the service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. This is a service that's all about welcome: the welcome we receive from God, welcoming a new diocesan bishop, and welcoming friends, colleagues, and partners from across Suffolk and our partner diocese of Kagera, to ask for God's blessing on a new season of ministry together.
Paying Homage to His Majesty the King reminds me of the sense of faithful service that the role of a diocesan bishop involves: a role which the King will deeply understand because of his own task of defending the faith and serving the whole of our country. I am touched to think that he will pray with me and offer encouragement to this new ministry as a Bishop for Suffolk.”
Bishop Joanne has already begun to meet some local community leaders during the last few weeks, and to listen to and learn from their experience of serving local communities. She said:
“Hearing the thoughts of young people at the youth project Level 2 in Felixstowe has in addition helped me be alert to the importance of them taking up their place as local leaders in an inclusive, purposeful community, where their gifts are nurtured and valued.
Listening to the experience of support workers at Reach Haverhill, as they connect through their food bank ministry with people in different kinds of need, helped me to see how faith and community groups can work to reach those who are struggling. Together, we are here for everyone, people of any faith or none.”
Bishop Joanne is very grateful to Bishop Graeme who has been acting bishop after Bishop Martin’s retirement. Bishop Graeme continues as an Honorary Assistant Bishop offering support and advice. Bishop Joanne said: “I’m very grateful to Bishop Graeme who has been holding the reins for the last six months, and continues to be an invaluable source of support.”
What reading has Bishop Joanne chosen when she meets with His Majesty the King?
Psalm 122 is on her mind as she approaches paying Homage to the King, and she will ask for this to be the passage that is read.
Why this one? Bishop Joanne said:
“I always have a sense of joy as the music for a service begins; the opening words of the Psalm stir something in me and remind me how close all are to God, never less than when we come to praise and adore God.
The Psalm also reminds me that I am called to pray for the city (town, village, county, community) where I serve, for its peace and wellbeing, and for the good of all its people.
Of course, the people of Gaza and Israel have been particularly on my heart over the last two years and so praying "for the peace of Jerusalem", as the psalmist expresses it, also reminds me of the conflict there, and in other parts of the world.
“I'm prompted to give thanks for the steps towards peace that have been taken in the last week, and also to reflect on the part we might all play in building lasting peace in our own Suffolk communities.
Peace starts with each one of us. For me, that means first of all being in right relationship with God and each other.”
Timeline:
From the end of November, Bishop Joanne will take up a seat in the House of Lords, as one of the Lords Spiritual, a role Bishop Martin also held.
As well as leading prayers at the start of business each day, Bishops in the Lords can table and ask questions to the Government, lead or speak in debates, scrutinise legislation, and vote and serve on committees or all-party parliamentary groups.
Bishop Joanne hopes this role will be informed not only by her role as a Christian leader, but as someone who, in time, will have deep roots in Suffolk. She intends to do lots of listening and learning to turn that hope into a reality, so she can champion matters close to the county’s needs.
After Bishop Joanne has met with His Majesty the King in December, she will be able to licence new clergy, and to act as patron in some parish vacancies in Suffolk too.
Bishop Joanne will have a couple of weeks off in December, taking time for a retreat and to be with family as they settle in together to a new rhythm of life.
She will be spending the rest of the time until her welcome service in January gradually meeting people 1:1: clergy, lay ministers, community representatives, and diocesan staff.
There are also some roles to recruit to in the Bishop's office initially: an office manager and finance officer, and an executive assistant.