Letter from the Archbishop of Wales to the Diocese of Bangor

Dear Friends in Christ,

I am writing to you as a diocesan family in these first few days of your life together without a diocesan bishop to offer you encouragement and hope. As some of you will know, from September 1st, I have taken on responsibility as ‘Guardian of the Spiritualities’ for the diocese of Bangor until such time as your new bishop arrives. Whilst I am not able to be bishop for you in the fullest sense of that role, I will be doing what I can to support, encourage and guide you as you enter this new season.

It has been a torrid time for you these past months, with bad news stories coming out in the press and other social media outlets. This will undoubtedly have had an impact on you in all kinds of ways and to varying degrees. Work is being done to address the issues that have been raised and although it is going to take time for the diocese to get back on an even keel, the necessary work has begun. My prayer is that we will all pull together, strengthened and guided by God’s Holy Spirit and confident that God is leading us into a hopeful future.

You will probably know that a major focus of my ministry as Archbishop for these next three years is going to be healing, reconciliation and the re-building of trust at all levels of the church’s life and I hope that I can begin some of that work with you over the next few months.

I have already spent a day with the three Archdeacons and a zoom call with members of the Diocesan Office Staff. This has helped me to get a better sense of where things are up to and what needs to be put in place. My own Diocesan Secretary, Isabel Thompson, is spending time with the Diocesan Office staff over the next few months to help put policies and procedures in place and ensure good governance at a diocesan level.

I know that the staff of the RB are also working with the Cathedral and the Diocesan Office, offering their expertise and adding capacity where they can.

I will be attending your Diocesan Conference on October 11th and look forward to meeting at least some of you there. I also have the privilege of installing the Revd Dr Manon Ceridwen James as Dean of your Cathedral that afternoon. Please do use those opportunities to come and talk with me.

The Electoral College will take place 25th – 27th November and I know that you, like me, will be praying earnestly for God to reveal to us the right person to lead the diocese forward.

Thank you for your faithfulness in these challenging times. I have been heartened by the conversations I have already had with some of you at the hopefulness and positivity there clearly is, despite all that has happened and all that needs to be done. There remain challenges to be faced, but I am confident that God’s grace will abound as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and seek to share God’s immeasurable love with the communities we serve.

To take some words from the Peace in our liturgy, ‘We are the body of Christ…let us then pursue all that makes for peace and builds up our common life.’

Be assured of my prayers and my support in whatever ways I can give it.

Yours, in Christ,

+Cherry Cambrensis