Vacancy in See Committee

Following the announcement of Bishop Anthony’s retirement in January 2010, the process for finding a new Bishop of Ely has now begun. There will be wide consultations about this in the Diocese, and the Ely Diocesan Vacancy in See Committee, which is responsible for producing A Description of the Diocese and Statement of Needs, is anxious to hear your views about

• the Diocesan vision for the next stage of its life
• the type of person required as the next Bishop of Ely

Please note, this is not a request for names at this stage. There will be opportunities later in the year for comments and possible names to be submitted to the Crown Nominations Commission. This is the body which will eventually choose our next bishop. It consists of the two Archbishops, six members of the General Synod, two Appointments Secretaries and the six Ely diocesan members elected by our Vacancy in See Committee.

It will be an enormous help in our task of processing the information you submit, and in preparing our Statement of Needs, if you could please send

• no more than twenty bullet points
• no more than two sides of A4.
• type-written comments

Please send your comments, in email or hard copy form, using this downloadable form, to the Archdeacon of Cambridge at archdeacon.cambridge@ely.anglican.org or 1a, Summerfield, Cambridge, CB3 9HE.

Every contribution will of course be acknowledged and valued, but we regret that it will not be possible to enter into correspondence about them. Closing date for comments is 26th October 2009.

The two Appointments Secretaries, who are non-voting members of the Crown Nominations Commission, will visit Ely on 30th November to 1st December 2009 to interview various representatives of local civic, social and religious life. Those involved in this process will receive specific invitations to be interviewed.

However, the Appointments Secretaries will be present in the cathedral at 7.30pm on 30th November 2009 at an Open Hearing at which anyone present may express views about the needs of the Diocese. It is hoped that many members of the Diocese will be able to come.

If you have any queries about anything relating to the appointment of the new Bishop, please contact the Archdeacon of Cambridge who chairs the Diocesan Vacancy in See Committee (contact details above), or Dr Matthew Lavis (d.secretary@office.ely.anglican.org or, The Diocesan Office, Barton Road, Ely, CB7 4DX