This is a text-only version of an article first published on Thursday, 26 November 2015. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
Number 10 Downing Street has announced this morning that the Venerable Karen Gorham, Archdeacon of Buckingham, is to be the 36 th Bishop of Sherborne.
The Bishop of Sherborne works in the Diocese of Salisbury with responsibility mainly for parishes in Dorset. This makes Archdeacon Karen the eighth woman to be made a bishop in the Church of England. Responding to her appointment, she said:"It has been a real privilege to serve the Church in Buckinghamshire for the last eight years. It's been a great place to be with its variety of contexts and traditions. I shall miss the people and places, and being part of the wider Oxford diocese, however am really looking forward to this new challenge and getting to know new people and places. "I have had a love of Dorset since childhood holidays and so it is with much joy that I respond to a call there to be part of God's mission as part of the Salisbury team.
There is much to do in the weeks ahead, please pray for me in this transition, as I pray for you. "Archdeacon Karen has been Archdeacon of Buckingham since 2007.
She has been a member of the Church of England General Synod for twelve years, and for the last two has served as a member of the Panel of Chairs. The Acting Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester, said, "As a Bishop's Staff we will miss Karen's presence very badly.
Her passion for mission and her acute analytical ability, coupled with her concern for clergy well-being and her creativity have contributed a great deal to our life together.
We and the Diocese as a whole, owe her a tremendous amount.
Our loss is Salisbury's gain and we wish her well in her new role. The Bishop of Buckingham, the Revd Dr Alan Wilson, said: "Warmest congratulations both to Karen and the Diocese of Salisbury on their great news.
In eight years of prayerful and unstinting service as our archdeacon, Karen has been a wonderful and inspiring colleague, well earthed in the realities of church life without getting lost in them. "Her ministry here has been spiritually refreshed and refreshing.
She has been a wise, positive and resourceful friend to us all.
She has also led strategic development not only of our archdeaconry plan, but also our whole diocesan team of archdeacons.
She leaves with our richest blessing, love and prayers!"Karen will be consecrated as a bishop on 24 February 2016 at Westminster Abbey.
Her final day at work in the Diocese of Oxford will be 19 January, and there will be a farewell service for Karen in the context of Choral Evensong at All Saints High Wycombe at 3pm on Sunday 17 January. For more information Contact Gerry Lynch, Director of Communications for Salisbury Diocese 01722 438652, 07799 900 610, gerry. lynch@salisbury. anglican. org
Archdeacon Karen at Salisbury Cathedral.
Gerry Lynch.