This Saturday during the Evensong service at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, 11 people will be recognised for their service to the church. Eight of them will be made honorary canons and three candidates will be admitted to the Order of St Frideswide.
The awards recognise the dedication of lay and ordained people to the Diocese of Oxford and the wider church across a variety of areas of ministry and mission.
The Order of St Frideswide is named after the renowned patron saint of Oxford. Founded in 2001, by the then Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Richard Harries, it admits just a small number of people each year. Honorary Canons become part of the Cathedral’s College of Canons, playing an important role and bringing experience and wisdom to promote the life and mission of the Cathedral.
Meet this year's recipients...
Revd Mike Smith
Working with young people and supporting them is a priority for the Revd Mike Smith’s work in Reading. Since joining the diocese in 2014 as Rector at Caversham Thameside and Mapledurham, he has established several new projects to help teens and children in the area.
The first of those was a knife crime forum, established in the wake of the tragic stabbing of 13-year-old Reading student Olly Stevens in 2021. The forum brings together agencies involved in the life of young people in the town to facilitate dialogue, share resources and solutions. It has created youth hubs and safe places for young people to go and find safe adults to talk to, as well as a mentoring scheme.
Mike has also prioritised supporting children and young people into his churches, employing children and youth workers to grow the ministry for this generation. Bereavement ministry is another area of growth for the churches, supporting those who are bereaved with group courses, monthly café meetings and walks for those needing support.
He has also served as Area Dean for the past two years as well as Diocesan Synod since 2015. A past member of Bishop’s Council, he returns for a second three-year term in 2025.
On hearing of his recognition, Mike said: “I was surprised and delighted, not just for me but for the church as well. It was lovely for the church to be recognised for all they do too. This honour is one of the few ways people can be recognised and we all felt very affirmed.”
Revd William Whyte
For the Revd William Whyte his study of buildings has actually been a way to understand the people who built them. It is this love of architecture and its history which has led to a more than 20-year career as Professor of Architectural History at Oxford University.
Far from being inspired by the castles and churches which surrounded him in his East Anglian youth, it was a hated multi-storey car park in Ipswich which spawned William’s interest in buildings and why people build them. His passion spreads into his spare time, as William serves as the chairman of the Oxford Preservation Trust, which organises the annual Oxford Open Doors event, chairman of the Victoria County History of Oxfordshire project, which aims to write the history of every parish in the county, and chairman of the Oxford Historical Society.
As an associate minister in Wolvercote and Wytham, William has supported the clergy there for nearly 10 years and did the same in Kidlington for a decade prior to that. His service to the church also includes being a member of the Oxford Diocesan Advisory Committee, the Fabric Advisory Commission at Westminster Abbey, and chairing the fabric committee at University Church in Oxford.
In response to his nomination as canon he said: “I was both delighted and embarrassed to hear the news. I was delighted because it is a really lovely thing and it is tremendous to think I will be more involved in the life of the cathedral. I do feel embarrassed, though, because I do not do nearly as much as so many other people who have not been recognised in this way.”
Revd Paul Cowan
For the past eight years, the Revd Paul Cowan has been providing pastoral, liturgical and technical support to the Bishop of Oxford as his chaplain. Alongside his work with Bishop Steven, Paul has been integral to establishing networks and initiatives which support the wellbeing of clergy, and laity throughout the diocese.
Pastoral care has been at the heart of Paul’s ministry, having served as a parish priest in Newbury for 11 years, a one-year placement in Kimberley South Africa at the end of his curacy, and prior to ordination as a therapist in an alcohol drug rehabilitation unit for homeless men. This pastoral and therapeutic experience has led to Paul being part of the establishment of the diocese LGBTQIA+ chaplaincy network and the Survivor Reference Group, as well as a range of clergy ‘human resources’ functions such as the curates Ministry Development Groups and in the coming year, Pastoral Supervision Groups.
A large part of Paul’s role involves work alongside the diocesan and national safeguarding teams and also in the administration of formal complaints against clergy. Paul leads on emergency planning for the diocese and chaired the diocesan response group throughout the Covid pandemic. He has been an integral part of the development of the new diocesan link between Oxford and Jamaica and the Cayman Islands; as part of his sabbatical last year, Paul spent Holy Week leading two rural churches in central Jamaica.
He said: “I am really delighted to be nominated both by the Cathedral chapter and the senior staff team of the diocese. I have served my entire ordained ministry in this diocese and was ordained at the cathedral, so to become an honorary canon of that same cathedral is a real privilege.”
Professor Andrew Briggs
Professor Andrew Briggs has been at the forefront of scientific advances throughout his long career. Best known for his early work in acoustic microscopy and his more recent research in materials for quantum technologies, Andrew is Emeritus Professor of Nanomaterials in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford.
The author of more than 650 papers, articles and books, Andrew is a scientist of world-renown. He has also written books for wider readership. Andrew combined his scientific approach with his Christian faith to encourage the foundation of the Anglican Communion Science Commission (ACSC). He was one of the few laity present at its launch at the Lambeth conference in 2022, and continues today as the co-ordinator for the Commission.
Under his stewardship, the Science Commission has begun to gather momentum globally, most recently holding a conference in October at which over half of the 42 provinces were represented. He has helped to invigorate the Anglican Communion in its approach to science and its understanding of science as a God-given resource. The ACSC serves as a bridge between the Church and the scientific community, equipping Anglican churches to engage confidently with scientific developments and contribute to addressing the pressing ethical, social, and environmental challenges of our time.
On hearing the news of his nomination, Andrew said: “I was astonished and deeply honoured to be nominated as Canon. Having grown up with the choral tradition of King’s College, Cambridge, I’m very excited at the prospect of being able to enjoy choral music at the Cathedral in this new capacity. I am delighted to be part of the Cathedral community in this way.”
You can hear Andrew speak about science and his faith as part of our Called to Wonder course, available free on the Learning Hub.
Revd Sally Moring
Supporting clergy development and learning is what Revd Sally Moring feels God has called her to do. And since her ordination in 2006 it’s this area her ministry has focussed on. After being made deacon in the Diocese of London, Sally went on to serve her curacy in Northolt before taking on a church in Hayes. While there she worked closely supporting curates through their first years of ordained ministry (IME II).
Sally joined the Diocese of Oxford in 2017, becoming vicar at St Mary’s in Wendover where she has encouraged the church on its journey of being a welcoming, inclusive community to many different people – those of the Wendover community and surrounding areas. Her calling to love and encourage those around her continues, as Sally takes part in the ministerial development review (MDR) process, working with clergy to look after their wellbeing, develop their ministry and broaden their skills.
As well as serving for the past three years as Area Dean for Wendover, Sally stepped up to become Commissary to the Archdeacon of Buckingham last April to support the Buckinghamshire Archdeaconry following Bishop Alan’s sudden death. In this role she takes on some of the administrative work of the archdeaconry as well as continuing to support clergy support clergy across the Buckingham episcopal area.
Of her work and nomination, she said: “What I enjoy the most is being alongside people and supporting them in sometimes difficult situations. I was extremely surprised but honoured to have the recognition, for having been doing what I feel God calls me to do.”
Revd Sarah Sharp
Sarah Sharp isn’t someone to do things by halves, if she commits to serve a cause she’s in for the long haul! Ordained in 2000, Sarah served her first parish for 10 years and her second for 11 before moving to the Wychwood benefice last September.
Last year, Sarah stepped down from the Oxford Diocese Board of Education having sat on their board for 20 years. She also took on the added responsibility of Area Dean of Deddington from 2019 to 2024. Prior to that Sarah put her ministry to work as a volunteer chaplain for Thames Valley Police for 10 years.
As a former primary school teacher, Sarah has also served as a school governor since becoming ordained. She says it’s her enthusiasm to share God’s love with everybody which inspires her and a calling to be a ‘relational priest’ within the community.
On being named as an honorary canon, she said: “I feel really chuffed. It is a huge honour. I am lucky to have worked alongside so many amazing people who have supported me and helped me thrive in ministry. It is not something you can do alone. A huge thank you to all of them.”
Revd David Hiscock
A lifetime of Christian service will come to an end in May when the Revd David Hiscock takes a well-earned retirement. After 15 years in banking, David served his curacy in Cheltenham, before moving in 1989 to become Team Vicar in the Swan Group of seven rural parishes. He later became Team Rector in the expanded and re-named Claydons and Swan Team of eight parishes and 10 churches where he has been a central figure for 36 years.
During his time there, David introduced various initiatives such as the junior and senior youth clubs, Easter and harvest clubs for children, as well as annual trips to different cathedrals and places of interest. Special festival services with all the churches worshipping together began to meet at different venues each year. Some of the more light-hearted events included Teddy Bear Weekends which encouraged more people to visit some of their 13th century rural churches for the first time.
David spent 10 years as Area Dean, a ‘fruitful’ time he says he greatly enjoyed, and an opportunity to gain an insight into the work of the wider diocese. He has also volunteered as school governor at Marsh Gibbon School for 30 years and Twyford C of E School. He also supported East Claydon School become a C of E school. David’s role as Rector required him to be a trustee of many trusts including Preston Bissett Old School Trust where he helped to secure the Old School as a village hall for the community.
On hearing he was to be made an Honorary Canon, David said: “I am so thankful for the tremendous lay participation across all the parishes and accept this totally unexpected honour on their behalf. I have not done anything special. I am no different to thousands of ministers across the country who do what they do for the love of God and each other. It has been a joy and a privilege.”
Revd Dr Michael Lloyd
In his own words, for the past 11 years Michael Lloyd has attempted to serve as a bridge between the world of academia and the Church, as Principal of Wycliffe Hall theological college at Oxford University. Michael has a wealth of experience in the world of theology as a former chaplain of Christ’s College Cambridge, and Queen’s College Oxford, as well as teaching at St Paul’s Theological Centre in London.
He believes that being part of a world-leading university gives Wycliffe the opportunity and the responsibility to articulate a Christian voice, at the most rigorous level, in all the discussions and debates that characterise a university. Those discussions don’t stay within the walls of academia, however: on the contrary, “what is taught and thought in the universities today is what people will be thinking on the streets in 25 years’ time. And we have the chance to feed Christian insight into that, which is an extraordinary privilege”.
Under Michael’s leadership, Wycliffe Hall has set itself the (modest!) task of fostering a new Renaissance of Christian Scholarship, Leadership and Culture. He believes that this is necessary because the church in the West has been losing the battle of ideas over the last two or three generations, mainly because it has failed to engage with or talk to our society. Instead, “we in the church have been talking almost exclusively to one another - and not always that politely”.
On hearing of his honorary canon award, Michael said: “I am hugely honoured and surprised. It is important to say that anything that has been achieved at Wycliffe has been through our extraordinary staff team and our wonderful students - and I hope that they all feel honoured in this award. This is something I hope the whole Wycliffe community takes some pleasure in, because they have been fantastic to work with, especially bringing the renaissance project together.”
Anne Dellar
For Anne Dellar education isn’t just about ensuring the students in her schools have the best start in life and reach their potential. It’s also about looking after the staff who create those opportunities and inspire their students.
Anne joined the diocese in 2011 as the Director of Education at the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education. In that role she was instrumental in founding the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, and in 2012 left the diocese to multi academy trust (MAT). Today it operates as one of the largest diocesan MATs in the country and certainly the largest MAT serving students in Oxfordshire and Berkshire.
As well as meeting the national curriculum, Anne works to ensure the schools are a collaborative love-filled venture which live out the values of the diocese, which are about service and community and abundant living and inclusivity. She believes schools should like out their Christian principles and reach into the community to ensure everyone flourishes and this ethos extends to the teachers. These include projects like nursery school provision, breastfeeding support, and literacy classes for parents.
On hearing of her nomination to the Order of St Frideswide, she said: “I was delighted. Kathy [Winrow] was admitted a number of years ago and I am really proud to be joining her and a lot of other astounding people who are in there. I really appreciate the fact that the diocese has recognised that work in education is such a vocation.
“It is like I have been given it for all our teachers and head teachers, to acknowledge the value that goes into the work that we do. It is very affirming for the work, not for me as a human, for the work.”
Sue Scane
When Sue retired from a career in local government in 2016, she didn’t put up her feet and rest. Instead she rolled up her sleeves and took on a new challenge, supporting many facets of work at the diocese. Her experience working for Oxfordshire County Council meant she was the ideal candidate to take on the chairmanship of the Glebe and Buildings committee, a position she held for eight and a half years.
In that time Sue saw some changes to the committee structure at the diocese, and added more responsibility to her role including being part of the panel which selected Bishop Gavin and Bishop Mary to join us. In her role as chairman of the Building and Glebe committee, Sue was also part of the Finance and Investment committees, Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod. She is currently serving a three-year term as part of the Resources Hub Board.
One of the projects Sue is most proud of is the scheme to sell a parcel of land in Waddesdon, some of which will provide social housing. The plans have taken years of working with the local authority to gain the planning permissions needed. Sue also highlighted the impact the Net Zero project has had and will continue to have in years to come in making the diocese more sustainable.
On hearing of her nomination to join the Order of St Frideswide, she said: “I never felt I have done that much. I was slightly embarrassed by it. I know so many people who do so much more in so many ways. What I do does not feel that exceptional to me. It’s just me getting on with stuff I feel comfortable with. So I was very surprised when I received the letter.”
Lucy Wilson
Lucy Wilson has been recognised for decades of service to the diocese in support of her husband Alan’s ministry, who served as a curate then vicar and finally Bishop of Buckingham.
Lucy and Alan first met when Alan was a curate in Eynsham, bonding over a shared love of music while Lucy practised for Grade 8 at violin and Alan accompanied her playing. A lifetime together followed, with moves to Caversham, Sandhurst and then finally to Great Missenden where Alan served as Bishop of Buckingham for 21 years. Along the way, the couple raised five children and Lucy maintained her interest in music while supporting Alan’s ministry. She currently supports her local C of E school, playing songs on her violin alongside the local minister who goes to speak to the early years classes. Lucy’s love of music extended to singing in church choirs, something she has done throughout her life. She has also sung during choral evensong at Christ Church with Sandhurst choir.
At Sandhurst, Lucy resurrected an earlier interest in bellringing which has led to her becoming the tower captain at her local church in Great Missenden for the past six years. She rings in many of the surrounding parishes, including Amersham, Chesham and Little Missenden, and is passionate about raising awareness of bellringing and training the next generation of ringers. Even though she never could quite convince Alan to have a go!
On hearing of her admittance to the Order of St Frideswide, Lucy said: “I was quite astounded. I did not really think I deserved it when you think what other people have done. But people told me you have done so much, supporting your husband. I felt very humbled and I know Alan would be proud of me.”