The Revd Preb Jane Haslam has been appointed as the new Associate Archdeacon of Dorchester.
Jane will join the diocese from the Diocese of Bath and Wells where she is currently the Area Dean of Sedgemoor and Rector of the Alfred Jewel Benefice.
Working with the new Archdeacon of Dorchester, the Revd Canon David Tyler, and the Bishop of Dorchester, the Rt Revd Gavin Collins, Jane will support the mission and ministry of clergy and churches in the Dorchester Area which covers most of Oxfordshire, apart from the city of Oxford. The archdeaconry hosts 326 churches across 11 deaneries, making it one of the largest in the Church of England and larger than some dioceses. Jane will begin in her new role in the summer months of 2023.
Speaking on her appointment to the new role, the Revd Preb Jane Haslam said:
“I am really excited about coming to the Diocese of Oxford and joining the Area Team of Dorchester. I love the commitment to become a more Christ-like Church and am inspired by the focus on being contemplative, compassionate and courageous. I am looking forward to getting to know the people and places across the deaneries and working with, supporting and developing the Christian communities and ministries within them.”
The Bishop of Dorchester, the Rt Revd Gavin Collins said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Jane to the Dorchester Area Team and look forward to the blessings her ministry will bring in the diocese. Jane has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting others to grow in their mission and ministry. Her experience in a rural deanery as Rector and Area Dean will be invaluable to our work in the diverse and largely rural Dorchester area.”
The Archdeacon of Dorchester, the Revd Canon David Tyler said:
“It is great news that Jane will be joining us in the diocese. I’m looking forward to working with Jane to support the churches, schools, chaplaincies in the Dorchester area as they continue to minister to their local communities and share the good news of the gospel.”
About Jane
Jane grew up in a village near Abingdon and, after university, returned to work for a charity in Oxford before becoming a lay assistant in a parish on the outskirts of Newbury. Jane completed ordination training at Trinity College, Bristol, and was ordained at Wells Cathedral. Since then, she has worked in parish ministry in several different contexts for 25 years, most recently as Rector of the Alfred Jewel Benefice in the Diocese of Bath and Wells where she has been since 2010. Jane has also been Chair of the House of Clergy of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Synod since 2017 and Area Dean of Sedgemoor since 2018.
The Dorchester Area
With over 1,000 churches, schools, and chaplaincies, the Diocese of Oxford is one of the largest and in the Church of England. Each of our three counties is the size of an average diocese, yet we have only half the national average number of archdeacons. Associate Archdeacons play a vital role in the diocese supporting our common vision programme as we seek to become a more Christ-like Church for the sake of God’s world.
The Dorchester episcopal area covers a great deal of Oxfordshire, apart from the City of Oxford. It extends from the Cotswolds in the west all the way down to Henley-on-Thames. With 326 churches and 11 deaneries, it is one of the largest archdeaconries in the Church of England and larger than some dioceses.
The deaneries in the Dorchester Area are Abingdon, Aston & Cuddesdon, Bicester & Islip, Chipping Norton, Deddington, Henley, Vale of White Horse, Wantage, Wallingford, Witney and Woodstock.