DAY OF CELEBRATION AT SALISBURY CATHEDRAL FOR THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY

Salisbury Cathedral hosted a day of joyful celebration last Saturday marking the immense contribution of the Bishop of Salisbury, Dr David Stancliffe. Hundreds of well-wishers from all over the diocese and beyond came to show their affection and respect for the Right Reverend Dr Stancliffe at his farewell events in the Diocese.

The Dean of Salisbury, the Very Revd June Osborne, said “Blue skies and all-day sunshine set the seal on a day of joy and heartfelt thanks to Bishop David for seventeen years of inspiring and devoted service to the diocese. In the morning he ordained 23 men and women, the largest number ordained in a single service here since his first ordination in 1994 when he ordained the first women in the diocese and a truly fitting culmination of his work here. For David, there is no greater gift to leave the diocese than ensuring the continuity of the Church’s life through these new priests and their future ministry”.

“We have much to be grateful to David for, from his total trust in his colleagues and priests, his phenomenal understanding of sacred space, his music making, his extraordinary generosity and all he gave and taught us through his work and relationship with the Church of the Sudan. We will miss him”.

The cathedral also welcomed representatives of the worldwide Christian Church linked with the Diocese of Salisbury including Archbishop Janis Vanags of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia, Bishop Hilary Luarte of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, and Bishop Christian Nourrichard of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Evreux, France. During the afternoon, a cheque for £61,500 which had been collected as a farewell gift for the Bishop by the parishes of the Diocese, was passed on to Bishop Luarte by Dr Stancliffe. It will be used to rebuild the Bishop Gwynne Theological College in Juba, south Sudan.

After a gathering and presentation at 4.30pm to the Bishop and his wife Sarah, he then preached at his final Evensong as Bishop. In his address he thanked everyone in the Salisbury Diocese for “allowing me to enjoy the privilege [of being Bishop of Salisbury] these seventeen years, your partnership in the gospel, and your care and friendship”.

The Right Reverend Dr David Stancliffe gives up his full duties after attending the summer session of the Church of England's legislative body, the General Synod, from 9-13 July. Rather than retiring, he intends to concentrate on teaching, writing, music and the arts.