17 December 2014 A.D. Libby Lane the 1st
Female Bishop in Church of England
No author. “Libby Lane named as Church of England’s
first female bishop.” Episcopal News Service. 17
Dec 2014. http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2014/12/17/libby-lane-named-as-church-of-englands-first-female-bishop/#.VJFbyD4KTl0.facebook.
Accessed 17 Dec 2014.
Libby Lane named as Church of England’s first female bishop
Libby Lane, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese
of Chester, smiles as her forthcoming appointment as the new bishop of
Stockport is announced in the Town Hall in Stockport, northern England, Dec.
17, 2014. Lane will become the Church of England’s first female bishop. Photo:
REUTERS/Phil Noble
[Church of England
press release] Downing street has announced that the new bishop of Stockport –
and the first female bishop in the Church of England – will be the Rev. Libby
Lane, currently vicar of St Peter’s, Hale, and St Elizabeth’s, Ashley.
As bishop of Stockport
she will serve as a suffragan (assistant) bishop in the Diocese of Chester. She
will be consecrated as the eighth bishop of Stockport at a ceremony at York
Minister on Jan. 26, 2015.
Lane was ordained as a
priest in 1994 and has served a number of parish and chaplaincy roles in the
north of England in the dioceses of Blackburn, York and Chester. For the
past eight years she has served as vicar of St. Peter’s and St. Elizabeth’s.
She is one of eight
clergy women from the Church of England elected as Participant Observers in the
House of Bishops, as the representative from the dioceses of the north west.
Speaking at Stockport
Town Hall, where she was announced as the new bishop of Stockport, Lane said:
“I am grateful for, though somewhat daunted by, the confidence placed in me by
the Diocese of Chester. This is unexpected and very exciting. On this historic
day as the Church of England announces the first woman nominated to be bishop,
I am very conscious of all those who have gone before me, women and men, who
for decades have looked forward to this moment. But most of all I am thankful
to God.
“The church faces
wonderful opportunities, to proclaim afresh, in this generation, the good news
of Jesus and to build His kingdom. The Church of England is called to serve all
the people of this country, and being present in every community, we
communicate our faith best when our lives build up the lives of others,
especially the most vulnerable. I am excited by the possibilities and
challenges ahead.”
Responding to news of
the announcement, Archbishop of York John Sentamu, said: “It is with great joy
that on January 26, 2015 – the feast of Timothy and
Titus, companions of Paul – I will be in York Minster, presiding over the
consecration of the Rev. Libby Lane as bishop suffragan of Stockport. Libby
brings a wealth of experience in parish ministry, in hospital and FE
chaplaincy, in vocations work and the nurture of ordinands. I am delighted that
she will exercise her episcopal ministry with joy, prayerfulness, and trust in
God.
Archbishop of
Canterbury Justin Welby said: “I am absolutely delighted that Libby has been
appointed to succeed Bishop Robert Atwell as bishop of Stockport. Her
Christ-centered life, calmness and clear determination to serve the church and
the community make her a wonderful choice.
“She will be bishop in
a diocese that has been outstanding in its development of people, and she will
make a major contribution. She and her family will be in my prayers during the
initial excitement, and the pressures of moving.”
Bishop of Chester Peter
Forster said: “Libby has had a varied and distinguished ministry, and is
currently a first-rate parish priest. She has already demonstrated her ability
to contribute nationally through her representative role in the House of
Bishops, on behalf of the northwest England dioceses.
“As the first woman
bishop in the Church of England she will face many challenges as well as
enjoying many opportunities to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. I have no
doubt that she has the gifts and determination to be an outstanding bishop.
“I am delighted at her
designation as bishop of Stockport after a lengthy process of discernment
across the Church of England and beyond.”
The nomination of Lane
as the new bishop of Stockport was approved by the Queen and announced Dec. 17. Lane succeeds the Rt. Rev. Robert Atwell, who is now
the bishop of Exeter.
Biographical Details
Libby Lane has been the vicar of St Peter’s Hale and St Elizabeth’s Ashley, in the Diocese of Chester, since April 2007, and from January 2010 has also been Dean of Women in Ministry for the diocese. After school in Manchester and university at Oxford, she trained for ministry at Cranmer Hall in Durham. She was ordained a deacon in 1993 and a priest in 1994, serving her curacy in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Prior to moving to
Hale, Lane was team vicar in the Stockport South West Team, and assistant
diocesan director of ordinands in the Diocese of Chester, advising and
supporting those considering a vocation to ministry in the church. She
continues to be a bishop’s selection adviser.
Lane has served in the
Diocese of York, as chaplain in hospital and further education, and as family
life officer for the Committee for Social Responsibility in the Diocese of
Chester.
She is one of eight
clergy women from the Church of England elected as Participant Observers in the
House of Bishops, as the representative from the dioceses of the north west.
Her husband, George, is
also a priest; they were one of the first married couples in the Church of
England to be ordained together. George is coordinating chaplain at Manchester
Airport, licensed in the Diocese of Manchester. They have two grown up children
in higher education.
Her interests include
being a school governor, encouraging social action initiatives, learning to
play the saxophone, supporting Manchester United, reading and doing cryptic
crosswords.
Resources available:
A video statement by
the Rev. Libby Lane on her appointment is available from the Diocese of Chester
Website here (Chester Diocese YouTube channel is available here).
An audio interview with
the Rev. Libby Lane on today’s announcement is available as part of a Church of
England podcast here.
A photostream from
today’s announcement including photos of the Rev. Libby Lane are available here.
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