CAPTION: The new Canon and Prebendaries come from churches across Devon
Ancient Service Forges New Links Between Exeter Cathedral and Devon’s Churches
Bishop Mike presents the new Canons with a deed signed with his seal
An ancient church tradition was brought to life on Sunday when five parish priests from across Devon were installed as prebendaries at Exeter Cathedral.
Prebendaries are priests who are given the honorary title by the Bishop of Exeter in recognition of their mission and ministry and service to their communities.
The name comes from the Latin praebenda, which roughly means ‘to be given a grant’ and historically refers to a priest who is paid from a certain Cathedral income stream – for example the harvest from lands owned by the Cathedral.
Those appointed on Sunday in front of friends and family and members of their church communities were:
- Rev’d Ruth Frampton (Teign Valley & Haldon Mission Community)
- Rev’d Ed Hobbs (St Andrew’s, Cullompton)
- Fr. Peter March (All Saints Torre & St Luke’s, Torquay)
- Fr. John Rolles (Holy Trinity & St Peter’s, Ilfracombe)
- Rev’d Andy Humm (St George & St Paul’s, Tiverton)
The Diocese of Exeter’s Communications Director, Chloe Axford, was also installed as a Lay Canon of the Cathedral during the same service. Lay Canons are lay people whom the bishop has similarly chosen to recognise for their work. As well as her professional role, Chloe is also a volunteer Licensed Lay Minister in the Ashburton and Moorland Mission Community.
Read the Biography of each new Prebendary and Canon and their reflections about the service.
The Diocese of Exeter’s Communications Director, Chloe Axford, was also installed as a Lay Canon of the Cathedral during the same service.
During the choral Evensong service each of the six made promises to serve faithfully in their new roles. The Bishop of Exeter read out why he had chosen each of them and presented them with a deed signed with his seal. The new prebendaries and Chloe were then installed in their own specific stall (seat) in the Cathedral Quire.
They will also sit as members of the Cathedral’s College of Canons which meets several times a year to help make decisions about the life of the Cathedral.
There are around 30 prebendaries in the diocese and a smaller number of Lay Canons. The hope is that they will be a bridge between the Cathedral and the churches of the diocese and also be representatives of parish ministry in the decisions of the Cathedral.
At the end of the service each of the six was presented with a loaf of bread to take home – a symbol of the way Cathedral priests historically received their prebend.
