CAPTION: The new Bishop of Exeter met clergy, lay ministers and churchwardens from North Devon as part of his announcement day tour
Bishop Mike Inspired by Whistlestop Tour of Devon
The Rt. Rev’d Dr Mike Harrison says engaging with children and young people will be a top priority of his ministry in Devon, after being announced as the new Bishop of Exeter at a primary school, which is also home to a local church in East Devon.
Bishop Mike spent the day of his announcement on a whistlestop tour of the Diocese of Exeter’s four archdeaconries (Exeter, Barnstaple, Totnes and Plymouth).
He began the day with a service of Morning Prayer at the parish church of St Mary with St Andrew, Rockbeare.
Bishop Mike meeting some of his new colleagues at Rockbeare parish church
He then travelled to St Martin’s CofE Primary School in the nearby new town of Cranbrook, where the official local announcement of his appointment took place shortly after 10am, following the national announcement of the news by Downing Street.
The school’s pupils were the first to meet Devon’s new bishop, who asked them for advice on what he should do once he starts his new role.
Bishop Mike said afterwards “I was struck by one girl who said ‘I think you should be kind.’
The bishop also visited the plot of land in the centre of Cranbrook which has been set aside to build a new church building for the community. He and others prayed for the Cranbrook church team and the building project.
The bishop was given advice about his new role by pupils at St Martin’s Primary School in Cranbrook
Bishop Mike met members of the local church communities on a visit to Ten Acres vineyard in Winkleigh. He said “It was great to see the passion, commitment and faithfulness of clergy, lay minsters and churchwardens and hear about the creativity of rural life in an innovative rural business setting.”
In the afternoon he arrived at the Unleashed Theatre project, which is based in the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Torquay – once Torquay’s largest Victorian theatre and a former cinema.
The ecumenical Christian project includes a community drama group and choir and many of the participants are in recovery from addiction, homeless or living with complex challenges.
The group, including soloists Anthony Jameson, Carisse Norcott and Grace Messer, performed two songs for the bishop, which they said described some of their own experiences – Will I?, from the musical, Rent, and Museum of Loss, from the musical, Rehab.
Members of Unleashed Community Theatre perform a song from the musical Rent
Afterwards, he said “People at Unleashed are finding community and purpose. It is wonderful to see Christian trustees and churches involved in such a therapeutic environment. It is truly inspirational. I’m sure the Lord looks on this project and feels it is very close to His heart.”
Bishop Mike briefly visited Torquay’s war memorial and harbour ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June.
He was then prayed for at a special choral evensong at Exeter Cathedral attended by staff from the Diocese of Exeter and Cathedral.
The bishop attends Choral Evensong at Exeter Cathedral alongside the Acting Bishop of Exeter and the Bishop of Plymouth
He told them that, having attended the Cathedral as a student he felt “a sense of completion coming back to Exeter to fulfil his vocation to become Bishop of Exeter.”
He said “Many things drew me to Exeter, not least the vision to grow in prayer, make new disciples and serve the people of Devon with joy. I can’t think of three better priorities.”
Bishop Mike ended his announcement day in Plymouth, at an evening event meeting business and diversity leaders and education leaders from Plymouth Marjon University, Arts University Plymouth and Plymouth City College.
He is expected to begin his new role in November.