CAPTION: The Right Reverend Nick McKinnel has been Bishop of Plymouth since 2015
Bishop of Plymouth Announces Retirement
The Bishop of Plymouth, the Right Reverend Nicholas McKinnel, is to retire in August 2022.
Bishop Nick, who is married to Jan and has four children and nine grandchildren, will be 68 and has been Bishop of Plymouth since 2015.
He said, “After 42 years of ordained ministry, now seems a good time to hand over my responsibilities and to have more time for the family and other interests.
Bishop Nick with Bishop Jackie and Bishop Robert
“It has been a privilege to serve in this Diocese as a bishop for the last ten years and I would like to thank my fellow clergy and everyone in our diocese for their support, prayers and friendship.”
The Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Robert Atwell, said “Bishop Nick has been a superb colleague whose gentle wisdom and big pastoral heart have won him affection and respect across the county.
“He brings to his work his immense knowledge of people and places, his love of Devon and his faith in Christ.
“We wish him well in his retirement and we are glad that he is going to stay in Devon.”
Bishop Nick grew-up in Devon and, after studying law and working for a development agency, was ordained in 1980.
He served his early ministry in London and Liverpool before returning to Devon in 1987 to become the Rector of Hatherleigh, Meeth, Exbourne and Jacobstowe.
From 1994 to 2012 he led St Andrew’s, the Minster church of Plymouth.
He was consecrated as Bishop of Crediton in 2012, before moving to become Bishop of Plymouth in 2015, with responsibility for parishes across Dartmoor, Torbay and West Devon as well as the city itself.
There will be a farewell service for Bishop Nick at Exeter Cathedral in the summer.
Following his retirement, he has been nominated to be the High Sheriff of Devon in 2023.
