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New Archdeacon Of Northampton Appointed
| Author: Rev Derek Williams | Published: 13th September 2013 10:44 |
Richard Ormston The next Archdeacon of Northampton is to be Canon Richard Ormston, currently Vicar and rural dean of Oundle. He succeeds The Ven. Christine Allsopp who retires at the end of this month, and he will be collated and take office on 1 February in a service at St Giles Church Northampton.
Welcoming the appointment, the Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Revd Donald Allister, described Richard as “a very effective and much-loved parish priest who has served on a number of diocesan committees.
“With his pastoral experience and wisdom, his proven commitment to church growth, his track record of enabling churches to work together, and his wonderful sense of humour, I am sure he will be a first-class archdeacon.”
There were over 30 applicants for the post, most of them from outside the diocese. The broadly-based interview panel was unanimous and enthusiastic in agreeing to offer the post to Richard.
Richard Ormston (52) has been ordained for 27 years. He trained at Oak Hill Theological College in London and served as a curate at Radbourne Cheney in the Bristol Diocese for four years. Since then he has served in the Peterborough Diocese. He became Rector of Collingtree and Milton Malsor near Northampton in 1991 and was Rural Dean of Wootton 1996-2001.
He moved to Oundle in 2001, and became Rural Dean in 2003. He developed a “college of ministers” in the deanery drawing clergy and licensed lay ministers together for prayer and mutual support in their scattered rural churches. He was appointed an Honorary Canon of Peterborough Cathedral in 2003.
Married to Jackie, a teacher, Richard has two children Tom and Jo who are both in higher education. On his appointment, Richard said, “I am looking forward to working with parishes in the Northampton Archdeaconry and encouraging the church across the diocese to enjoy the challenges of being good news to so many diverse communities.”
In the four-month vacancy between archdeacons, the Archdeacon of Oakham, the Ven Gordon Steele, will be legally Acting Archdeacon of Northampton, responsible for such matters as faculties for church repairs and improvements, clergy housing and discipline. The Bishop of Brixworth, the Rt Revd John Holbrook, will cover the archdeacon’s responsibilities in pastoral matters and deal with any parochial appointments.
Retiring archdeacon’s farewell service
There will be a Farewell Eucharist for Archdeacon Christine Allsopp on Saturday 21 September in Holy Trinity Church, on the corner of Edinburgh Road and Balmoral Road, Northampton (3.00 pm). Christine will be both presiding and preaching. The public and media are welcome to attend but are asked to be seated by 2.40 pm. Parking is limited in the immediate vicinity but ample parking will be available at Malcolm Arnold Academy, in Trinity Avenue, a few minutes’ walk from the church.
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