Pictured with Bishop Tim (from left) are: Dr Jonathan Rowe, Esther Pollard, Revd Andrew Gough, Revd Geoffrey Bennett and Christopher Batt. (Photo: Paul Richards)

Immediately after the Office of Evensong on Sunday 18 May, five new Non-Residentiary Canons were installed as Canons of Truro Cathedral and members of the College of Canons.

ABOUT THE NEW CANONS

Revd Geoffrey Bennett, Rural Dean of Carnmarth South and Vicar of Budock. He occupies the Stall of St Necton.

Revd Andrew Gough, Priest in Charge of Halsetown and Priest in Charge of St Ives. He occupies the Stall of St Ia.

Christopher Batt, Chaplain to the Markets, Agricultural Chaplain and Rural Chaplain; Assistant Co-ordinator for the Farming Community Network and Chairman of the Cornwall Emergency Feed Fund. He occupies the Stall of St James the Less.

Esther Pollard, Diocesan Secretary. She occupies the Stall of St Matthew.

Dr Jonathan Rowe, Director of Accompanied Ministry Development. He occupies the Stall of St Peter.

 

For his sermon, Bishop Tim took as his text Jesus’ words: “Abide in me as I abide in you”, taken from John 15.4. He described the new canons as five very different people who, apart from their humanity, had little in common and were very different characters who had lived very different lives. “Yet we can rejoice at the possibilities this brings,” he said, “the opportunities for engaging in new and challenging conversations.”

Bishop Tim pointed out that the word ‘abide’ is not often used in everyday conversation but does go some way to explaining the role of the new canons. “They have all been around a bit!” he said. “So they have all experienced life’s ups and downs, and have stuck to their tasks such that they can share that experience with us.

“They are five people who have some understanding of this place and what is going on in the outside world too,” he added. “They are examples to us this evening of what it means to abide. Through their adherence to the Christian faith they have discovered the reality of the Gospel and can help us to mediate it in the world and our lives; to bring integrity into our discipleship. To stick with it. To abide.”

 

Revd Olive Stephens, Rural Dean of Carnmarth North and Associate Priest of Redruth with Lanner and Treleigh and Bishop Mark O’Toole, Roman Catholic Bishop of Plymouth, will be installed on Sunday 12 October at Evensong (4pm)