Who's Who in the Church

The Church of England has a hierarchy:

Head: The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

Ably assisted by: The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York.

The country is then split into parts, mostly covering a county or 2 small counties, these districts are called Dioceses. Our diocese is named the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Eds and Ips for short.

Each Diocese is headed by a Bishop; our Bishop is The Right Reverend Nigel Stock.

You may well have heard of the town of Dunwich that disappeared into the sea. Its decline began in 1286 when a storn surge hit the East Anglian coast, and it was eventually reduced in size to the village it is today. That habitation hosted a Bishop, the bishop of Dunwich who is still recognised today. Hence the diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, a very large and rural area is fortunate to have a Suffragen Bishop, The Right Reverend Clive Young, Bishop of Dunwich.

Working under the 2 Bishops are 2 Archdeacons; The Venerable Dr. David Jenkins Archdeacon of Sudbury, who works the west side of the diocese and The Venerable Rich Henderson Archdeacon of Suffolk, who works the east side of the diocese. These two work with the Bishops and with the people in the villages.
 

The diocese, being so large, is the sub-divided in to smaller areas and, under the 2 Archdeacons are Rural Deans. Our Rural Dean, Giles Tulk, has responsibility for 34 parishes. She works with the layers above and yet is there for us as Clergy in villages to approach for support or advice.

Now, here on the Peninsula, we are a Team Ministry.

The villages from Orford to Bawdsey and Hollesley to Bromeswell are part of the Wilford Peninsula Team and we are lead by Revd David Murdoch who is Team Rector. He lives in Orford and as well as leading the Team has responsibility for Orford, Iken, Chillesford, Butley and Sudbourne.

There are 2 full-time Team Vicars:

Revd Mandy Reynolds, 01394 420129 who lives in Rendlesham and has responsibility for St Felix and St Gregory in Rendlesham, Eyke, Tunstall and Wantisden.

Revd Simon Cake, 07710 523856 who lives in Hollesley and has responsibility for Boyton, Bawdsey, Hollesley, Ramsholt and Alderton, Shottisham and Sutton.