Martin Gorick became the new Bishop of Dudley, after being ordained and consecrated as a bishop by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a service at Southwark Cathedral recently.
Five members of the CSMV Community were invited to the ceremony, which saw the former Archdeacon of Oxford take on his new role in the Diocese of Worcester. “We have known Martin since the early 1990s when he was chaplain to the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries,” says Sister Stella. “He became Vicar of Old Church in Smethwick, shortly after we opened a Community House down the road in the town.”
Martin was presented for this new ministry by the bishops of Worcester and Oxford. He was prayed for by bishops from throughout the Church of England and anointed with oil by Archbishop Justin. He also received a bible, an episcopal ring and the Bishop’s staff that he will use as Bishop of Dudley.
“It was a wonderfully relaxed occasion with many familiar faces,” says Sister Stella. “Alison White, the Bishop of Hull gave a superb sermon on ministry, especially episcopal ministry and how it often induces feelings of ‘it’s all too much’, ‘I can’t handle this’ that are true expressions of both our frailty and our need to recognise our dependency on God. The feelings recall the Gospel sayings of Jesus that show God has energies and plans beyond our imagining. It was preached very much from the heart.”
Looking forward to his new ministry, Bishop Martin said, “I’m delighted to be joining Bishop John and the people of Dudley along with all across the Diocese of Worcester as we discover together how best to be the Church for England in this new decade. As a Black Country bishop I look forward to the church playing its part in the regeneration of Britain’s heartland in the West Midlands, and to working in partnership with all people of good will”
Bishop Martin will be formally welcomed to the Diocese of Worcester on Saturday 22 February at a service at Top Church, Dudley at 4pm and then installed in Worcester Cathedral at Evensong at 4pm on Sunday 23 February. His ministry in the Diocese will begin after these services.
View a gallery of photographs of Bishop Martin’s consecration.