August 2009

I thought that the best thing to do this month was to ask the new Bishop-elect of Ludlow, the Ven. Alistair Magowan to write something about himself, so that you could begin to "get to know him" and his family. So what follows comes from him:

"What's our new Bishop like and what about his family? It is the kind of question that might be asked at these times. Of course the best way to find out is to meet in person. We very much hope that on arrival there will be good opportunities to do just that. For now, here is a little about us.

Louise and I have three children, two grown up and away from home, one who is married. Susanna, aged 13, is our youngest and she is still at home. Together we are looking forward to coming and being among you.

Louise grew up in West Yorkshire and trained as a nurse and midwife. We married during my training at theological college and during that time she also completed a one year course in pastoral ministry. This she has followed up with further study. For a number of years here in Dorset she has been exercising a pastoral ministry as a lay member within a team.

I spent much of my early years in Malvern and through farming friends remember many happy days in and around what are the churches and villages of the Bromyard and Ledbury deaneries. Since then life and ministry has taken us all over the country. It is really nice now to be coming back into the Diocese of Hereford.

I studied Animal Physiology and Nutrition at Leeds University. It was during that time that I felt a growing sense of God's call to ministry. After graduation I spent two months in Burundi and worked on a water project for a hospital. On return and for the following year I continued in Leeds working with the homeless at St George's crypt. This pioneering work, which had begun in the 1930s was a wonderful place to test vocation and learn something of practical service.

Ministry has taken us all over the country. I was ordained in Sheffield and served in Owlerton, better know as Hillsborough and for Sheffield Wednesday's football ground. From there we spent five years in Durham where again I held two posts, one as chaplain to St Aidan's College and one as curate of St Nicholas. There then followed 11 stimulating years in Guildford Diocese. My parish included the fields of Runnymede. Now, after 9 wonderful years here in Dorset, we are delighted to be moving to you and to be travelling this next step of the journey together."

Alistair will be consecrated as the next Bishop of Ludlow at St. Paul's Cathedral in London on Tuesday, 29th September, at 11.00am, and then be welcomed into our diocese at a special service in St. Laurence, Ludlow, on Sunday, 4th October, at 3.30pm at which everyone will be extremely welcome.

Please keep Alistair, Louise, Susanna and the whole family in your prayers as they face the upheaval of pulling up their roots, moving and settling among us.

We are delighted that they will be coming!