The Bishop of Worcester ‘licensed' Roger Morris as Archdeacon of Worcester at Evensong at Worcester Cathedral on Sunday: this is the ceremony which marks the formal beginning of his ministry here.    

By appointing Roger as Archdeacon, Bishop John delegates to him administrative authority for the Archdeaconry of Worcester, which includes Malvern, Upton, Evesham and Pershore as well as the city itself. Though hardly ancient, Roger will become ‘The Venerable Roger Morris' and will be a Honorary Canon of Worcester Cathedral.

Roger has been working in his new post since 1 September, getting to know the local clergy and churches for which he will have responsibility. He said: "I have now visited nearly all the vicars in the Archdeaconry - they are a hard working and dedicated team who are meeting the demands of our age with both energy and vision. This is a challenging time for churches and for those who lead them - but it is also a time of real opportunity. I think our churches are in a good place to make the most of these opportunities. 

"It has also been good to revisit some old childhood haunts and to become reacquainted with such a beautiful county. The familiarity of the surroundings and the friendliness of the people has combined to make me quickly feel that I am at home."

In addition to his responsibilities as Archdeacon, Roger will work with the Bishop and other colleagues on mission and evangelism in the diocese. Bishop John said: "This will involve equipping local churches and individual Christians to spread the good news of God's love in Jesus, Roger is a very gifted person with much experience in this area. During his first month in post he has already shown how these gifts and experience will benefit the church here and those it seeks to serve."

Roger continued: "Living the Christian life is an all-consuming adventure. I long to see us talking about and living out that adventure with a kind of infectious enthusiasm that attracts, challenges and intrigues people so much that they want to be part of the adventure too.'

ENDS.

Notes to editors

Roger Morris, 40 comes to Worcester from the Diocese of Coventry where he was Director of Parish Development and Evangelism and also spent several months of last year as Acting Archdeacon.  He is the youngest Archdeacon in the Church of England.

He trained for the ministry at Ridley Hall in Cambridge and was ordained deacon in 1993. He served his title in the Benefice of Northleach, a group of six rural parishes in the Diocese of Gloucester before becoming Rector of Sevenhampton, a group of nine rural churches in the Diocese of Gloucester. He moved to his present post in 2003.

Roger is married to Sally, a teacher, and they have two daughters aged eleven and seven.

An Archdeacon is a member of the clergy appointed by the Bishop and to whom he delegates a particular administrative authority covering an area known as an Archdeaconry. An Archdeacon must have been ordained for at least six years and is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy in the archdeaconry and for the proper administration of church property. An Archdeacon is generally responsible for the induction of vicars to their parishes and for the admission of churchwardens.

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.