Kalantha Brewis, Rector of Hallow and Grimley with Holt and Lower Broadheath on the Western edge of Worcester has been appointed as the new Area Dean for Worcester. She takes over from Diane Cooksey who recently moved to a new role in Greater Dudley Deanery.
Area Deans have a ministry of leadership and care in partnership with our bishops and archdeacons. They work to support clergy and laity, representing the parishes at meetings with the diocesan senior staff and sharing information with parishes as we continue to work together to build healthier and more sustainable churches across the Diocese. Kalantha takes up this role in addition to her parish ministry and other roles and will head up the existing Deanery Leadership Team.
Kalantha said: “To be asked to be Area Dean is a huge privilege and also a huge responsibility. This is a fantastic deanery with lovely people, and I am excited about continuing the transformational work which has been led by Diane over recent years. The Leadership Team are really dynamic and already have a strong sense of purpose, particularly in developing work with children and young people across the Deanery and collaborating with each other through sharing expertise and resources. Becoming Area Dean is not what I anticipated, but God is always leading us into unexpected situations, and I feel God is calling me into this new chapter of my ministry, which is very exciting.”
Kalantha has also recently been appointed as an Honorary Chaplain to HM The King and the official start of that ministry was marked by a garden party at Buckingham Palace where she was formally presented to the Prince and Princess of Wales. In this role she will preach once a year in the Chapel Royal and is entitled to wear a scarlet cassock which shows she is a representative of the King.
Kalantha continued: “It was a complete surprise to have been nominated for this honour by Bishop John before his retirement. I took our benefice administrator Lorna with me to the garden party as it was important to me to take someone from the community which I seek to serve and who support me in my ministry. We had a fun afternoon – everyone was really friendly and welcoming. It was a special day and a real privilege to be presented to the Prince and Princess.”
Kalantha was licensed as a Lay Minister in Pershore Deanery in 2008 and was ordained in 2016. She served her curacy at St Barnabas with Christ Church in Worcester and moved to her current role in the West Worcester Beacon Team in 2020.
