Welcoming Bishop Hugh

Hundreds of people from across Worcestershire and Dudley gathered in Worcester Cathedral on Saturday to welcome Hugh Nelson to the Diocese as the 114th Bishop of Worcester.

The service started with Bishop Hugh banging on the West door of the Cathedral to be let in. When the door was opened, the bishop was greeted by students from St Matthias CE Primary and Dyson Perrins CE Academy in Malvern.

The children were chosen to be part of the service having taken part in the consultation process for appointing our new bishop. Other children and young people from Redditch, Pershore, Kidderminster and Kingswinford were involved in presenting Bishop Hugh with the different items of clothing he will wear as Bishop of Worcester and two young people from Claines and St George’s Churches in Worcester anointed Bishop Hugh’s hand.

Bishop Hugh preached at the service starting with thanks for all those who had welcomed him and his family to the Diocese. He spoke about what it means to be part of the diocesan ‘Kingdom People’ vision, saying:

“Thank you to all of you ‘Kingdom People’ here in Dudley and Worcestershire who are faithfully serving your communities, walking with those who are suffering, and pointing to Jesus. To all of you who, walking with Jesus, have discovered that the Kingdom is here, and that we find it best together. It is the greatest of privileges to join you in the unfolding story of this great diocese as your bishop, on our journey together to be and to become God’s Kingdom People, for the communities we serve and for this generation.”

Prayers were led during the service by the Archdeacons of Worcester and Dudley as well as representatives from our partnership dioceses of Peru, Morogoro in Tanzania and the Evangelische Kirche Mitteldeutschland (Germany).

Music was led by the Cathedral Choir and Youth Choir as well as a worship band comprising of members of St Stephen’s Church in Redditch and All Saints’ Church in Worcester. There was also a special song led by children and others throughout the Diocese who have been working with iSingPOP. During the service Bishop Hugh was installed into his ‘seat’ in the Cathedral by the Dean of Worcester and at the end the Bishop returned to the West doors to pray for all in Worcestershire and Dudley at the start of his ministry here.

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Download the full order of service

See all the photos from the service on our Flikr album (also on our Facebook page)

Read Bishop Hugh’s sermon

Watch Bishop Hugh’s sermon

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About Bishop Hugh

Bishop Hugh was announced as the 114th Bishop of Worcester last July and officially became our new Bishop at a service in London in November.

He joins the Diocese from being Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro, where he served since 2020 (also serving as the Acting Bishop of Truro from Sept 2023 until May 2025).

After his ordination in 2008, Hugh served his curacy in six rural parishes in East Kent before serving for eight years as the

parish priest of Goudhurst with Kilndown, two village churches in the Diocese of Canterbury.

Alongside his ministry as the Bishop of Worcester, Hugh is also Bishop to the Armed Forces, providing spiritual and pastoral leadership to Anglican Chaplains serving in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

Bishop Hugh is married to Lizzie. They have four children in their teens and 20s and Hugh loves hanging out with his family, gardening and playing and watching football, rugby and cricket.