Farewells

THE SYNOD said farewell to the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, with a prolonged standing ovation, as he left to become the Vicar of St Margaret’s, Ilkley, in Yorkshire. His appearance at the Synod had been brief, and the Archbishop of Canterbury said it had made him realise how “an entire room could organise itself round a felt absence.”
 
“An archbishop is like a teabag,” said Dr Williams. “You don’t know how strong it is until it is in hot water, and in Yorkshire, as in Wales, tea is made in teeth-corroding strength.” He went on to speak of Dr Hope’s strength, determination and clarity in all he did, his loyalty and affection, and how much he would miss him. “I don’t think we have seen the back of this very great Archbishop,” he said.

Tributes were also paid by Canon Glyn Webster, Prolocutor of the Northern Province, and Dr Christina Baxter, chairman of the House of Laity. In reply, Dr Hope admitted that Synod had never been his favourite sport, and in cleaning out Bishopthorpe before leaving he had turned out half a skip full of related papers. But he had found much friendship in the Synod, and had always been supported and encouraged by the faithfulness of the clergy and people in the parishes.

Farewells were also said to Lady Brentford, the Third Church Estates Commissioner since 1999, and a member of the Synod since 1993, who had “played a key role”, said Dr Williams, in the reform of the Church Commissioners and the implementation of the Turnbull report; and to the Bishop of Derby, the Rt Revd Jonathan Bailey, who had chaired the Churches Main Committee “with calm professionalism and insight”, and had also been Clerk of the Closet.