THE Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, said on Tuesday that he would be contacting the Archbishop of Kenya, Dr Eliud Wabukala, about the ordination of a deacon in his diocese.

The Revd Pete Jackson, the founding minister of Christ Church, Walkley, in Sheffield, was made deacon in the Anglican Church of Kenya by the Bishop of Kitui, the Rt Revd Josephat Mule, on 9 February ( News, 22 February).

Christ Church, Walkley, was planted last year by Christ Church, Fulwood, and its plant, Christ Church Central. But, Bishop Croft said, Christ Church Central "could not be contained within the legal structures of the Church of England". In 2009, Bishop Croft invited Christ Church Central "to explore with me the possibility of making a Bishop's Mission Order to regularise their life once again". The offer was declined, he said.

Christ Church, Walkley, was established "with no consultation with the diocese, or with St Mary's, Walkley", Bishop Croft said. He would be "entering into correspondence in the next few weeks with the various parties involved in the decision to ordain Pete Jackson in this way".

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