Bishop of Dorchester to retire

THE Area Bishop of Dorchester, in the diocese of Oxford, the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, is to retire on 4 October next year, shortly before his 70th birthday, he has announced. The Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, said that Bishop Fletcher had shaped the diocese as much as anyone over the past 20 years. “The Dorchester Area is itself larger than many dioceses of the Church of England. Colin has also served with distinction as Acting Bishop of Oxford during two long vacancies in see.”

Europe archdeacon

THE Ven. Geoffrey Johnston, Acting Archdeacon of Gibraltar, in Europe diocese, since 2014, and of Italy and Malta, after the retirement of the Ven. Vickie Sims at the start of this year (Appointments, 15 February), has retired. Before his ministry in Europe from 2008, Archdeacon Johnston served in Lichfield, Truro, and Worcester dioceses.

His successor as Archdeacon of both Gibraltar and of Italy and Malta is the Revd David Waller, Chaplain of St Philip and St James, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, since 2012, Area Dean in the Gibraltar archdeaconry, and Hon. Canon of the Cathedral Chapter. He trained at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and was ordained priest in 1989, before serving in Lichfield, Southwark, London, and Exeter dioceses.

He will take up office on 14 January 2020.