THE next Suffragan Bishop of Ripon, in the diocese of Leeds, is to be Canon Anna Eltringham, Downing Street announced on Thursday morning.
Canon Eltringham is currently the Team Rector of Oxted in the diocese of Southwark. She succeeds Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, who was installed as Bishop of Newcastle last weekend (News, 21 October 2022).
Born in the West Country, Canon Eltringham spent time in the north of England, studying business and anthropology at the University of Durham.
She was ordained deacon in 2008, having trained for ordination at the South East Institute of Theological Education. She served her title at Holy Innocents’, South Norwood, before becoming Team Vicar of Oxted, in Surrey, in 2014, and Team Rector in 2019.
She has served as the Diocesan Dean of Women’s Ministry since 2017, and was appointed an honorary canon of Southwark Cathedral in 2020. The same year, she was also appointed a chaplain to the Queen, and is now a chaplain to the King.
Before training for ordination, she worked in marketing, including a post at Croydon Council in which she helped local businesses to cut their carbon footprint.
Canon Eltringham said on Thursday: “God has laid a number of things on my heart in recent times, including a passion for climate-care and justice; care for the wellbeing of clergy and all God’s people; a vision for a church that serves as much beyond as within its buildings; and children and young people at the heart of it all.”
She described her nomination as “an honour.”
“I have felt drawn back to the North of England for a number of years and have a strong sense of God’s call to this particular role,” she said.
The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, welcomed the appointment. “Our parishes and communities, big and small, will greet her with great warmth as her commitment to parish ministry and the environment will be evident from the word go,” he said.
The Archbishop of York said that her “enthusiasm and love for parish ministry and her ability to connect, having been an advocate for clergy well-being and serving as Dean of Women’s Ministry, will be a great blessing to the parishes and Diocese of Leeds”.
Canon Eltringham is married and has two daughters. Her interests include playing the saxophone, creative writing, up-cycling furniture, and walking.
She is due to be consecrated on 22 June, and is expected to take up post in September.