It has been announced this morning that the Revd Canon Geoffrey Harbord, currently Acting Dean of Sheffield Cathedral, has been appointed Interim Canon Precentor.
The Bishop of Sheffield, the Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, welcomes the appointment:
“This interim appointment is such an obvious Godsend that it occurred simultaneously to almost all the stakeholders involved! I could not be more delighted that following his extraordinary contribution as Acting Dean of Sheffield Cathedral, the Revd Canon Geoffrey Harbord will now be able to build on the foundation he himself has made in this final phase of his long stipendiary ministry in this Diocese. I know that together with the Vice Dean, the Revd Canon Keith Farrow, Canon Geoffrey will be an exemplary colleague to Dean Designate, the Revd Canon Abi Thompson after her Installation next month. That this team will usher in a fruitful season of ministry at Sheffield Cathedral in the service of Christ Jesus I have no doubt.”
The Dean Designate, the Revd Canon Abi Thompson, is delighted to be working with Canon Geoffrey after her installation on 6 November:
“Fr Geoffrey guided me safely through my preparations to come to the Diocese of Sheffield as a Curate in 2006 and has been a constant, reassuring presence ever since. I am delighted that I will now get to work with him even more closely as he becomes Interim Canon Precentor at the Cathedral - a role to which he brings multiple skills and a great depth of experience. The whole Cathedral community has been extraordinarily blessed by his calm and kind leadership over the past year, and I feel extremely fortunate that I will be able to rely on his exceptional knowledge of the history both of the Diocese and the Cathedral in the months and years to come.”
The Acting Dean made the announcement during this morning’s service, saying:
“I am delighted to accept Bishop Pete and Dean Designate Abi’s invitation to become Interim Canon Precentor of Sheffield Cathedral. It has been an immense privilege to have served for almost exactly a year as acting dean and to have seen how important a ministry the Cathedral has to both city and diocese. I look forward to working closely with all my colleagues as we seek ever more to make the Cathedral a place for all people and to build Christ’s kingdom here.”