We're very much looking forward to welcoming four new members of the College of Canons on Sunday in a special service at 4pm.
The new members of the College of Canons are the Revd Toby Hole, Director of Mission and Ministry in the Diocese of Sheffield; the Revd Eleanor Robertshaw, Team Rector of the Parish of Great Snaith; the Revd Mike Reeder, Chaplain at St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield and Chaplain to the Bishop of Doncaster; and the Revd Karen Cribb, self-supporting minister at St Mary, Bramall Lane, and Bishop’s Adviser for Self-Supporting Ministry.
Honorary canons are appointed by the Bishop after consulting with the Dean, in recognition of distinguished service to the Diocese.
Dean Abi says; “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming four new members of the College of Canons on Sunday. Each person brings a range of skills and experience with them, and it's a joy to share in ministry, prayer and worship with them. It's especially good to see Mike Reeder join the College of Canons having served us so faithfully for many years as Minor Canon and Chaplain to the Staff at Sheffield Cathedral.”
Mike Reeder shared his joy at being asked with the Diocese, saying:
“It was a great honour when Bishop Pete had a quiet word with me in the Cathedral at the time when we were celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and it was a bit of a surprise! I had been a lay Canon before I was ordained (from 2006-2009), and on my ordination I resign in order to take up my curacy. With Bishop Pete’s invitation it feels like I’m returning back to something familiar.
“I feel the reason I’ve been asked is because I’m a chaplain in many settings, from serving Bishop Sophie to serving St Luke’s Hospice. My ministry has always been about chaplaincy, so I feel the role I’ve been asked to fulfil is to be a voice for chaplaincy across the Diocese. It is a great honour for me personally, but it’s a big honour for chaplains to be represented in the College of Canons.”
Eleanor shared with the Diocese that she considers it a great privilege to have been asked:
“I am really honoured to be asked to be a canon at the Cathedral. It really means a lot because Sheffield is my home Diocese where all of my ministry has been. I’m really excited at the prospect of being a Canon.
“Quite a lot of my predecessors in Snaith have been Canons. One of them has a memorial plaque saying ‘in memory of Bertram Ramsker – a Canon of Sheffield’, so it’s really nice to join that group and to be alongside people you’ve looked up to and respected in the past.
“I was born in Sheffield and grew up in Rotherham, so it’s a nice honour. My dad’s side of the family were born and bred in Sheffield for years, and I wish my grandparents were here to witness this because I think they’d be proud. I’m proud to be from Sheffield and all that goes with it.”
All are welcome to attend the installation service at 4pm on Sunday.