THE next Bishop of Worcester is to be the Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, Downing Street announced on Tuesday. He succeeds Dr John Inge, who retired last year (News, 3 May 2024).
Bishop Nelson has been Bishop of St Germans, in Truro diocese, since 2020 and was Acting Bishop of Truro during the vacancy-in-see after the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen’s translation to Winchester (News, 6 July 2023). Bishop Nelson also serves as Diocesan Warden of Reader. He will remain Bishop to the Armed Forces when he is translated to Worcester.
In a statement, Bishop Nelson described the calling as “an enormous privilege”, and said that he was “so looking forward” to “getting to know the different communities across the Diocese and finding out what God is up to in its villages, towns and cities”.
He continued: “In a changing world, our first call is to be faithful; to be confident that God has given us everything we need to be the Church that he is calling us to be. From that foundation we’re invited to be constantly curious about what is God doing, and to respond boldly, in both traditional and new ways. And it will be a key part of my role to lead us in doing all of that together here in Worcester, with the unity that Jesus prayed for.”
He trained for ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and was ordained priest in 2010. He served his title at three benefices in Canterbury diocese, before becoming Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Goudhurst, with Kilndown, in the same diocese, in 2012. Before ordination, he spent 13 years leading the community of L’Arche in West Norwood, south London. The Christian charity supports members with learning disabilities.
Bishop Nelson is married to Lizzie, who is the UK Director of the peacebuilding charity Search for Common Ground. They have four children.
Outside ministry, he enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, and playing cricket. He is “delighted” that he will be living opposite New Road Cricket ground, the home of Worcestershire County Cricket Club.
Bishop Nelson will be enthroned early next year.
