THE next Bishop of Ely is to be the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow since 2019, in Durham diocese, where she is also currently the Acting Bishop, Downing Street announced on Tuesday.
She succeeds the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, who was translated to Lincoln in May 2023 (News, 26 May 2023). Since then, Ely has been served by its Acting Bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr Dagmar Winter.
In July 2024, it was announced that the Crown Nominations Commission had not been able reach a consensus over the next Bishop of Ely, and that it was unlikely that the process would begin again before spring 2025 (News, 19 July 2024).
Bishop Clark was educated at Loughborough University before training for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham. She has an MA from Keele University. She served her title at St James’s, Porchester, in the diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, and remained in parish ministry in the diocese until her present appointment. She was Rector of Carlton-in-Lindrick from 2002 to 2009, before becoming Team Rector of Clifton and Dean of Women’s Ministry. She was appointed Archdeacon of Nottingham in 2014.
She became Acting Bishop of Durham at the end of February 2024 on the retirement of the Rt Revd Paul Butler. The vacancy-in-see in Durham has been prolonged by an unidentified nominee’s withdrawal, announced last February (News, 21 February 2025).
Bishop Clark said on Tuesday that she felt “such a sense of joy, vocation, and thankfulness to God about coming to the diocese of Ely”.
She continued: “When I came to explore the diocese before my interview, I was captured by the sculpture of Mary the mother of Jesus in the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, arms raised in Magnificat, in praise of what God was doing.
“I am full of hope that, as we journey together into the future, embracing our rich diversity of tradition, theology, and place, we will write together the next chapter of the diocese of Ely in such a way that it is shot through with that same spirit of thanksgiving to God.”
Welcoming the announcement, Dr Winter said: “I am excited by the leadership, energy and vision she will bring and I am very much looking forward to her joining us.”
Bishop Clark was due to meet staff and pupils from schools in the diocese on Tuesday, as well as churches, businesses, and community groups, before evensong in Ely Cathedral. She is due to be installed in the early summer.
