Diocesan Press Release

New Honorary Canons

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10 May 1999

The Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Tom Butler, installed five new honorary canons of Southwark Cathedral on Sunday 9 May: The Rev Peter Adams, Vicar of St Mary's, Addington; The Rev Colin Boswell, Vicar of Croydon; The Rev Lyle Dennen, Vicar of St John's, Kennington; The Rev April Keech, Vicar of St John's, Deptford; and The Rev Grahame Shaw, Vicar of St Paul's, Newington.

In his sermon, the Bishop said, "their appointment as honorary canon is not a mark of privilege, nor a reward for services rendered - no, it's a call to further service in the Church. It is an honour, but it's an honour which symbolises the worth of all those who provide ministerial service in our vibrant and varied diocese. For those who have been installed this afternoon are a group of priests who represent in a very real way the life of the diocese of Southwark and the visionary nature of so much ministry here."

The Rev Peter Adams is actually a Cornish man but since his ordination in 1965 has spent most of his ministry in Southwark Diocese, apart from a significant time during which he was the Chaplain of Trinity College, Cambridge (1970-75). He worked in parishes in each of the Episcopal Areas, and was Rural Dean of Camberwell (1980-83), before going to St Mary's Addington in 1992.

The Rev Colin Boswell has served all his ministry in this diocese, at Tooting, Sydenham, St Helier, Caterham and Chaldon, as well as Croydon. He was also brought up in the diocese, at St Anne's, Wandsworth. As Vicar of Croydon since 1995 he has been involved in many aspects of civic life and has built strong links with the community.

The Rev Lyle Dennen was born in Boston, Massachusetts and has a doctorate in law from Harvard University, which has historic links with Southwark Cathedral. He has served all his ministry in the diocese, and has been at Kennington since 1978. From 1990 he has been Rural Dean of Brixton, and in recent weeks helped lead the churches' response to the Brixton bombing. He has also contributed significantly to the development of church education in the area.

The Rev April Keech, another American, was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and studied at Penn State University. She worked on a programme for deprived people in New York , and came to south east London for further experience. She then studied for ordination at Trinity College Bristol, and served her curacy in Walthamstow, north east London, before returning to New York. She came back to Deptford in 1995. Her varied experience has helped her to work alongside and encourage the black members of her congregation and also to encourage vocations in others.

The Rev Grahame Shaw began his ministry in Cheshire, but moved to Thamesmead where he oversaw the birth of St Paul's ecumenical centre. In 1979 he moved to St Paul's, Newington, and established there the Lorrimore Centre which attempts to address poverty and powerlessness among local people. He worked in particular for the establishment of the London Ecumenical Aids Trust based at the Lorrimore which continues through education but increasingly through hands-on support to be alongside people with AIDS, and especially black Africans and their children in the borough and beyond. Grahame has been Rural Dean of Southwark & Newington since 1996.

Ends.