Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 November 1999

The Rev Stephen Roberts, Vicar of St George's, Camberwell since 1989, is to be the new Senior Director of Ordinands for Southwark Diocese and Canon Treasurer at Southwark Cathedral. He will replace Canon David Painter, who was recently appointed Archdeacon of Oakham in Peterborough Diocese.

Stephen Roberts, who is 40, trained at Westcott House, Cambridge and was ordained deacon in 1983 and priested in 1984. He served curacies at St Mary's, Riverhead, Sevenoaks, in the Rochester Diocese and at St Martin in the Fields in the London Diocese before coming to Southwark. He has been Rural Dean of Camberwell since 1997 and before that was the Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands for the Woolwich Episcopal Area. He is finishing a MTh in Pastoral Theology.

He has been involved in training three curates whilst in Camberwell, and selection and training for ordination has been an area of interest for him for a long time. He says, "I am much looking forward to working in this field. Having been a parish priest for ten years I am delighted that the post is linked with the Cathedral. It will be good to have a spiritual home there especially at this time of exciting developments for the Cathedral."

From 1 January 2000 the Rev Geoff Mason, currently Ministry Development Adviser and OLM Selection Officer, will also be designated a Director of Ordinands. The two Directors together will be seeking to integrate vocations work and selection procedures for all patterns of ordained ministry - stipendiary, NSM and OLM - in a single department.

Stephen Roberts will leave his present post on 9 January, having taken up the role of Senior DDO from 1 January 2000. He will be installed in Southwark Cathedral on 30 January.

Ends

For further information contact: 

Diocesan Communications Officer
Tel: 020-7939 9400
Mobile: 07831-694021
Fax: 020-7939 9468