21 January 2022
The next Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens has been consecrated as a bishop at St Paul’s Cathedral during a service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Bishop of Chelmsford introduced Lynne as the next Bishop of Barking on 30 November 2021 during a visit to St John’s Church of England Secondary School in Epping which is part of the Barking Episcopal Area.
Lynne is currently Rector of Stockport and Brinnington in the Diocese of Chester, where she has served since July 2019. She is also a trustee and the Chair of the National Estate Churches Network.
Speaking ahead of the consecration, the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani said:
“We are looking forward to this special service and in particular to welcoming Lynne to Chelmsford Diocese. She will be joining a fantastic team of clergy and lay people who faithfully lead our churches in the Barking Area. Her passion for social justice and the wealth of experience she will bring from her time as a parish minister, charity chief executive and from her work in housing and estates evangelism, will be a great blessing as we continue to serve our local communities and to share the good news of Jesus Christ.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury also consecrated two other bishops at the service at St Paul’s Cathedral. The Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy is to become the new Bishop of Willesden in the Diocese of London and the Rt Revd Malayil Lukose Varghese Muthalaly (known as Saju), is to become the new Bishop of Loughborough in the Diocese of Leicester.
Speaking ahead to the service, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens said:
“I’m approaching the Service of Consecration with a real sense of joy and of thankfulness to be sharing in it with Lusa and Saju. I realise too that many are praying for us; I very much sense that support and am deeply grateful. I so look forward to taking up my role as Bishop of Barking and to all we will experience together of God’s abundant grace”.
Lynne will be officially welcomed into the Diocese as the Bishop of Barking at a service at Chelmsford Cathedral on Saturday 26 February and begin her ministry on the 21st March.
