The Venerable Robin King has announced that he will be retiring as Archdeacon of Stansted at the end of September.
Commenting on the announcement, Archdeacon Robin said:
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always thought that I would retire at the age of sixty-five – which has crept up on me surprisingly fast. I’m also coming up to the tenth anniversary of becoming an Archdeacon, which feels a long enough time to be away from being more fully emersed in a parish. The time has flown by, I have enjoyed myself enormously, and serving as the Archdeacon of Stansted really has been a joy and privilege. Working with so many kind, gracious, Godly and forgiving people has taught me so much (if only I had known then what I know now…).
There is much that I will miss, but also much that I hope I can still contribute in the parishes to which we’re retiring (the North Hinckford Benefice of fourteen parishes) – I will still be in the Diocese, and, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil.3:4-5)"
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani has paid tribute to Archdeacon Robin, saying:
“Robin has been a faithful servant to the Stansted Archdeaconry and to the wider Diocese, including in his role as Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education. He will be very much missed by those who he has served alongside in our parishes, schools and on the Bishop’s Leadership Team. In the Autumn, there will be an opportunity for us to gather and give thanks for his ministry with us. Until then, we will hold Robin and Katharine in our prayers as they prepare for this next chapter.”
Commenting on the announcement, the Bishop of Colchester the Rt Revd Roger Morris added:
“Robin has been an outstanding Archdeacon. Amongst his many gifts has been his sheer unflappability and sense of perspective. He has never colluded with the anxieties and vanities of the Church of England but has instead offered us a model of calm reassurance and faith in the goodness of God. It has been a joy to work with such a good friend and colleague and he will be much missed. Please do join me in praying for Robin and Katharine as well as for the Archdeaconry of Stansted and the Deanery of Harlow.”
Archdeacon Robin was ordained as a priest in 1990. He trained at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, where he met his wife, Katharine. They served in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, as Curates at St Augustine, Ipswich. Robin served as Vicar of St Mary’s Bures with Assington and Little Cornard, and Rural Dean of Sudbury, before becoming Archdeacon of Stansted in 2013 and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education in 2019.
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