17 February 2025
The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev’d Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani has announced that the next Area Dean of St Osyth will be the Rev’d Canon Phil Ritchie.
Phil is the Mission and Ministry Adviser for the Colchester Episcopal Area, a role he will continue to serve in alongside his ministry as an Area Dean. He was also recently appointed to serve as an Associate Priest at the Tenpenny Villages Benefice.
Until earlier this month, Phil served as Area Dean of Harwich and as Assistant Priest at Great Oakely. Following his stepping down from these roles, a consultation period has now begun ahead of the appointment of a new Area Dean of Harwich, during which time, the Rev’d John Saxon is providing cover in his capacity as Assistant Area Dean.
Commenting on Phil’s appointment as Area Dean of St Osyth, the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani said:
“Phil is an experienced Area Dean with great knowledge and understanding of the Colchester Episcopal Area. His appointment is good news for those who lead and serve the parishes and communities of the St Osyth Deanery.
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Phil for his service as Area Dean of Harwich for the past two years. It is a role he accepted on a temporary basis to allow us time to recruit a Rural Missioner for Harwich.
“Finally, I also want to thank the Rev’d Canon Laurie Bond for his service as Area Dean of St Osyth from 2019 to 2024. As many of you will know Laurie retired as Area Dean of St Osyth last year and has served in our diocese and the Colchester Area since he was a curate in 1992.”
The Bishop of Colchester, the Rt Rev’d Roger Morris said:
“Phil is well known to people in the St Osyth Deanery and his appointment as their Area Dean will be a welcome one. I also thank him for his service to the Harwich Deanery over the past two years which I know has been greatly appreciated by those who lead and worship in our church communities there. Please join me in praying for Phil as he embarks on his new ministry in St Osyth and for his ongoing ministry as our Area Mission and Ministry Adviser. I’m sure many will also join me in giving thanks for Laurie Bond’s outstanding contribution to the St Osyth Deanery and the Colchester Area over many years."
Speaking about his appointment, the Rev’d Canon Phil Ritchie said:
“Over the last five years I have had the privilege of working with many of the parishes and worshipping communities in the deanery of St Osyth in my role with the Colchester Area Team and seeing the way God is at work in the communities of the deanery. I am very much looking forward to developing that relationship as Area Dean of St Osyth; ministering alongside the Chapter and churches across the deanery as we seek to continue to share the Good News of Jesus at a time of challenge and change. I’m also very thankful for my time over the last couple of years serving as Area Dean of Harwich and look forward to continuing to support colleagues and worshipping communities in that deanery in my role as Mission and Ministry Adviser of the Colchester Area Team.”
