Bishop Robert has announced that The Revd Canon Alan Strange is to become the next Bishop’s Chaplain.

The Chaplain is responsible for supporting the ministry of the Bishop, overall management of the Bishop’s office and supporting the strategic objectives of the Diocese. Alan will be a key point of liaison between the chaplaincies and the Bishop’s Office, and between the Bishop’s Office and the Diocesan Office in London. He will work alongside Damian Thwaites, the Bishop’s Europe attaché and Diocesan Director of Communications. This is a senior post in the Bishop’s Leadership Team and for the duration of the role Alan will be made a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter.

Alan has over 35 years’ experience of ordained ministry in the Church of England gained in three dioceses. In the 1990s he was Associate Chaplain of Holy Trinity Brussels, where he assisted in the development of (largely) West African ministry and in planting a new congregation. He was Rector of Holy Trinity Norwich for 20 years, and Area Dean of Norwich South for 6 years before returning to the Diocese in Europe as Chaplain of Christ Church Amsterdam in 2016. Alan is currently a clergy representative on the Diocesan Synod and Bishop’s Council. He is married to Natalie, who has a ministry of spiritual direction.

It is planned that Alan will begin his new role on 1 April.

Alan said:

“I very much look forward to a new way of serving God under our Bishop: who could fail to be excited by the sheer scope of our diocese? I will be most grateful for prayer, as Natalie and I settle in Belgium, where we met and married.”

Bishop Robert commented:

“I hope you will join with me in making Alan very welcome in his new role. In the meantime, I commend Alan and Natalie to your prayers as he draws his ministry in Amsterdam to a close and prepares to take up his new responsibilities.”