Parish priest to become chaplain to the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham

A clergyman from Sutton-in-Ashfield with almost 30 years parish experience is to be the new chaplain to the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd George Cassidy, following the retirement of the Venerable Robin Turner, next year.

The Revd Canon Anthony (Tony) Evans (53), currently Priest-in-Charge at St Mary’s Magdalene, Sutton-in-Ashfield, has also been Area Dean of Newstead for the past five years and will take up his new post in April 2007. He said: “I am really looking forward to becoming Bishop’s Chaplain, and to this change of gear in the ministry Jesus shares with me. As I follow Robin Turner’s ministry in this position, my aim will be to support Bishop George, and his team in these exciting and challenging times in the work of promoting the unity, mission and growth of the church in this area. I pray I will provide, with all the team at Bishop’s Manor, a holy and human approach to this part of ministry together.”

As the Bishop’s chaplain, Tony will support the Bishop through co-ordination, pastoral care and planning for his practical duties across the diocese, both in churches and in the local community.

Bishop George said: “I am delighted that Tony will be joining my staff. He brings with him personal charm and a considerable portfolio of skills and experience which I know he will use for the encouragement of all our clergy as leaders in Mission in the diocese”.

Tony has a broad range of parochial situations to draw on in the new role, with almost thirty years ministry experience, following ordination in Southwell Minster. He has worked in a variety of parishes in both archdeaconries in the diocese of Southwell and Nottingham including time at St Cyprian’s, Sneinton, Worksop Priory, St George’s with St John’s, Nottingham and Ordsall parish.

He explained: “I bring to the role a wide experience of life and faith in our communities; what it is like to be a student and layperson, a husband and parent, and a parish priest in the inner city, and suburbs, in North Nottinghamshire market towns and a rural deanery, and in former mining and hosiery communities, and now areas with new life and growth.”

Tony came to Nottingham University, read Economics and Economic History and was called to ordained ministry. He went straight on to Westcott House where he read Theology and prepared for the next stage of ministry. He said: “It was being shaken by my father’s early death when I was in my teens, which suddenly, and then gradually, brought me to church and faith.”

He has a long-standing interest in scouting, having been until recently a Cub Scout leader and Ashfield District Chaplain. During his time in Nottingham he was actively concerned with social justice and housing support and worked with what was then the Macedon Trust (now part of Framework). Work in schools has also an important part of ministry to Tony, as is the development of the whole ministry of the church; where he enjoyed developing lay ministry, as well as supporting and training several curates, being part of mission teams, and a Bishops’ Adviser with those offering for ordained ministry. He is also part of the Cathedral Chapter of Southwell Minster.

He said: “I firmly believe Jesus shows us that in the church as a whole, spirituality, worship and evangelism, and social justice, and pastoral care go together, as does silent prayer and adoration, and parties, pubs, real ale and single malts! Life is for living- with Jesus and each other! But then my spiritual hero, an icon for today’s world, is Blessed Charles de Foucauld, who was a hermit, as well as a humble and open man, living amongst the Tuarg Arabs in North Africa. I also love getting away to the Derbyshire Dales and the industrial archaeology all around us in the East Midlands.”

Tony is married to Penny who is a teacher in a special school in Nottingham City, and they have four adult children in Retford, Nottingham, London and at university in Bristol. Tony says he enjoys most music from Deep Purple and U2 to opera (I love going to Buxton Opera house).

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